Fury over higher air traffic charges after IT meltdown
Airlines have warned that passengers will face higher fares after the UK’s aviation regulator increased air traffic control charges.
The costs, paid by airlines, come following the August air traffic control meltdown across the UK. It saw flights delayed, cancelled and thousands stranded.
The fee will rise from £46 to £64 per flight until 2027 – an increase of 43p per passenger to £2.08 on average.
Airlines say the increases “cannot be justified” – pointing to the August meltdown.
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of industry body Airlines UK, said the hike in charges was “yet another kick in the teeth for passengers who have been plagued by issues this summer including the August Nats [National Air Traffic Services] IT failure”.
The group, which represents the likes of British Airways, EasyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, Virgin Atlantic and Tui, said passengers would “inevitably end up footing the bill of millions of pounds for increases”.
“It is clear that a wider independent review into how Nats is regulated is needed to protect passengers and ensure that airlines are not always forced to act as the insurer of last resort and bear millions of pounds of costs for failures that are not their fault,” he added.