Airlines complain to British watchdog over airport operator

Competition chiefs have received a number of complaints from airlines about the “poor quality of service and facilities” at BAA-run airports which include Heathrow and Gatwick, it was revealed today.

There had also been “widespread public criticisms”, particularly of the length of security queues, the Competition Commission (CC) added.

“We are well aware of the concerns expressed in the media and elsewhere over the operations of BAA’s airports, especially Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick,” said CC deputy chairman Christopher Clarke.

“These include delays experienced by passengers going through security or immigration, as well as the availability of facilities such as lifts, escalators and travelators, and other aspects which may affect passengers’ experience passing through airports, such as overcrowding, signage and cleanliness.”

Mr Clarke is chairing the CC’s inquiry into the supply of airport services by BAA in the UK.

His comments came as the CC published an “issues statement” laying out exactly what it would be looking at in relation to BAA’s operations in an inquiry that begun in March this year and is expected to be concluded at the end of next year.

The matter was referred to the CC by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) which said that it had “reasonable grounds to suspect that BAA’s high regional market shares in the south east of England and Lowland Scotland, the system of economic regulation of airports and capacity constraints combine to prevent, restrict or distort competition”.

The OFT added that this view was based on its analysis of the market but was also consistent with strong expressions of concern received from interested parties, especially airlines.