A decision by Gatwick Airport to increase its summer landing charges by a massive 62.5% did discriminate against some airlines, the Civil Aviation Authority admitted today, but it ruled the discrimination was not unreasonable.
Gatwick hiked its summer landing charges in April 2011, but at the same time it reduced its winter charges to zero. As such, the entire cost increase allowed under the CAA’s price cap for Gatwick was loaded on to summer landing charges.
Flybe had complained to the CAA, under section 41 of the Airports Act 1986, that structuring charges in this manner unreasonably discriminated against it and other operators of small aircraft at Gatwick.
The CAA agreed the move discriminated against such operators but said that as Gatwick’s objective was to increase the efficient use of its single runway its decision was justified.
While some passengers may be harmed by the changes, the numbers involved are likely to be small and the adverse effects would be balanced by benefits to other passengers, said the CAA.
Today’s announcement confirms a provisional decision published in September last year.
