Luton airport 'left on sidelines'

Only 5% of the London market opts to travel from Luton Airport

The owners of Luton Airport have told the government it should use the spare capacity available there before building new runways.

Luton, in Bedfordshire, currently carries six million passengers a year, but believes it could handle up to 25 million without significant changes or expansion.

In a submission to the government, it argued for "extreme caution in the apparent rush to lay new runways" and proposed "a responsible use of the spare runway capacity that still exists in the south east of England".

Only then, and if there was no alternative, should there be a move to building more, said airport bosses.

If more runways are needed then one each should be built at Luton, Gatwick and Stansted, leaving each with two runways.

Encouraging competition

Luton Airport managing director Paul Kehoe said: "This would spread both the environmental 'pain' and the economic 'gain' around London and the Home Counties.

"It would also effectively end BAA's virtual monopoly around London, and would encourage the competition that we regard as being central to the growth of a vibrant and healthy UK economy."

Budget airline Easyjet has called for expansion at Luton

Mr Kehoe said Luton has been left on the sidelines in discussions, saying the "self interest" of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic was being promulgated as being in the national interest.

He added: "Geographically, logistically, economically and environmentally, there is absolutely no reason at all - other than inertia, tradition or blind prejudice, for London Luton Airport to be anything other than a major player in the debate."

Luton, Britain's seventh-busiest airport, only captures 5% of the London market, but Civil Aviation Authority figures on the catchment area indicate it should be getting 28% of this market.

With Stansted in Essex also far from full, Luton argued that the existing infrastructure in London could handle growth of up to 88 million passengers.

Mr Kehoe said: "Luton, both as an airport and as a town, is fully ready to play its part.

"I strongly urge the Government to give full consideration to our submission."