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Heathrow Airport: Airlines demand competitiveness
Photo: HENRY NICHOLLS / REUTERS
Heathrow Airport in London has drawn anger from the airlines by demanding significantly more money for the transport and handling of passengers and luggage. The British Airways parent IAG threatened on Monday to reduce the number of its connections at the hub if the announcement is implemented. The fees at Heathrow were already among the highest in the world and kept rising, said IAG boss Luis Gallego on Monday in London.
Heathrow currently charges 22 pounds (around 26 euros) per passenger to finance operational costs for maintenance, security and luggage transport.
The airport wanted to almost double the fee to £ 43, also due to the financial damage caused by the corona pandemic.
The civil aviation authority recently set an upper limit of 24.50 to 34.40 pounds for the next five years.
IAG boss Gallego called for the airport to remain competitive.
More than 40 percent of travelers at Heathrow used the airport to change trains.
They could switch to more attractive airports, warned Gallego.
“Raising the fees won't help.
This will not increase demand - on the contrary, «said the IAG boss.
The group also includes Iberia, Air Europa, Vueling and Aer Lingus.
mik / dpa-AFX
