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Heathrow expansion: Airport will ‘more than double’ domestic routes

Heathrow’s chief executive has said that the number of domestic routes will “more than double” if the Cabinet approves plans for a £18.6bn third runway at the airport.

In an interview with The Independent, John Holland-Kaye dismissed research claiming that the expansion would in fact cut the number of British flights reach from the west London airport. Transport for London’s findings were highlighted by London mayor, Boris Johnson last month as he referred to the report a “catastrophic red herring”.

Heathrow’s plans for a third runways were given a formal nod of approval in July by the Airports Commission, led by Sir Howard Davies, after heavy competition between the UK’s largest airport and rival Gatwick.

EasyJet has said expansion could allow it to start routes from Heathrow to Inverness, Isle of Man, and Jersey. Heathrow also expects the launch of routes to Newquay, Humberside, and Liverpool.

Mr Holland-Kaye said: “We have already started talks with airlines which could more than double the number of domestic routes into an expanded Heathrow.”

The Conservative Party’s 2016 London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith, MP for Richmond Park in South-west London, is a long-standing opponent of the expansion plans.

Mr Goldsmith believes noise pollution is a serious issue and Mr Holland-Kaye said a recent noise “blueprint for action” was partly a response to the mayoral hopeful’s comments.

He added: “We’re now working on implementing it [the blueprint] with our airlines by trialling steeper approaches, increasing our noise fines to encourage the quietest aircraft to land here, and are even tackling the whistling sound of A320s by asking airlines to retrofit their planes,”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .