EasyJet reportedly wins review of Gatwick airport charges

LONDON (Reuters) - The High Court has approved an application from low-cost carrier easyJet (EZJ.L) for judicial review of the regulatory process that led to higher airport charges at Gatwick airport last spring, The Financial Times newspaper reported on Monday.

Britain's Civil Aviation Authority is allowing airport operator BAA to raise passenger charges at Gatwick, which is up for sale, by almost 50 percent to 8.36 pounds during a five-year period which began earlier this year.

CAA said the airport's owner would need the extra cash to improve security and reduce queuing at the airports.

BAA, which also has Heathrow and Stansted among its portfolio of seven British airports, is owned by Spanish construction-to-services company Ferrovial FER.MC.

In September, Britain's Competition Commission made a provisional ruling that three of the airports must be sold.

On Friday, easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou raised his stake in the company to 26.9 percent and asked the board to adopt a more cautious business strategy, including reduced orders for new planes.

(Reporting by Dan Lalor)