Heathrow referred to Competition and Markets Authority because it refused to consider the Hub runway idea
Heathrow Hub, the rival plan to the controversial proposed third runway expansion, is formally complaining to the Competition and Markets Authority about the behaviour of the airport. It claims Heathrow “abused its dominant market position” to get Government backing for the third runway, by simply refusing to consider the Hub. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has said he couldn’t back the Hub option because Heathrow would not guarantee to work on commercial terms to help build it. That is the heart of Hub concept originator, Jock Lowe’s, complaint. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the UK’s competition authority it carries out market and competition investigations. It is also the body to which airports or other persons with a qualifying interest can appeal the CAA’s price determinations. It was the CMA’s predecessor, the Competition Commission, that ordered the break up of BAA, as it then was, as the company had too much control over London’s airports. That ended up with Gatwick, and then Stansted, being sold. The current government’s desire to expand Heathrow would lead to an almost exactly similar situation – Heathrow being almost a monopoly for long haul destinations in the south east.
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Heathrow blamed for ‘unfairly blocking plan for a rival runway’
By SIMON ENGLISH (Evening Standard)
24.5.2018
Heathrow Hub, the rival plan to the controversial proposed third runway expansion, is formally complaining to the Competition and Markets Authority about the behaviour of the airport.
It claims Heathrow “abused its dominant market position” to get Government backing for the third runway, by simply refusing to consider the Hub.
The brainchild of former Concorde pilot Jock Lowe, it would extend the northern runway rather than building a new one.
Lowe said: “After years of trying to work co-operatively with Heathrow Airport and the Department of Transport, we have decided it is time to take the gloves off.”
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has said he couldn’t back the Hub option because Heathrow would not guarantee to work on commercial terms to help build it.
That is the heart of Lowe’s complaint.
He said: “The consequence of Heathrow’s veto and the flawed process run by the Department for Transport is that consumers and airlines are being saddled with its unnecessarily complex, noisy and expensive third runway.” Heathrow had no immediate comment.
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