Airlines don’t back Gatwick expansion
75pc say second runway will not ease pressures
SOME of the biggest airlines that use Gatwick for key international routes said last night they did not support the airport’s proposal for a second runway.
In all, 75pc of carriers contacted by the Daily Mail did not think expansion at Gatwick was the answer to Britain’s limited airport capacity.
The research will be a major blow for Britain’s second largest airport.
One main airline said it would even reconsider whether it should stay at Gatwick at all if the airport expanded.
In particular, it was concerned that a second runway would mean passengers having to pay extra. Airlines would be asked to pick up part of the bill for the project, and would pass the costs on to their customers.
Only two out of the eight major airlines contacted on condition of anonymity said they supported the runway expansion.
Another airline said: ‘The expansion needs to deliver a hub airport that will enable passengers to connect to flights all around the world, and Gatwick is not that airport.’
EasyJet, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are some of the major carriers with operations at Gatwick.
The findings could not come at a worse time for the airport, with the Government just weeks away from making a crucial decision about runway expansion.
In July last year, the Davies Commission recommended the building of a third runway at Heathrow instead of a second one at Gatwick, but the Department for Transport announced that further investigation into noise, pollution and compensation was needed before a decision could be made.
However, not all airlines object to Gatwick’s expansion.
One said: ‘Gatwick’s proposal is a costeffective and deliverable way to ensure London’s pre-eminent position as a wellconnected world city.’
Government sources said last week that planning laws could be ripped up to allow one of the new runways to be finished within three years.
A spokesman for Gatwick said: ‘With record passenger growth and over 50 airlines now flying from Gatwick, the business case for a second runway has never been stronger, which is why airlines such as Norwegian, Emirates and Monarch have all backed the urgent need for Gatwick to get a second runway. In comparison, Heathrow is already the most expensive airport in the world and would have to raise its passenger charges to £40 to fund their extravagant and costly expansion plans.’
Gatwick’s third largest airline, Norwegian, has announced it will base a fleet of 50 long-haul and 100 short-haul aircraft at Gatwick if it gets a second runway.
Airlines are also believed to be divided over Heathrow’s plans to expand.