Heathrow to freeze prices despite expansion costs

Travellers using Heathrow Airport shouldn't expect to pay more for their flights despite costs of expansion.

The airport, which is used by millions of holiday makers across the ITV Meridian region, made the announcement today.

It said it's confident it can keep landing fees close to existing rates and not affect ticket prices. That's despite the costs implicated in building a new terminal.

The Department for Transport has said it expects the industry to "drive down costs" and aim to keep charges "close to current levels".

Willie Walsh, the boss of British Airways' parent company IAG, has repeatedly warned that expansion must be cheaper than the £17.6 billion budget estimated by the Government-commissioned Airports Commission.

He fears that landing fees could be raised and has insisted airlines "are not going to pay for inefficient expansion".

Although specific plans will not be released until a consultation is launched later this year, the airport is proposing to delay some of the more expensive aspects of the work.

The publication of the final Airports National Policy Statement setting out the Government's position and a subsequent House of Commons vote is expected to take place in the first half of 2018.