Final submissions made to Airports Commission
The public consultation about whether Gatwick or Heathrow airports should be expanded has now closed.
The Airports Commission will make a recommendation to the Government based on a shortlist of three options – a third runway at Heathrow, lengthening an existing runway at Heathrow or building a second runway at Gatwick.
It is expected to make its final recommendations in the summer.
As the consultation came to a close, various industry bodies made their final attempts to influence the commission’s decision.
– The Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK), which represents over 70 airlines, told the commission that expansion at Heathrow was the right solution
– UKinbound urged it to recommend the development of additional runways at both Gatwick and Heathrow
– The GTMC said a survey of 1,000 corporate travellers showed 61% back Heathrow expansion
– KPMG didn’t disclose which particular option it was supporting but called for ‘political commitment’ to ‘get shovels in the ground’
– Unite believes expansion at Heathrow is the only option to connect the UK globally.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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