Overview
- Heathrow’s regulator, the CAA, proposed Tuesday a per‑passenger cap between £27.20 and £30.50 with a midpoint of £28.80, which press reports say would still leave the airport as the costliest major hub.
- The plan would lift the current average charge of £28.40 by about 1 percent and keep fees far below what Heathrow sought yet above what airlines argued for.
- The CAA would allow roughly two‑thirds of a £9.5 billion investment plan for items like security and electrical upgrades while excluding projects tied to a third runway.
- Heathrow had asked for about £34 per passenger to fund upgrades and bolster resilience after last year’s electrical fire, and chief executive Thomas Woldbye warned the proposal could force service trade‑offs.
- Major carriers including IAG and Virgin Atlantic are pushing a “Heathrow Reimagined” overhaul as IATA’s Willie Walsh calls for a full reset, and the CAA targets final proposals in November with a decision due in April 2027 that could shape ticket prices because airlines pass these fees to customers.