At a glance:
- The way that Heathrow Airport is regulated could change to accommodate plans for expansion.
- The UK Civil Aviation Authority is seeking views on the best regulatory models to support a third runway at Heathrow.
- These models need to protect consumers by promoting efficient and effective spending on capacity expansion.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has today published for consultation a working paper on Heathrow’s regulatory model.
Following the Government’s announcement on the proposal for a third runway which will be used to progress the Airport's National Policy Statement, the working paper sets out a review of the current regulatory framework of the airport and explores whether an alternative model for capacity expansion could better serve the interests of consumers using the airport.
Selina Chadha, Group Director of Consumer and Markets at the UK Civil Aviation Authority said:
“We recognise the importance of the efficient and effective expansion of capacity at Heathrow airport to the wider economy, airlines and consumers, and welcome the Government’s support of our review.”
“We are seeking to develop the regulatory framework to both deliver the best outcomes for consumers and support the Government’s timetable for the delivery of expansion.”
The list of potential new models has been developed based on submissions from stakeholders, including both Heathrow Airport Ltd and Heathrow Reimagined, and exploring regulatory models used across other industries and internationally.
Once industry responses to the working paper have been assessed, the UK Civil Aviation Authority will provide a recommendation for the regulatory model to be applied at Heathrow Airport. This is expected to be published in the Spring of 2026.
A link to the full Working Paper on regulatory models can be found on the CAA website www.caa.co.uk/CAP3195