American Airlines joins push for Heathrow airport reform amid expansion debate

Skift reports that American Airlines has joined Heathrow Reimagined, a coalition calling for regulatory reform at London’s Heathrow Airport. As the first non-UK airline to sign on, American is aligning with its trans-Atlantic JV partner British Airways, Delta JV partner Virgin Atlantic, IATA, and Arora Group to advocate for a review of Heathrow’s operating model before further investment is made.

Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports, faces mounting pressure over high passenger fees, aging infrastructure, and two very active runways and a long-stalled proposed third. While Heathrow Reimagined does not oppose expansion, it argues that current financial practices burden airlines and travelers, with fees exceeding those of comparable European hubs by over $1.39 billion annually.

The UK government recently backed a privately funded third runway, but legal and logistical hurdles remain, with completion unlikely before 2035. Critics worry that expansion costs will be passed on to airlines and passengers. Heathrow’s CEO has promised improvements through the largest private investment in the airport’s history, but reform advocates argue that without regulatory changes, costs will continue to rise unfairly.

American Airlines, Heathrow’s third-largest carrier, sees the debate as crucial to transatlantic commerce, with potential implications for US-UK connectivity.