Monday, August 24th, 2009 at
2:46 pm
A breakdown in talks over landing fees could see EasyJet deserting Luton Airport and moving several of its planes elsewhere.
The budget airline started at Luton and refers to it as its ’spiritual home’ but is understood to be refusing to pay higher landing charges proposed by the airport.
If they are unable to reach an agreement the carrier could instead move its aircraft to Stansted and Gatwick.
The talks come after fellow budget airline Ryanair cancelled 90 per cent of flights from Manchester and cut routes from Stansted and Dublin over charges.
The competition to deliver cheap flights in an increasingly difficult economic climate is causing many airlines to try and cut as many costs as possible.
Regional British airports in particular seem to be losing out, which could leave British passengers in certain areas with less of a choice of budget airline from their closest airports.
Britain could also lose business to European airports which have scrapped tourist taxes or reduced airport charges to zero. The move could encourage carriers to base themselves abroad to reduce costs.
Sources close to the EasyJet negotiations suggested to the Travel Trade Gazette that airport charges already make up about 10 per cent of the average EasyJet fare from Luton and the proposed increase would force it to raise ticket prices for passengers.
It is thought that if EasyJet does not get the deal it wants, it could drop plans to expand at Luton and move two of its eight aircraft based there to other airports.
EasyJet spokesman Andrew McConnell said: ‘Talks are still continuing between EasyJet and the airport about airport costs and the future growth strategy, which would allow us to invest at the airport to create much needed jobs.’
