Ryanair calls for three more runways at London airports
New runways should be built at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted to create excess capacity in the southeast, increase competition between airlines and lower air fares, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has told MPs.
Describing the Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s alternative proposal for a new airport in the Thames estuary as a "stupid, hare-brained idea" he added: "To come up with a new airport with no infrastructure is insanely stupid."
O’Leary stold the Commons transport select committee that new runways should be built at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted as fast as possible.
"London has the benefit of multiple airports, it has the infrastructure in place – get on and build three more runways," he said.
O’Leary said the argument for retaining only one central hub was driven by the full-service airlines that want to force all their passengers through Heathrow.
He also hit out at the Civil Aviation Authority, saying it should be "shut down tomorrow as far as economic regulation goes. It has been a disaster." O’Leary claimed decades of mishandled policy meant the UK had lost out on much of the growth in the number of passengers using Ryanair, which had switched flights to other countries due to high airport charges and taxes in the UK.
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
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