Heathrow Airport says it is having to turn business to its rival airports in France and Germany because it does not have capacity.
Heathrow’s CEO said there is a waiting list of 30 international airlines applying to begin new routes or increase the number of their flights.
But Heathrow is functioning at 98% of its maximum flight capacity already and has long been making its case for the building of a third runway.
John Holland-Kaye believes that Heathrow should play a crucial role in exports and said that it already flies out about 25% of British exports.
Gatwick is also pressing for another, its second, runway. But Mr Holland-Kay said Gatwick’s second runway proposals are “primarily about low cost flights to Europe”, while he claimed expanding Heathrow is important for the future of the British economy.
He said that airlines are queuing up to get access to Heathrow, but are having to launch new routes instead from airports in France and Germany.
Frankfurt airport has three runways while Paris Charles de Gaulle has four.
The debate over the best spot for a new runway is hotting up further as the Airports Commission is set to launch a national consultation this month. Its final recommendations will be announced after the General Election.
