Airlines that fill their planes at Heathrow will pay lower airport charges in a new ‘landmark’ deal signed this week.
Carriers operating from Heathrow currently have lower average load factors than the IATA global average.
Under the new deal, if airlines manage to reach global averages, passenger charges could be dropped by 10-20%.
This will also help Heathrow meet the Government’s affordability target for expansion, said a statement from the airport.
"With more passengers on each existing flight, Heathrow would be able to spread the development costs of expansion across a larger passenger base – helping to keep airport charges close to 2016 levels in real terms throughout the expansion project," it said.
The deal comes after detailed negotiations over the past several months.
