The future of UK regional airports will be under threat if Heathrow is allowed to expand and once again “dominate the UK’s aviation market”, according to Gatwick’s latest submission to the Airports Commission.
Gatwick said that a third runway at Heathrow would threaten the commercial viability of other UK airports by reducing choice and giving Heathrow “too much market power”.
It believes this would reintroduce an element of monopoly that existed in the UK airport market before the Competition Commission forced BAA to sell some of its airports.
Gatwick said that regional airports “play a vital role” by increasing competition, improving consumer choice and keeping airfares low.
Gatwick and Heathrow have both submitted plans to the Airports Commission to be chosen for expansion. The Commission will make its decision and pass on its recommendation to the government after the general election in May 2015.
Gatwick airport CEO Stewart Wingate, said: “Competition between the UK’s airports has been one of the great successes of recent industrial policy and has delivered choice, better standards and lower airfares for consumers.
“A new runway at Heathrow would give the airport too much market power. However if Gatwick built a second runway it could compete more vigorously with two runway Heathrow, which would deliver benefits for both consumers and other UK airports.”
The submission was in response to the Airports Commission’s call for evidence on the connectivity and business models of the UK’s existing airport capacity.