Stansted airport expansion to go ahead
embroiled in a funding row today after its biggest customers threatened to pull
more flights.
more passengers but was warned by
airport from 25 million per year to 35 million, which allows around 120 more daily
flights. However, Stansted’s biggest customers are withdrawing planes from the
airport this winter in a row over landing fees and are threatening to pull more
services if the expansion increases costs further.
warned that it would add £550m to the overall cost of the airport, which will
have to be paid off by higher landing fees.
its charges, both airlines will take out capacity,” said an easyJet spokesman.
More than 23 million passengers used Stansted last year, but passenger numbers
have dropped 4% since January, leading some analysts to doubt whether the 35 million
limit will be reached any time soon.
of a regulatory inquiry that will set landing fees.
was a key factor in the decision. “There is an urgent need for additional runway
capacity in the south east,” he said.
air pollution” but added that they would be small.
passengers on Stansted’s only runway but warned that Conservatives would “strongly
oppose” a second.
the move would stoke a boom in cheap air travel.
and it is also wrong economically because the expansion of Stansted has depended
on low-cost flights and the expansion of that type of flying.”
“entirely predictable, cynical and unjustified”.
that the dice were loaded in favour of BAA,” said SSE chairman Peter Sanders.
airport, also received approval. The Docklands-based airport was given planning
permission to increase flights by 50%, from 80,000 to 120,000 per year.
in the financial services industry is expected to reduce demand at an airport
whose proximity to Canary Wharf and the Square Mile makes it popular with business
passengers.