Senior industry leaders have gone public with their backing for a third runway at London Heathrow as the UK government launches a full consultation process on plans for expanding the UK's principal aviation hub. If Heathrow's backers were to get everything the consultation document puts forward, with no restrictions, Heathrow's capacity would be expanded from the present government-capped 480,000 air transport movements a year to 700,000.
The Confederation of British Industry, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and airport operator BAA staged a major press conference at the London Stock Exchange on 22 November to argue in favour of a third runway and a sixth terminal at Heathrow.
BA chief executive Willie Walsh said at the conference that Heathrow's two runways at present are operating at 99% of capacity, which leads to flight cancellations whenever strong winds or poor visibility affect the airport, and this is already driving business away from the UK.
The new runway is unlikely to be operating until 2020, which means the decision has already been delayed too long, according to CBI director general Richard Lambert. But he insists that hope for future improvement in Heathrow's operational efficiency will encourage existing global businesses to keep their major operations in London and the UK south east, and others to plan to locate there in the future.
The Department for Transport's study into UK aviation infrastructure - begun in 2000 - has already concluded that the UK south east needs two more runways, one at Stansted and the other at Heathrow.
Source: Flight International
