BA boss urges Heathrow expansion

Willie Walsh said failure to add a third runway and make better use of existing runways would be "throwing in the economic towel".

Heathrow could be developed without increasing carbon emissions, he said.

A public consultation on the expansion of the UK's largest airport is expected to be launched in the coming weeks.

'Heathrow hassle'

Speaking to the Guild of International Bankers in the City of London, Mr Walsh said that the Stern Report on climate change had made it clear that economic growth could be pursued hand-in-hand with measures to cut emissions.

"Heathrow is the acid test for whether the UK is serious about this idea," he said.

" If we as a country turn our backs on expanding Heathrow then we... must prepare ourselves for the consequences of a low-growth or perhaps no-growth economy in the future "
Willie Walsh
BA chief executive<

"More capacity at the country's hub airport is essential for the future prosperity of an island nation in a globalised economy."

Mr Walsh said expansion of the airport would create national economic benefits worth more than £9bn a year.

And he argued that that airlines would be included in the EU carbon trading system form 2011, well before a third runway could be introduced.

"Carbon trading will mean that any airline wanting to increase emissions by flying more - using Heathrow's third runway or anywhere else - can do so only if it pays for equivalent emissions reductions in other industries," he said.

"In these circumstances, if we as a country turn our backs on expanding Heathrow, then we are throwing in the economic towel - and must prepare ourselves for the consequences of a low-growth or perhaps no-growth economy in the future."

British Airways is Heathrow's biggest user and earlier this year added to the wave of criticism being levelled at standards of service at the airport.

In his speech to bankers, Mr Walsh said that improving runway capacity would help end the "Heathrow hassle" caused by queues and fight delays.

And he said that a shortage of runway slots meant that it now trailed behind Frankfurt, Paris and Amsterdam in the number of destinations it served.

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