Commentary Part 1 – Airports Appeals against licence conditions etc Section 25: Appeal to Competition Commission: modification of licence conditions
113.An appeal against a decision by the CAA to modify a licence condition may be brought by either the holder of the licence (the operator of the airport area), or a provider of air transport services (an airline) whose interests are materially affected by the decision. Such an appeal is made to the Competition Commission. “Air transport service” is defined in section 69.
114.The time limit for an application for permission to appeal is set out in paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 2. The application for permission to appeal must be made within six weeks of the CAA publishing the notice of its decision to modify the licence condition.
115.Permission to appeal may be refused on any of three grounds. First, that the appeal is brought for reasons that are trivial or vexatious reasons. Secondly, that the appeal does not have a reasonable prospect of success. Thirdly, that the appeal is brought against a decision relating entirely to a matter remitted to the CAA under an earlier appeal under section 24 or 25 and that it is brought on grounds that were considered, or could have been raised by the applicant or a relevant connected person, as part of that earlier appeal (see subsections (5) and (6)). “Relevant connected person” is defined in subsection (7).