Britain’s airports have welcomed the establishment announced by the Chancellor last week of a National Infrastructure Commission headed by Lord Adonis.
Darren Caplan, Chief Executive, Airport Operators Association (AOA), said the decision was an acknowledgement that additional runway capacity will be required if the UK is to prosper.
Caplan, whose association represents more than 50 UK airports, also welcomed the Chancellor’s confirmation that the Government will make a decision on expansion by Christmas.
He added: "This decision has been ducked under successive Governments for years and it is clear the UK faces a capacity crisis unless action is taken with respect to building a new runway and making better use of the capacity we have."
It was several months since the Airports Commission published its final report and ministers needed to respond quickly to remove uncertainty and ensure the UK gained essential additional capacity as soon as possible, he continued.
"Under the National Infrastructure Commission, we also need recognition that the UK requires excellent aviation connectivity right across the country," Caplan said.
"This will ensure the UK has both vibrant point-to-point airports and world-class hub capacity, with a sustainable planning regime allowing airports that wish to grow the opportunity to do so." www.aoa.org.uk
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum