Flybe is calling on the government to open up RAF Northolt to boost regional routes and ease capacity issues at Heathrow.
The airline wants to start operating services from the 100-year old airport in west London, which would link to regional airports such as Inverness, Teeside and Liverpool.
Last week the government’s Spending Review did not include Flybe’s proposal to operate twice-daily return services to an initial five UK regional destinations from Northolt.
Flybe said this was a missed opportunity to provide improved regional connectivity to London, regional access to Heathrow Airport and “much needed additional contribution to Government finances”.
Flybe CEO Saad Hammad said: “The Government is in danger of turning its back on an opportunity that would benefit hundreds of thousands of people in giving immediate regional air connections to London and beyond through Heathrow’s long-haul network.
“Other ways to offer connectivity to the Northern Powerhouse are many years away. In the meantime, this proposal would raise £7 million additional revenue per year for the government at a time when it is making painful fiscal decisions”
Hammad added: “The local residents of Northolt are also being denied an opportunity to reduce noise. Opening-up Northolt would provide many of the domestic benefits of additional runway capacity now without any additional noise impact.”
Flybe said that the proposal, which is independent of any decision on the Airports Commission’s recommendations on airport capacity in the South East, would bring the “advantages” of additional runway capacity to serve UK passengers in the immediate term and without requiring any taxpayer funding.
It added that the “failure” to back Northolt “undermines” the delivery of the government’s vision for the Northern Powerhouse by limiting access to London and onward global connections.
The government is expected to make a decision on whether to back Heathrow or Gatwick this week.