CBI and TUC attack new Heathrow Decline
20.03.06London Heathrow will slip further down the European airport rankings this week when the airline summer schedules come into effect. Official figures show that the UK’s national hub will be overtaken by Munich, Germany’s second airport, in terms of size of route network. In the new schedules, which start on March 26, Munich adds six direct routes immediately and another 25 by August. Its August total will be 204 scheduled routes, compared with 180 at Heathrow. Germany’s busiest airport, Frankfurt, leads the field with a peak summer network of 262 routes, 31 per cent more than Heathrow. Paris Charles de Gaulle is in second position with 223 routes, and Amsterdam third with 222. Over the last ten years, the top four airports’ networks have increased by between 13 and 52 per cent, whereas Heathrow’s has barely changed (see table). Compared with 1990, Heathrow’s network has shrunk by 12 per cent as the shortage of take-off and landing slots has intensified. Future Heathrow, the group campaigning for sustainable expansion of the airport, called for Heathrow to be allowed full use of its two existing runways and the construction of a short third runway. It is estimated that a new runway would add about 75 destinations to Heathrow’s route network. Sir Digby Jones, CBI Director-General, said: “Good air links are essential for companies to succeed in today’s fiercely competitive global economy and every time Heathrow loses a route the ability of business to compete takes a blow. “Every effort must be made to ensure Heathrow – and Britain more widely – can deliver the best possible service. If we don’t, Heathrow will be left floundering in its rivals’ slipstream and the UK’s competitiveness will have one more nail in its coffin.” Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, said: "Although Heathrow remains one of Europe's busiest airports, with some 67 million people passing through the four terminals in 2004, it won't remain as popular with air travellers if the number of destinations that can be flown to from west London continues to fall. "The importance of Heathrow to the UK economy cannot be underestimated. The airport provides 70,000 jobs directly and is responsible for another 250,000 across the UK. Further sustainable development at Heathrow is necessary if the airport is to remain one of Europe's leading air terminals." Lord Soley, campaign director of Future Heathrow, said: “This milestone for Munich represents a deafening wake-up call. Germany, one of our major economic competitors, now has two airports with better global links than the UK’s national hub. “Madrid, Rome and Milan are also catching up fast. Other countries recognise that hub capacity is a critical component of national economic competitiveness. There is no way Heathrow can maintain its global position while operating with the same runway capacity it had 60 years ago. “Local residents are understandably concerned about noise and air quality and that is why expansion and modernisation must go hand in hand with environmental improvements,” added Lord Soley, the former west London MP. “Speaking as a local resident of over 30 years I know the airport cannot stay as it is. It must either expand or continue to decline. The consequences of continuing decline for Britain are very serious. For the Heathrow region they would be catastrophic.” Notes to editors: 1. For further information, please contact Lord Soley (formerly West London MP Clive Soley) on 07785 250456. 2. Future Heathrow is an alliance of trade unions, business groups, airlines and professional associations supporting the sustainable development and modernisation of Heathrow. End
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