Businesses call for single hub airport with spare capacity
Business leaders have told the Airport Commission the country needs a single hub airport with spare capacity to allow more flights to be added to emerging markets.
The move by the CBI is being seen as a vote by the business world for an additional runway at Heathrow, said the Financial Times.
Meanwhile, writing in the Telegraph today, London mayor Boris Johnson says building a third runway at the already overcrowded west London airport would be ‘madness’.
The Airport Commission is considering where extra airport capacity should be added in the southeast of England. As an alternative to a third runway at Heathrow, the commission is considering a second runway at Gatwick, expanding Stansted or backing Johnson’s plan for a new airport in the Thames Estuary.
"The best way of getting new routes to emerging markets is through a hub with spare capacity," said CBI deputy director-general Katja Hall.
"The chancellor has set businesses ambitious targets for increasing the UK’s exports and there is simply no way of achieving these goals without upping our game in emerging markets."
Heathrow is operating at capacity, handling more than 72 million passengers last year.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025