The Liberal Democrats decision to rule out further expansion of any UK airport has been heavily criticised by the travel industry and British businesses.
At its annual conference in Glasgow yesterday party members voted against changing their opposition for new runways in the UK.
It came after two MPs tabled an amendment to the party manifesto which had promised to "cancel plans for a third runway at Heathrow and other airport expansion in the South East."
This is despite senior members including business secretary Vince Cable backing expansion at Gatwick.
Employers’ organisation the CBI said businesses in the UK will be “extremely disappointed” by the decision.
“Growing airport capacity in the South East is critical to the UK's economic future,” said CBI director-general, John Cridland.
“It is unhelpful to pre-judge the decision of the Airports Commission, which the Liberal Democrats helped to set up. All parties must endorse the Commission's final recommendation when it reports back next summer,” he added.
The GTMC which has been a long-standing supporter of airport growth said it was disappointed to see the Lib Dems reassert their opposition to “much-needed additional airport capacity”.
GTMC CEO Paul Wait said: “As an island nation business travel is essential to our future growth and prosperity. The time for dragging our heels on airport capacity is over.
“The UK cannot afford yet more delay and uncertainty on this critical issue. Any further procrastination will only see more business travellers choosing to use non-UK airports and the UK economy will lose out.
“As the political parties now prepare for next year’s election we encourage them all to recognise the importance of aviation to our economy and commit to backing airport expansion,” said Wait.
The Lib Dems' "pre manifesto" for next year's general election, published last month renewed the party’s stance on airport expansion: "We remain opposed to any expansion of Heathrow, Stansted or Gatwick and any new airport in the Thames Estuary, because of local issues of air and noise pollution".
However, last week party leader Nick Clegg hinted he wanted to end the party’s outright ban on new runways. “I do happen to think the environmental impact can... be consistent with some form of airport expansion, given the rapid improvement in environmental performance of modern aircraft,” he told The Times.
British Air Transport Association CEO Nathan Stower said ruling out the Airports Commission’s shortlisted locations before the final recommendation “would not be in the national interest”.
“The Committee on Climate Change and the [Airports] Commission have both concluded that expansion would be compatible with the UK’s climate change targets,” said Stower.
“The Commission has set out a clear case for one new additional runway in London and the south-east, to come into operation by 2030, and will decide between Heathrow and Gatwick.
“They looked at whether demand could be redistributed to airports outside the south-east, but found little scope and no credible policy options,” he added.
Read an analysis the Davies commission’s interim report for UK airports.