Heathrow Airport has received approval from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to pass on the costs incurred during the bidding process for its third runway to passengers. This ruling allows Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) to recoup £320m it has spent on its proposal.
Rival bidder Heathrow West has also been granted permission to reclaim £4.2m for its efforts. The CAA stated that these design and planning efforts were necessary for the timely delivery of the third runway expansion.
Under a compensation scheme, HAL will be permitted to add 10p to every passenger fare for the next 20 to 25 years. The CAA's decision on Wednesday is expected to increase the airport charge per passenger by around 15p in 2028, rising to 30p in subsequent years.