easyJet launch Gatwick charges High Court battle
17.03.09
easyJet will take its grievances over a hike in charges at Gatwick Airport to the High Court today. The budget airline is unhappy that BAA was allowed to impose what the carrier called ‘exorbitant’ increases in airport charges following a decision by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which sets the price caps at the London airport.
easyJet has applied for a judicial review after the CAA increased charges from £5.61 per passenger to £6.79 per passenger in March last year. The charges will rise to £7.34 plus inflation per passenger by 2013. It will accuse the aviation watchdog of failing to follow due process by favouring BAA at the expense of commercial airlines in pricing negotiations.
It is the first time that the CAA has been subject to a judicial review of airport pricing. A spokesman for the CAA said that it would defend its position ‘robustly’. It has hired Michael Beloff, QC, one of Britain's highest-paid barristers and a former president of Trinity College, Oxford, to argue its case.
The hearing at the High Court in London is scheduled to last for four days, heard by Mr Justice Collins. A ruling is expected within eight weeks.
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