Heathrow is only airport with enough transfer passengers
BAA chief executive Colin Matthews is to argue again for a third runway at Heathrow, claiming no other airport has such proven international links.
He will claim extending Heathrow is vital to economic growth and says foreign airlines are based new flights at Frankfurt, Charles de Gaulle and Schiphol airports instead, reports the Telegraph.
"An airline based at Heathrow could sell a pair of take-off and landing slots for up to £25m, move to Stansted tomorrow and halve its landing charges as well," Mr Matthews is expected to say on Thursday at the Westminster Energy, Environment and Transportation Forum seminar.
"The reason they don’t is because Heathrow is the UK’s only hub airport – it’s the only place they can use transfer passengers to keep their planes full throughout the year, not just at peak times.
"A review of aviation policy that excludes Heathrow is like a review of rugby stadiums that excludes Twickenham."
Critics claim Mr Matthews has a vested interest because BAA has been ordered by the Competition Commission to sell Stansted. It is waiting for the outcome of its appeal on the decision any day now.
The Government has already expressed it does not support a third runway, with Justine Greening, the Transport Secretary, making opposition to it a key part of the election campaign for her Putney seat, but it has claimed it will look at all the arguments.
Diane
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