A number of leading airlines have urged the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to put a cap on charges at Heathrow Airport.

Plans put forward by the regulator could increase fees by as much as £600 million and the likes of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic believe this is excessive.

In fact, the organisations stated that charges have risen by 300 per cent at Heathrow in the past 11 years - making it the most expensive airport in the world.

Aviation industry experts fear airlines could start shunning the London airport in favour of other European hubs like Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt, as these are all far cheaper.

There has been a lot of furore surrounding the cost of flying from UK-based facilities in recent years, with the government coming under fire for its high air passenger duty demands.

Keith Williams, British Airways' chief executive, said: "As they stand, the CAA's proposals take an airport that is currently over-priced, over-rewarded and inefficient and allow it to remain that way for the next five years with ever increasing fees."