Five regional UK airports have given their backing to expansion at Heathrow, in an open letter to Sir Howard Davies, chair of the Airports Commission.
The heads of Aberdeen, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool John Lennon and Newcastle airports said that the current situation at Heathrow is “limiting the slots available for domestic routes and onward connections, and limiting choice for our passengers”.
The letter adds that “Heathrow’s role is as the UK’s hub, one of only six worldwide with more than 50 long haul routes and expansion there would create over 200,000 more slots”, before concluding that “We will be backing Heathrow expansion in the Airports Commission consultation as the right choice for the whole of the UK”.
In September The Airport Commission published a report looking at options for runway expansion at either Heathrow or Gatwick, effectively ending Boris Johnson’s bid for a new airport in the Thames Estuary (see news September 2).
The Commission will deliver its final report after the general election in summer 2015.
Mark Caswell