bmi asks UK airport regulator to review BAA’s plans for higher charges
26-Nov-2010 Leading British airline, British Midland International (bmi), has complained to the airport regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), about BAA's plans to introduce higher charges for domestic passengers flying out of London Heathrow Airport.
BAA recently announced that, from April 2011, it intends to raise charges by over 50% for each departing domestic passenger. The rate would increase from £13.43 to £20.25 per passenger, a move seen as unacceptable by bmi as domestic passengers do not use the same BAA facilities, such as customs and immigration channels, as those travellers flying outside of UK borders.
In light of these issues bmi has informed CAA that they are preparing an action under section 41 of the Airport's Act 1986. bmi has asked the CAA to investigate the conduct of BAA as it believes the airport operator is unreasonably discriminating against domestic operations from London Heathrow.
Wolfgang Prock Schauer, chief executive officer, bmi, said:
"It is clear that BAA is unfairly penalising domestic passengers at Heathrow and discriminating against airlines flying between Heathrow and Scotland and Northern Ireland.
"BAA is favouring long-haul airlines and neglecting the needs of local, UK airlines serving the domestic and Northern Ireland markets.
"BAA's plans will cause huge inconvenience and higher costs for travellers and so we have written to the CAA to make it clear that we will be seeking legal remedies under the Airports Act 1986. Without doubt, these planned higher charges by BAA would damage the economic links between Heathrow and key regions across the UK.
"bmi has written to the political decision makers in Scotland and in Northern Ireland to outline the damage that BAA's higher charges would do to the economy. We are receiving enormous support from Scotland and Northern Ireland on a political level and from the business community."