Heathrow airport’s plan to hike the domestic traveller charge is criticised.

Airport news for Heathrow,Travel on 09/12/2010.

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Plans by Heathrow airport to raise the domestic passenger charge by as much as £7 is being criticised as exploitation of travellers. The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) is urging the airport to review further the plan to bring in the levy hike as of 1 April.

The new fee will be £20.25, a considerable increase on the old rate of £13.43. Brian Potter, president of the SPAA, said the higher fee would place greater burdens on business travel budgets. He added that it would damage the country’s economic health by reducing the demand for domestic flights in the UK.

He pointed out that many of these travellers fly on split-journey tickets in order to enjoy the best air fares. Though they already pay double the air passenger duty, they now faced having to pay higher airport charges twice.

Mr Potter went on to say that domestic passengers in the UK are not using the same level of customs and immigration services as international travellers. Therefore, it is not fair for them to have to pay further costs.

He said Heathrow Airport is apparently the main transfer hub in the UK. Introducing these higher charges will not help British aviation. It will, he said, give travellers yet another reason to consider alternatives like Frankfurt, Amsterdam or Paris.

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