Davies Commission date

Followers of the Airports Commission timetable will note that the next cut off date for submissions is17 May and entitled “Proposals for making the best use of existing capacity in the short and medium terms”.

Business Travel News acknowledges Jock Lowe’s interesting SOAPBOX piece in this week’s issue.  Is it a new runway or an extension?  More money for the lawyers?

BTN believes that the Davies question was actually answered by the House of Commons Transport Select Committee Report into Regional Air Services in 1998.   On the Committee at the time was Phillip Hammond, Chris Grayling and Eric Pickles, all now in the Cabinet.  Mr Hammond is anxious to save money for the Ministry of Defence.  Northolt is cash positive for him.

The report states: “'Feeder reliever' airports such as Northolt is proposed by many witnesses for Heathrow (and as proposed by our predecessor Committee in 1996).  This would require the open-minded co-operation of NATS and the Ministry of Defence.  At only 1800 metres, the airport's runway was ideally suited to the operation of the sorts of aircraft typically used on domestic and short-haul European services.  The cost to the country of not using the available capacity at Northolt is considerable”. www.publications.parliament.uk

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