ACI EUROPE applauded today’s announcement from the UK Government, who have embraced an ambitious growth agenda for the country leveraging air connectivity with support for the expansion of London Heathrow Airport.
Olivier Jankovec, ACI EUROPE Director General said: “By supporting a third runway at London Heathrow, the UK Government is seizing the power of air connectivity as one of the key levers for boosting the country’s economy and reinforcing its global position. We now call on the Government to expedite the approval of expansion at London Gatwick and London Luton airports.”
“With every 10% increase in air connectivity yielding a 0.5% gain in GDP and 1.6% rise in employment, allowing airports to expand where needed to meet future demand is all about effectively supporting wider economic activity — in particular trade, inward investment and tourism. This is both highly relevant and timely, considering the new era of geoeconomic competition we now face. Ultimately, this is about futureproofing the country.”
While all airport expansion projects must adhere to a strict regime of environmental permits and, in the specific case of the UK, to the Climate Change Act, there is no escaping the reality that the UK Government’s support for airport expansion must come hand in glove with full support for aviation decarbonisation — in particular as regards the production and affordability of Sustainable Aviation Fuels and airports’ access to renewable energy.
Looking at the wider European context, Jankovec concluded: “This announcement should be a wake‑up call for the EU. The Draghi report is all about the imperative of competitiveness and growth to achieve our climate goals — and it is unequivocal about the fact thatasglobal passenger demand keeps increasing, infrastructure will need to expand so as to tackle congestion and unlock further growth. Yet, we see a number of EU countries focused on limiting capacity at their major airports — jeopardising not just their own economic prospects but also those of the bloc.”
