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LONDON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Willie Walsh, head of global
airlines industry body IATA, lambasted Britain's Heathrow
Airport, calling it a "greedy monopoly hub" and describing its
plans to raise airport charges as "outrageous."
Since leaving British Airways parent company IAG
last year to run the International Air Transport Association,
Walsh has continued to bang the drum against passenger charges
at Britain's busiest airport, Heathrow.
Addressing an audience at the Aviation Club in central
London, he said Heathrow was trying to place the financial
burden of the COVID-19 crisis on its customers by proposing to
raise airport charges by 90% to 42 pounds per person.
"This time 'round when you see what it is that Heathrow is
trying to do, it just jumps off the page," Walsh said.
Heathrow, which last year lost its crown as Europe's busiest
hub to Paris, is owned by investors including Spain's Ferrovial
, the Qatar Investment Authority and China Investment
Corp.
Walsh, who has a reputation as a bruiser in dealing with
unions and suppliers, said the higher charges would fund bigger
dividends for Heathrow shareholders.
He called on Britain's regulator, the Civil Aviation
Authority, to protect consumers by pushing back against the
airport's "outrageous behaviour."
"The recovery of the UK's travel and tourism industry
impacts millions of jobs. They cannot be held hostage to the
intransigence of what is effectively a greedy monopoly hub
airport," he said.
"I cannot see how almost doubling the charge at Heathrow is
in the interest of consumers, particularly as we're trying to
recover the industry."
Heathrow could not immediately be reached for comment.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
