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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jun/25/gatwick-second-runway-heathrow-expansion
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| Gatwick second runway 'more feasible' than Heathrow expansion | Gatwick second runway 'more feasible' than Heathrow expansion |
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| Gatwick is urging the government-backed Airports Commission to break Heathrow's dominance of the London aviation market by supporting its proposal for a second runway, alongside a doubling of capacity at Stansted. | Gatwick is urging the government-backed Airports Commission to break Heathrow's dominance of the London aviation market by supporting its proposal for a second runway, alongside a doubling of capacity at Stansted. |
| The chief executive of Gatwick, Stewart Wingate, said adding an extra landing strip at the Sussex airport is the most reliable solution compared with the expense of a new hub airport in the Thames estuary or the noise and pollution caused by a third runway at Heathrow. | The chief executive of Gatwick, Stewart Wingate, said adding an extra landing strip at the Sussex airport is the most reliable solution compared with the expense of a new hub airport in the Thames estuary or the noise and pollution caused by a third runway at Heathrow. |
| Gatwick believes the south-east will be best served by three two-runway airports around London, including an eventual second runway at Stansted. This will benefit passengers through competition, rather than "recreating the Heathrow monopoly", said Wingate. | Gatwick believes the south-east will be best served by three two-runway airports around London, including an eventual second runway at Stansted. This will benefit passengers through competition, rather than "recreating the Heathrow monopoly", said Wingate. |
| Wingate said an estuary hub would not happen, and said of another Heathrow runway: "We just don't think it's deliverable." He added that the noise and pollution from Heathrow already affected more people than the rest of western Europe's hub airports put together. | Wingate said an estuary hub would not happen, and said of another Heathrow runway: "We just don't think it's deliverable." He added that the noise and pollution from Heathrow already affected more people than the rest of western Europe's hub airports put together. |
| "We're to the south – we've got a noise footprint smaller than Glasgow in terms of people affected," he said. The deadline for submissions to the government-appointed Airports Commission is next month. Led by Sir Howard Davies, former chairman of the Financial Services Authority, the commission will issue full recommendations on airport expansion after the general election in 2015. | "We're to the south – we've got a noise footprint smaller than Glasgow in terms of people affected," he said. The deadline for submissions to the government-appointed Airports Commission is next month. Led by Sir Howard Davies, former chairman of the Financial Services Authority, the commission will issue full recommendations on airport expansion after the general election in 2015. |
| Gatwick last year announced plans for a second runway, which it wants to start building in 2019, allowing the airport to honour the letter of an historic agreement with the local council not to start construction work before that date. | Gatwick last year announced plans for a second runway, which it wants to start building in 2019, allowing the airport to honour the letter of an historic agreement with the local council not to start construction work before that date. |
| Wingate said: "Times have really changed. I don't think people are necessarily looking at expansion of Gatwick as a bad thing." | Wingate said: "Times have really changed. I don't think people are necessarily looking at expansion of Gatwick as a bad thing." |
| Campaigners however said opposition remained as strong as ever – and was intensifying as people understood the implications of new flight paths another runway would be bring. Brendon Sewill, author of a history of Gatwick, Tangled Wings, and chair of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign, said it was "impertinent" of Wingate to suggest that opposition had died away. He added: "We recently published maps showing the probable fight paths from a new runway and these have resulted in an upsurge of support for GACC. Their plans for a new runway will cause a great deal of alarm and opposition – not least because it will wipe tens of thousands of pounds off the value of tens of thousands of houses." | Campaigners however said opposition remained as strong as ever – and was intensifying as people understood the implications of new flight paths another runway would be bring. Brendon Sewill, author of a history of Gatwick, Tangled Wings, and chair of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign, said it was "impertinent" of Wingate to suggest that opposition had died away. He added: "We recently published maps showing the probable fight paths from a new runway and these have resulted in an upsurge of support for GACC. Their plans for a new runway will cause a great deal of alarm and opposition – not least because it will wipe tens of thousands of pounds off the value of tens of thousands of houses." |
| The deadline for submissions to the Airports Commission led by Sir Howard Davies is next month. The level of growth means capacity at the West Sussex airport will not be reached for some time, and aviation orthodoxy is that Gatwick would not provide the additional "hub" capacity the industry seeks in the UK. Gatwick has attracted some long-haul airlines from Asia in the past year, but most in the industry argue that transfer passengers are essential to underpin many routes. | The deadline for submissions to the Airports Commission led by Sir Howard Davies is next month. The level of growth means capacity at the West Sussex airport will not be reached for some time, and aviation orthodoxy is that Gatwick would not provide the additional "hub" capacity the industry seeks in the UK. Gatwick has attracted some long-haul airlines from Asia in the past year, but most in the industry argue that transfer passengers are essential to underpin many routes. |
| But Wingate said: "We're a world city – people want to come to London: 90% are originating or ending here. Only 10% are transfers." Gatwick said it would be submitting evidence that London could support a network of airports rather than one sole hub. | But Wingate said: "We're a world city – people want to come to London: 90% are originating or ending here. Only 10% are transfers." Gatwick said it would be submitting evidence that London could support a network of airports rather than one sole hub. |
| Gatwick, which is controlled by US investment firm Global Infrastructure Partners, also announced losses of £29.1m for 2012-13, narrowing slightly from the previous year. Passenger numbers grew 1.2%, and turnover increased by 4.2% to £538.9m, with new retail developments pushing up income per passenger. | Gatwick, which is controlled by US investment firm Global Infrastructure Partners, also announced losses of £29.1m for 2012-13, narrowing slightly from the previous year. Passenger numbers grew 1.2%, and turnover increased by 4.2% to £538.9m, with new retail developments pushing up income per passenger. |
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