After three years of extensive consultation, evidence gathering and analysis, the UK’s Airports Commission finally delivered its recommendation on 1 July that a new runway at Heathrow is the best option for expanded airport capacity.
Sir Howard Davies, Airports Commission Chairman: “Our conclusions are clear and unanimous: the best answer is to expand Heathrow’s capacity through a new northwest runway.”
Sir Howard Davies, Airports Commission Chairman, commented: “At the end of this extensive work programme our conclusions are clear and unanimous: the best answer is to expand Heathrow’s capacity through a new northwest runway. Heathrow is best-placed to provide the type of capacity which is most urgently required: long-haul destinations to new markets. It provides the greatest benefits for business passengers, freight operators and the broader economy.”
The Airports Commission has also recommended a comprehensive package of accompanying measures, including a ban on night flights and a new noise levy to fund a stronger set of compensation and mitigation schemes.
While the UK Government has announced that it will make its final decision by the end of the year, Airport Business reports on UK airports’ initial reactions to yesterday’s announcement. The responses were, of course, varied – some airports supporting the decision and others contending that it will reduce the connectivity of the UK’s regional airports.
The Heathrow response
John Holland-Kaye, CEO London Heathrow Airport: “Our new plans have been designed around the needs of local communities and will meet carbon, air quality and noise targets, and provides the greatest benefit to the UK’s connectivity and its long-term economic growth.”
London Heathrow has, naturally, welcomed the recommendation and said it will “work with Government to deliver expansion for all of Britain”. John Holland-Kaye, CEO London Heathrow Airport, commented: “This debate has never been about a runway, it’s been about the future we want for Britain. Expanding Heathrow will keep Britain as one of the world’s great trading nations, right at the heart of the global economy. Our new plans have been designed around the needs of local communities and will meet carbon, air quality and noise targets, and provides the greatest benefit to the UK’s connectivity and its long-term economic growth. We will create the world’s best connected, most efficient and most environmentally responsible hub airport at the heart of an integrated transport system. The Commission has backed a positive and ambitious vision for Britain. We will now work with Government to deliver it.”
The Heathrow Hub response
Captain William ‘Jock’ Lowe, Director, Heathrow Hub: “Our economy, our national transport infrastructure and our international connectivity will be vastly improved by the expansion of Heathrow Airport.”
Heathrow Hub, the independent proposal to expand Heathrow by extending the northern runway, welcomed the decision to select Heathrow Airport as the location for expanding UK airport capacity, while expressing disappointment that its own proposal was not selected.
Captain William ‘Jock’ Lowe and his fellow Directors of Heathrow Hub said: “Heathrow Airport is the correct location for expansion for the UK. Our economy, our national transport infrastructure and our international connectivity will be vastly improved by the expansion of Heathrow Airport. While we obviously still believe our own concept to extend the runways is superior to Heathrow Airport Ltd’s third runway option, we congratulate John Holland-Kaye and his team. From the beginning we have maintained that Heathrow is the answer and, while we still believe our proposal is cheaper, simpler and more politically deliverable, we are relieved that the Commission has made the correct decision in terms of location. Heathrow is where the airlines want to be; it’s where the demand is.”
The Gatwick response
Stewart Wingate, CEO Gatwick Airport: “Choose Gatwick and – after decades of delay – something can actually happen.”
Despite the recommendation laid out in the Airports Commission’s final report, Gatwick Airport said it remained confident that it would still be chosen for expansion, as it is the “only deliverable option”.
“Gatwick is still very much in the race,” Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate said. “The Commission’s report makes clear that expansion at Gatwick is deliverable. It is for the Commission to make a recommendation but it is of course for the Government to decide. So we now enter the most important stage of the process. We are confident that when the Government makes their decision they will choose Gatwick as the only deliverable option. Of course the UK needs the economic benefits of expansion. But the country cannot fly to new markets from a runway that can never be built. Expansion at Gatwick will be quicker simpler and quieter. It will promote greater competition benefitting all passengers whilst limiting the environmental impact. The choice ahead is clear. Choose Gatwick and – after decades of delay – something can actually happen. Choose Heathrow and nothing will happen. It will simply be Groundhog Day.”
The Manchester response
Ken O’Toole, Managing Director, Manchester Airport: “We are well positioned to play an increasingly important role in meeting the country’s aviation capacity needs.”
Managing Director of Manchester Airport, Ken O’Toole expressed the airport’s feeling that it is now for Government to develop a policy spanning the short, medium and long-term that will deliver the capacity needed for the country to thrive in a modern, global society.
“Aviation policy must address the need for the UK to develop a strong network of competing airports, and ensure that best use is made of capacity available at Manchester in the period before any runway can be delivered – something that will take 15 years or more. This year, Manchester Airport will serve 23 million passengers, providing them with a choice of over 200 destinations with 70 airlines, and we are confident that we are well positioned to play an increasingly important role in meeting the country’s aviation capacity needs, as acknowledged by the Airports Commission today.”
The Stansted response
Managing Director of Stansted Airport Andrew Harrison: “Stansted provides an obvious solution for additional capacity.”
“The Commission has recognised the strategic importance of Stansted and the vital contribution the airport will make meeting demand in the UK over the short to medium term,” said Managing Director of Stansted Airport Andrew Harrison.“The Government must now act to support the relaxation of planning caps at the appropriate time and improve rail connections to Stansted by investing in a world-class rail link. This will unlock the full potential of Stansted and enable the airport to play a crucial role in growing the UK economy. Heathrow and Gatwick are already full but Stansted can accommodate an extra 20-25 million passengers a year on its runway, so it’s essential that we act now to ensure this capacity is used to its full potential. Looking further ahead, we share the Commission’s view that Stansted’s existing runway will be full by around 2030. With London growing increasingly to the east, Stansted provides an obvious solution for additional capacity, with a new runway impacting far fewer people than other potential options, and deliverable at a fraction of their cost.”
The Birmingham response
Paul Kehoe, CEO Birmingham Airport: “The Midlands is a powerful engine of growth at the heart of our country and needs direct aviation to succeed.”
“Over the past three years the Airports Commission has explored numerous options for resolving the South-East congestion, and we are incredibly grateful to all those in the region who have supported our case for a network of airports,” Birmingham Airport CEO Paul Kehoe said in reaction to the report. “Given the significant levels of growth we have seen at Birmingham Airport within this period, especially in long-haul routes, we urge the Government to move ahead with caution so as not to damage the ability of regional airports to grow. The Midlands is a powerful engine of growth at the heart of our country and needs direct aviation to succeed. With our £200 million investment in the airport, including our runway extension allowing for this summer’s extended series of direct flights to Beijing, we are doing all we can to support the region’s businesses and leisure passengers. Whilst the Government continues to review all the evidence before it, Birmingham Airport looks forward to continuing the expansion of our long-haul offering in support of the region’s economy.”
The Bristol response
Robert Sinclair, Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Airport: “It is important that the Government does not lose sight of the role airports outside London can play.”
Commenting on the report, Robert Sinclair, Chief Executive Officer at Bristol Airport, said: “While London airports are locked in dispute over how and where to expand, regional airports are taking steps to serve their local markets more effectively. Bristol Airport has planning permission to handle up to 10 million passengers per annum compared to 6.3 million today, an extended departure lounge will open later this week, and the completion of a major terminal extension next year will take investment since 2010 to more than £120 million. Howard Davies and his Commission have done a thorough job in assessing capacity requirements in the South East but it is important that while considering the recommendations the Government does not lose sight of the role airports outside London can play during what is likely to be a long, drawn out process.”
The Glasgow response
Amanda McMillan, Managing Director of Glasgow Airport: “An expanded Heathrow must deliver further access for Glasgow and Scotland.”
“We welcome the findings of the Airports Commission which has unanimously backed a third runway at Heathrow. The ability of Scotland to maintain and increase its global competitiveness is dependent on having air links with established and emerging markets and Heathrow plays a hugely important role in facilitating this,” Amanda McMillan, Managing Director of Glasgow Airport, said, responding to the publication of the Airports Commission’s final report. “Glasgow Airport will actively seek to secure direct links with hub airports throughout Europe and beyond. However, Scotland’s population is of a size which means it can only ever sustain a certain number of direct flights. It is for this reason we support the expansion of Heathrow, however, an expanded Heathrow must deliver further access for Glasgow and Scotland. We would call on the UK Government to act swiftly and implement the findings of the Airports Commission.”
The Newcastle response
David Laws, Chief Executive, Newcastle International Airport: “There will be local political opposition to the third runway, but this must be overcome, as the building of the runway will be in the national interest.”
“We have had great faith in the process undertaken by Sir Howard Davies and his colleagues on the Airports Commission,” David Laws, Chief Executive, Newcastle International Airport, said. “We are very pleased that the Commission has made what we consider to be the right recommendation. Heathrow is the UK’s only hub airport, and is one of the most important hubs in the world, but it is full. The Northeast currently enjoys good connectivity into Heathrow with up to seven British Airways services a day, delivering 500,000 passengers from the Northeast. By constructing a third runway, and providing additional capacity, these services can be safeguarded, but can in the future also connect to a much wider range of global destinations. We urge the Government to agree to the recommendations of this Commission at the earliest opportunity, and set about the process of delivering this globally important scheme. There will be local political opposition to the third runway, but this must be overcome, as the building of the runway will be in the national interest.”
The Edinburgh response
A spokesperson for Edinburgh Airport made clear that Scotland’s primary gateway was disappointed with yesterday’s announcement: “We’ve been clear in our argument that expansion at Heathrow is not deliverable, and as a result there can be no increased capacity in the Southeast. Long-haul flights can’t fly from a runway that won’t be built. Gatwick is the more deliverable option for Scottish passengers and we’re urging the government to make a quick decision on this.”
