HACAN, representing residents under the Heathrow flights, has welcomed the recognition by British Airways chief Willie Walsh that a third runway is off the agenda at Heathrow. Walsh also ruled out mixed-mode which he said would make the situation at the airport worse (1).
Speaking in a debate organized by the Evening Standard in Central London last night (2) Walsh admitted that, while he had supported a third runway, he now recognized that it would not be built. He said that decisions about his business were now being made on that assumption. He cited, for example, that BAA had acquired BMI in order to get more landing slots at Heathrow.
HACAN Chair John Stewart, said, “We applaud Willie Walsh’s honesty”. “We wait for the rest of the aviation industry to wake up to reality and start to engage in a constructive debate about the future of aviation in the UK.”
When a straw poll was taken at the end of the debate a large majority of the audience voted against a 3rd runway at Heathrow.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
(1). Currently planes landing at Heathrow over West London switch runways at 3pm to give people a half days break from the noise. Under mixed-mode planes would land on both runways at the same time.
(2). The debate took place on the evening 27th June.
For more information:
John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957385650