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The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has proposed that the charges paid by airlines to use Heathrow and Gatwick airports be increased next year to facilitate service improvements at the hubs.

Based on the CAA proposals, carriers would pay £11.97 per passenger to use Heathrow in 2008-09 and £6.07 per passenger to operate out of Gatwick.

These new charges would represent increases of 15.6% at Heathrow and 8.2% at Gatwick, changes the CAA recognised were 'significant'.

However the authority said that such action was necessary to bring about change.

Airports operator BAA would be expected to use the increased revenue from airlines to upgrade the facilities at Heathrow and Gatwick and improve security.

Harry Bush, CAA group director for economic regulation, said: 'Passengers and airlines deserve better than they have been provided with at Heathrow and Gatwick in recent years, but need to recognise that improvements have to be paid for.

'The CAA considers it only right that, as airlines and passengers face the prospect of paying more to use each airport…there should be greater financial incentives on the airport operator to deliver the facilities and services that give rise to those price increases.'

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