LONDON (ShareCast) - Ryanair and Easyjet have said they will hold back new landing charges imposed by airport operator BAA pending legal challenges.

Irish budget airline Ryanair said it had written to BAA Stansted protesting the proposed 7% increase in passenger charges, adding that it would seek a judicial review and withhold payment until the outcome. UK-based Easyjet said it will hold back some of the increases pending a legal challenge.

Ryanair, whose two main hubs are Dublin and Stansted, described the price rises as “completely unjustified, coming as they do on the back of a 100% increase in passenger charged imposed by the BAA Stansted monopoly in April 2007.”

Ryanair also took issue with the UK aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority for allowing the price rises.

Chief executive Michael O’ Leary said: “'These latest unjustified price hikes by the BAA airport monopoly prove that it is abusing its monopoly power over passengers and airlines at Stansted.”

“They also prove that the CAA is an incompetent and incapable regulator which has yet again put the financial needs of the Spanish owned BAA airport operator above the interests of airport users and consumers which it is obliged by law to protect.”

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