Press Release: 9 in 10 Airlines Say How Heathrow is Run Impacts its Effectiveness as a Global Hub Airport

9 in 10 Airlines say how Heathrow is run impacts its effectiveness as a global hub airport

• New research commissioned by the Heathrow Airline Operator’s Committee (AOC) reaffirms systemic concerns over the regulatory model of the UK’s only hub airport.
• Data underpins the need for an urgent and fundamental review by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) before investment in expansion, without delaying a third runway.
• Heathrow AOC, a founding member of the Heathrow Reimagined campaign, represents and promotes the interests of airlines, ground handlers and others operating at Heathrow.

London, 20 March 2025

The Heathrow Airline Operators’ Committee (AOC), the respected voice for airlines of all sizes at Heathrow, has today published research following a survey of more than 50 airlines operating at Heathrow Airport across Terminals 2,3,4 and 5 undertaken between January and March 2025.

The Heathrow AOC is a founding member of the Heathrow Reimagined campaign and represents and promotes the interests of over 90 airlines, ground handlers and others operating at Heathrow, the UK’s only hub airport and the largest in Europe. The organisation has a particular focus on operational, capital and regulatory matters and the challenges found in the complicated and regulated operating environment at the airport. 

Notable findings from the survey include:

1)      90% of airline representatives believe that the way Heathrow is run impacts its effectiveness as a hub, with respondents citing a lack of engagement and existing services hindering the capability of the airport as a strong European hub.

2)    More than 2 in 3 (67%) agree that Heathrow's operation stifles their ability to increase investment plans, citing a lack of engagement and inefficient processes.

3)   Over 60% of airline representatives deem Heathrow worse than other major airports in terms of terminal quality of service.

4)      Terminals 3 and 4 are viewed the most negatively of all Heathrow terminals in relation to the quality of service offered by Heathrow to passengers.

5)      Airline representatives cite negative passenger experiences, long security lines, poor service offered by the airport for passengers with restricted mobility (PRM), high costs, and baggage systems failures as key concerns.

The publication of the research follows the launch of Heathrow Reimagined, which calls on the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to conduct an urgent and fundamental review of Heathrow’s regulatory model for the benefit of consumers, businesses, and the UK economy.

The call for a review, from the Heathrow AOC, American Airlines, Arora Group, IAG, IATA and Virgin Atlantic, represents the first time these parties have come together, united in a shared view that the current regulatory model is not fit for purpose.

In the 15 years since the last major review into UK aviation by the Competition Commission, Heathrow has become the world’s most expensive airport. Today, passengers and airlines pay £1.1 billion more each year than if charges were in line with equivalent major European airports. Meanwhile, in recent years, Heathrow has also dropped out of Skytrax’s Top 20 airports for passenger experience, and other surveys label the airport as the “most stressful in Europe”.

Nigel Wicking, Chief Executive of Heathrow AOC, said: “Instead of being a source of national pride, Heathrow has failed to modernise and in turn, lets down consumers, carriers and the British economy. This research, which represents a significant number of the airlines operating at Heathrow, in every Terminal, reaffirms the need for an urgent and fundamental review by the CAA.  

“With almost two thirds of airlines surveyed asserting their view that Heathrow’s terminal quality ranks lower than other major airports, and an expansion with significant further investment on the horizon, we must act now. Heathrow Airport Limited’s substantial market power has, for too long, given it an incentive to spend inefficiently and meant that it has acted against the interest of both consumers and airlines.”

ENDS