‘The government’s long-term goal to stimulate the economy by expanding global connectivity with a Heathrow expansion is spot on,’ says Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general. ‘However, the political haste to move quickly to capture the economic benefit of construction will seriously handicap the UK in the long term if it fails to build something that is affordable.’
There is general agreement that the cost impact of Heathrow’s current proposal, under the existing regulatory framework, will make the airport unaffordable in both the short and the long term. Heathrow’s long addiction to gold-plated construction costs has already earned it the unenviable standing as one of the most expensive airports in the world, if not the most expensive. So, intense caution is warranted, a statement released by IATA adds.
‘The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as the economic regulator, has a serious task from the government – to put in place regulatory and cost-control guard rails that will deliver an affordable airport for both passengers and airlines. That should start with a reassurance that there will be a transparent, competitive process to determine what is built and at what cost.’
