Gatwick Airport Ltd (GAL) gave its position on airlines operating <100 seat aircraft in
the CAA document on the recent landing fee rises.
GAL was seeking to encourage peak slots to be used by aircraft carrying more passengers, by both higher load factors and, potentially, larger aircraft. Those using smaller aircraft should recognise the opportunity cost associated with their use of those slots.
The CAA acknowledged that the landing fee changes (a 65% rise in summer fees) penalised operators of smaller aircraft but also noted that this was necessary to ensure optimum use of capacity at Gatwick. Furthermore, GAL has acknowledged that Aurigny would be the most proportionately affected operator. Fair 'nough, they want A380s instead of ATRs.
A hypothetical jet would maintain the security of the route by ensuring that a large enough aircraft is serving the route. Loads on LGW-GCI are pretty good; small aircraft are only used because of the runway length in Guernsey. Hence Flybe is using 88-seater E75s instead of DH8s on several flights. A larger aircraft will not be penalised by GAL's fee structure to the same extent as an AT7.