Heathrow boss to step down after clashing with airlines over summer chaos

Willie Walsh, the former British Airways boss and now head of airlines lobby group IATA, stopped short of calling for Mr Holland-Kaye to fall on his sword - but warned he should quit if there was a repeat of the chaos in 2023. The Supreme Court ultimately sided with Heathrow by overturning the block – but the airport still must return to the drawing board by resubmitting plans to build the third runway. Asked whether Heathrow’s expansion would still go ahead, Mr Holland-Kaye told an aviation conference earlier this week that “we will say more on that later this year”. “The board would like to put on record our gratitude to John for his dedication and commitment to Heathrow throughout his tenure as CEO.” Mr Holland-Kaye’s departure comes with the Civil Aviation Authority finalising a decision that could have serious implications for Ferrovial – Heathrow’s cornerstone investor. Luis Gallego, the chief executive of British Airways owner IAG, has previously warned large increases in airport charges could force the UK flag carrier to expand services at airports on the Continent – such as Paris’s Charles de Gaulle.