Airports operator says Heathrow must expand for the UK to seize valuable trade opportunities

Britain鈥檚 leading airports operator BAA has indicated that it hasn鈥檛 given up on the idea of a third Heathrow runway.

The company鈥檚 chief executive Colin Matthews criticised the mooted alternatives, raising technical objections to 鈥淗eathwick鈥�, a possible high-speed rail link between Gatwick and Heathrow, and questioning whether the UK could afford a major new airport in the Thames Estuary.

Matthews told the Financial Times he hoped the government鈥檚 next aviation policy document would consider the option of a third runway for Heathrow, which is running at full capacity.

The coalition last year ruled out allowing new runways at Heathrow, Gatwick or Stanstead airports during the current Parliament, citing environmental concerns and objections by local residents.

A report commissioned by BAA and published last month concluded that Britain risked missing out on 拢14bn of trade with emerging markets over the next decade because Heathrow鈥檚 capacity left it unable to expand its range of long-haul routes.

Meanwhile Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways鈥� parent company International Airlines Group, has raised concerns about the newly-appointed transport secretary Justine Greening and a possible conflict of interest.

Walsh claims the fact that the minister鈥檚 constituency is under a Heathrow flightpath could colour her approach to the aviation industry.

Greening battled against the previous Labour government鈥檚 plans for a third runway at Heathrow, and described the coalition鈥檚 decision to scrap the proposal as 鈥渞eally fantastic news鈥� that would 鈥渉elp protect our local quality of life鈥�.

Walsh told the Sunday Telegraph he thought David Cameron was 鈥渉iding behind鈥� Greening to protect a policy that 鈥渄amages the economy鈥�.

A spokesman for the transport department said Greening was perfectly able to balance her ministerial brief and her constituents鈥� wishes, noting: 鈥淭here are transport considerations in every constituency but these do not prevent ministers from carrying out their duties fairly and responsibly.鈥�

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