ABTA CEO, Mark Tanzer, said: “ABTA welcomes today’s announcement by the Government that it will follow the Airports Commission’s recommendation that Heathrow should be allowed to build a third runway. Increasing airport capacity is essential to the UK’s economy,
growth and global competitiveness and we are pleased that this decision has been arrived at after fair, transparent, and thorough processes and consultations.
“ABTA takes a long-term view on growing airport capacity. We have urged expansion at both Heathrow and Gatwick to meet the 2050 demand, rather than just 2030 capacity needs. The case for expansion at both airports remains clear: Heathrow is full and Gatwick operates at full capacity at peak times. Additional capacity is essential at both airports to cope with growing passenger demand and provide resilience.
“ABTA agrees that it is essential for environmental impacts to be minimised and mitigated. It is also vital that there is comprehensive public transport access to support demand. The scheme must be cost-efficient and affordable and passengers today must not be expected to pay for a runway that won’t be open until 2025.
“We now call on the Government to work across party boundaries and achieve a robust political consensus which will create the necessary infrastructure to deliver the new runway by 2025. ABTA will be working with the Government as well as the opposition parties to achieve this.”
