Gatwick Airport submits summary of new evidence supporting its second runway case to Airports sub-Committee

• Commission drastically underestimated Gatwick’s growth and made fundamental mistakes
• Once corrected, analysis shows that the benefits of Gatwick expansion exceed those of either Heathrow options
• Second runway low risk and can be guaranteed quickly – by 2025

GATWICK, UK, 2016-Sep-28 — /Travel PR News/ — Gatwick Airport has submitted a summary of new evidence supporting its second runway case to the Government’s Economy and Industrial Strategy (Airports) sub-Committee.

As the sub-Committee starts to consider where to expand aviation capacity in the South East, Gatwick’s new report contains substantial additional analysis – including information obtained under FOI request – that supersedes the now discredited Airports Commission Final Report.

Gatwick’s new document shows that:

The Commission’s final report drastically underestimated Gatwick’s growth

• The Commission said Gatwick would not serve 42 million passengers a year until 2030, or fly to 50 long haul destinations until 2050 (with a second runway) – whereas both were achieved this year – 15 and 34 years ahead of projections, respectively.

The Commission’s final report ignored new trends in aviation

• New generation aircraft are now flying further more cheaply – a trend that has seen the growth of direct long haul routes from local airports and removed the need to fly through hub airports (‘yesterday’s trend’)

The economic benefits of expanding Gatwick exceed those of either Heathrow options

• The Commission counted economic benefits brought by international transfer passengers who never set foot in the UK – or generate a penny for the economy.  When removed from calculations, Gatwick’s economic case is the strongest.

The report also highlights a series of guarantees Gatwick has committed to if it expands including delivering a new runway by 2025, and introducing a cap on the number of people who would be most affected by noise.

Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate said:

“It is appropriate that the Government’s Economy and Industrial Strategy sub-Committee is taking a new look at the issue of airport expansion as so much has changed since the Airports Commission’s report was published. Today’s report sets out clearly why a new runway at Gatwick can give the Government the certainty that, finally, something can happen to give the country the connectivity and economic boost it needs.

“Gatwick provides a solution to a problem that has dogged successive Governments for generations. It is a solution that can be delivered quickly, at low risk and more competitively, and signals to Europe and the world that we are determined, decisive, action-oriented and open for business.

“By backing an efficient, competitive solution that keeps costs low, Britain will indeed be laying the foundations of an economy that works for everyone.”

ENDS

The new summary of Gatwick’s second runway case has been published and can be accessed here.

About Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is the UK’s second largest airport and the most efficient single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 220 destinations in 80 countries for 42 million passengers a year on short and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the South East region, generating around 21,000 on-airport jobs and a further 10,000 jobs through related activities. The airport is south of Central London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick Express, and is part of the Oyster contactless payment network. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.

A Government decision on whether Gatwick airport should be expanded is expected this year. Gatwick’s second runway will deliver the UK the same number of passengers, the same number of long haul routes, better UK and regional connections, and the economic boost the UK needs, all at a dramatically lower environmental impact, at less than half the cost of Heathrow, and with no public subsidy.

For further information on Gatwick Airport see www.gatwickairport.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatwick_Airport

Media enquiries ONLY

Gatwick Airport Press Office
+44 (0) 1293 50 5000
gatwickmedia@gatwickairport.com

 

SOURCE: Gatwick Airport Limited

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