Virgin Atlantic has told Heathrow owner BAA that it will not pay its airport charges until a full enquiry into the last month’s weather-enforced closures is complete.
Hundreds of thousands of passengers were grounded during the run up to Christmas as heavy snow forced the UK’s largest airport, and others across the country, to close.
BAA was criticised for its slow response to the situation, and the company’s new non-executive director, Sir David Begg, launched an inquiry to find out what went wrong.
A European Union law (regulation 261) obliges airlines to organise accommodation for stranded customers and rebook them on other flights free of charge, which costs the airlines millions of pounds every year.
The fees being withheld by the Richard Branson-owned carrier are believed to total almost £10 million.
A statement from the airline sent: “We have written to BAA this weekend to advise them that we are withholding our fees from the airport operator until its inquiry into the snow enforced runway closures in December is completed.
“Despite the airport operating conditions being way beyond our control, Virgin Atlantic is taking responsibility by paying out millions to customers that suffered disruption to their Christmas travel plans.
“We are keen that BAA also feels a strong sense of accountability to the consumer and that minds are focused on delivering a fully independent and robust inquiry by its deadline in March.”
BAA's response was: “We will work with airlines during the Begg enquiry. Meanwhile Heathrow's conditions of use do not provide any basis for Virgin Atlantic or any other airline to withhold airport charges.”
Following the disruption, BAA’s chief executive Colin Matthews said he would forgo his annual bonus and would focus on rebuilding confidence at the airport.
British Airways said the disruption caused by the snow cost its business £50 million.