The boss of EasyJet has not ruled out starting low-cost flights from Heathrow depending on the impact of passenger charges if a new runway is approved in the southeast.
Chief executive Carolyn McCall (pictured) expressed concern at the findings of the Airports Commission which estimated that charges at the airline’s main UK base at Gatwick are likely to be far higher than those projected by the airport should a second runway be given the green light.
The commission estimated that airport charges for passengers would have to increase from £9 to as much as £23 – a figure described by McCall as a “huge amount” when easyJet makes just £8 profit per seat.
She said the airline was conducting its own analysis of the options and the economic case for expansion at either Heathrow or Gatwick.
McCall revealed that easyJet was having “confidential discussions” with both airports over the economic case for expansion.
Asked whether Heathrow could become an option for easyJet in the future, she said: “There’s no reason why we would not consider it,” adding that the airline already operates from main hubs on the continent such as Paris and Amsterdam.
McCall was speaking after the budget carrier delivered record profits for the fourth year in a row, with a 21.5% rise to £581 million in the year to September based on passenger numbers up by 6.6% to 64.8 million.
She stressed that the airline and the UK aviation sector overall would use “every opportunity” in the run in to next year’s general election to lobby the government over Air Passenger Duty which she described as a tax on passengers which suppresses demand.
McCall suggested that buy-out of Monarch and its transformation into a low fare European airline would bring it head to head with easyJet – a move which she described as creating “an opportunity” when competing for leisure travellers.