Gatwick Expansion 'Would Bring 50m Passengers To Scotland'

Scottish airports could see 50-million more passengers if Gatwick, near London, is expanded.

It is one of the options being considered by the Airports commission, which is looking to extend the UK's runway capacity. Bosses at Gatwick say a new runway there would give Scotland a greater share of air traffic and cost taxpayers less. There are fears expanding Heathrow could create a monopoly, forcing more Scots to travel through London

The Airport's commission is considering 3 options to increase the UK's runway capacity - 2 Heathrow extensions and 1 at Gatwick. It is expected to make its recommendation to the UK Government in the coming weeks.

Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate said:
 
"This is an important debate for Scotland, and the choice boils down to competition versus monopoly. Do we want to protect and strengthen Scotland’s growing network of routes by creating a competitive system across the UK, or put that at risk by creating a monopolistic mega-hub at London Heathrow?

"I believe the choice for Scotland is more stark by the day. You can have challenger Gatwick, fighting for competition and lower fares in every part of the UK, or the dead hand of the Heathrow monopoly, sucking traffic through London and demanding at least £5.7bn of taxpayers’ money for yet another huge London infrastructure project, at a time when the nations and regions are arguing a powerful case for decentralisation and investment outside the South East of England."