Record year for Gatwick

On Thursday the chief executive of Gatwick, Stewart Wingate, warned that approval for Heathrow would be a “retrograde step” and “politically undeliverable” because of bitter opposition from senior ministers with constituencies under the flight path. “In a lengthy, complex debate, Gatwick has remained the simple, obvious solution throughout – it is time we are given the green light to deliver the new runway the United Kingdom needs”.

National media have reported that the commission is likely to recommend expanding Heathrow – either with a new runway or an extension to an existing one – but will not rule out the possibility of building a new runway at Gatwick.

The move comes amid reports George Osborne would consider backing a new runway at Gatwick despite being a previous proponent of Heathrow expansion.

His report is expected next week, and the focus will then shift to the Government, which is likely to give a full response to Sir Howard’s work by Christmas.

Heathrow is the country’s biggest airport and a hub where more than a third of passengers are connecting to other flights.

What to do is said to be dividing the new Conservative cabinet, which now includes London Mayor Boris Johnson, who has said he is “prepared to lie down in front of bulldozers” to halt the Heathrow plan.

It’s this kind of publicity that leads anti-Gatwick campaigners like Crispian Blunt to fear their cause will not be heard.

“We’ve changed our plans to meet the concerns of politicians”.

It comes after heads of both rival camps pledged to carry on campaigning whatever decision is taken by the Airports Commission. Gatwick has not breached air quality limits. It is crucial that a decision on airport capacity is made as a matter of urgency to prevent the United Kingdom falling behind our major competitors.

“We’re a decade ahead of the numbers underpinning the Airports Commission’s work”, he said.

The new images show an expanded Gatwick with improvements created to eliminate queues, speed up passenger transit, and help Gatwick become the world’s most efficient two-runway airport. “A second runway would turbocharge economic growth in the south-east and do for south London was the Olympics did for east London”.