American Airlines adds US muscle to Heathrow reform campaign

American Airlines is throwing its weight behind a new campaign to overhaul how London’s Heathrow Airport is regulated. On Monday, the U.S. carrier announced it joined a trade group called Heathrow Reimagined. American is its first airline signatory based outside the United Kingdom. The campaign was launched on February 10 and brings together a range of organizations that are not natural bedfellows. Other members include British Airways’ parent company IAG, Virgin Atlantic, IATA, and Arora Group. It aims to deliver “urgent and fundamental reform of Heathrow's regulatory model.” Earlier this month, the group submitted its “case for change” to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) – the UK’s aviation regulator. It is pushing for a review of how the airport is operated before further investment is made to expand the complex. Notably, Heathrow Reimagined is not calling for a delay to a proposed third runway. American Airlines is the third largest airline operator at Heathrow in terms of total seats. The carrier offered approximately 4.7m seats in or out of the airport last year alone. While other companies have more flights, American Airlines' use of large widebody aircraft lifts its overall ranking. Other major international players include the Lufthansa Group, Emirates, and United Airlines. By most metrics, Heathrow is the busiest airport in Europe, and one of the largest international hubs in the world. However, with just two runways, the airport is under pressure. During peak times on an average day, planes can land as often as every 45 seconds.<br/>