Airlines say Heathrow would close if Thames airport built
19.01.12
Heathrow’s future would be in doubt if a new hub airport is built in the Thames Estuary, the Telegraph reports leading airlines have said. A BA spokesman told the newspaper: ‘Opening a new hub would require the closure of Heathrow, which would have profound effects on jobs and business locations in west London, the M4 corridor and the Thames Valley.'
The spokesman added: ‘A Thames Estuary hub airport would be an extremely complex project with many technical, operational, environmental and financial hurdles to overcome. It has yet to be demonstrated that these issues can be successfully resolved.’
Similar doubts were voiced by a Virgin Atlantic spokesman. ‘It is good news that the Government is considering all options to deal with the South East capacity problem, but each option has issues that would need to be considered and resolved. For example, we believe that the UK can support only one strong and viable hub. If this was to relocate east it could have an impact on jobs and business in West London.’
Colin Matthews, chief executive of Heathrow’s operator, BAA, painted an equally stark picture of the choice faced by the Government. He said: ‘You can't have two hubs. You can look at various cities around the world who have tried to do that. It is either Heathrow or it is another, and the consequences of closing Heathrow wouldn't just be big for my company, it would be big for 100,000 jobs in this part of London. It is a huge issue economically, it is a huge issue politically.’
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