Domestic passengers flying from Heathrow are in line for over a £500 million windfall over the next 20 years after Heathrow cut passenger charges on domestic trips by £10 – the largest discount to its charges the airport has ever made.
The new domestic charge of £19.10/passenger is over a third cheaper than 2016 and fulfils a key pledge Heathrow made in its expansion manifesto to make the UK’s hub airport work harder for families in every corner of Britain. Heathrow proposes that the discount lasts through to 2037, as long as it is in the public interest and there is a justification.
Efforts to rebalance growth across the UK will also get a boost from the new £10 discount which will make travel beyond London to the rest of the UK cheaper for more inbound tourists and investors.
Airlines are already responding to Heathrow’s cheaper domestic charges and from March, Flybe will start operations from Heathrow for the first time. Europe’s largest regional airline will add 40 new weekly flights to Edinburgh and Aberdeen in a move that will increase competition and choice for UK families and businesses. Heathrow’s move to discount domestic charges has the added benefit of reducing pressure on airlines operating existing domestic services by making their routes more commercially attractive.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said:
“Earlier this year Heathrow promised to do more to help Britain’s economy grow stronger. I’m delighted that we’re able to come good on that promise with our new £10 domestic discount. Putting over £500 million back into the pockets of British families and businesses will help to spur growth in every part of the UK.”