The head of Heathrow Airport is to help choose Britain’s most senior aviation official in a move that has sparked anger from airline executives.

Amid a bitter dispute over fees at Britain’s busiest airport, it can be disclosed that John Holland-Kaye is to join a six-person panel to select the director general of aviation. The other members are all Whitehall officials.

Airlines questioned the impartiality of the civil service in the wake of Mr Holland-Kaye’s appointment. 

A senior industry source said: “Aviation is supposed to be a competitive industry so it beggars belief that the chief executive of the UK’s biggest airport, which has to be tightly regulated to stop it abusing its monopoly position, is directly involved in the appointment of a senior government official with responsibility for the sector.

“Whether any bias is real or just perceived, it will cast shade on any future Government decisions involving Heathrow.”

Mr Holland-Kaye has clashed with airlines over his demand for a 90pc increase in landing charges at Heathrow.

The airport continues to campaign against a decision by the regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to grant an inflation-busting 37pc rise instead.

Although the CAA has no government funding, it is considered a public organisation and officials could be expected to intervene in contentious issues.

It is understood that airlines have bombarded Department for Transport officials over the last week to voice their concerns about Mr Holland-Kaye’s place on the panel. Another insider said: “They have certainly made their feelings known.”

Nigel Wicking, chief executive of the Heathrow Airline Operating Committee – which represents carriers operating out of the airport and has a confrontational relationship with its management – said he was “very disappointed” to see Mr Holland-Kaye named on the panel.

He added: “We note and support the Civil Service values of ‘impartiality, objectivity, integrity and honesty’ and would question how the panel can be impartial when it contains the chief executive of Heathrow Airport, the regulated monopoly that the new director general will oversee.”

A spokesman for the Government said: “This appointment is chaired by a Civil Service commissioner, going through a fair and open process and senior external figures can be involved to offer outside expertise. We will keep the recruitment process under constant review to ensure it is representative of views, including those of airlines.”