OECD & UK airports

The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published its UK survey for 2014.  It is a comprehensive 51-page document.

Tucked away (P31) is this passage:

“Being an island, airports and seaports are keys to connect the UK to the rest of the world.  Airports are used efficiently but tight capacity hampers the air transport sector, especially in the South, where only one runway was built over the last two decades.  Moreover, the perceived quality of air transport infrastructure is weak and has been falling.  In 2012, the government set up an independent Airports Commission to analyse options for expanding airport capacity in the South.  A final recommendation is expected in the summer of 2015, after the general election.  It is very important that the government then takes a final decision to effectively tackle airport congestion while ensuring strong competitive pressures among airports.”

Commenting, Stewart Wingate (See also ON THE SOAPBOX), CEO of Gatwick, said: “We welcome the OECD report which makes clear that competition should be at the heart of the Government decision on airports expansion.  Rather than turning the clock back to reinstate a monopoly at Heathrow, expanding Gatwick would enhance competition between airports.  That in turn will means lower prices and better services for everyone.”

 www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/UK-Overview-2015.pdf

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