UK CAA Mulls London Northolt ClampdownA British High Court judge ruled on Friday that the UK CAA “has the power to impose conditions” on RAF Northolt Airport, near London, where it does not comply with civil standards, despite a growing number of lucrative commercial movements. The ruling could mean the CAA has little choice but to invoke a wide-ranging audit and that Northolt could face a cut in civil operations while it makes expensive improvements. The judicial review was set in motion through an application by London Biggin Hill and London Oxford Airports, which complained that “RAF Northolt became a competitor without incurring the higher costs of complying with civilian safety standards.” Will Curtis, managing director of London Biggin Hill, told AIN that it had estimated the traffic taken away from Biggin Hill could be costing it as much as £4 million ($6 million) a year. London Oxford and London Biggin Hill have also lodged a State Aid complaint with the EU Competition Commission, complaining that the Ministry of Defence has been unfairly competing with the private sector. The airports suggested that should they win, “the compensation bill could run to many tens of millions [of pounds].”