Jim McAuslan, General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA), which represents nine thousand pilots in Britain, said “Davies was given the difficult task of analysing the UK’s capacity needs and has done his job well. We would encourage the Government to follow suit and act swiftly for the good of the country.

“Davies stresses the importance of the new runway for the UK economy and jobs and we need to make sure the extra capacity benefits Britain and is not simply exploited by our competitors.

“Delivering the new airport capacity within the noise and environmental limits set by Davies will be a challenge and pilots stand ready to assist with the design to help minimise these impacts and ensure flight operations are safe,” he said.

IoD urges all parties to back findings and get building

Simon Walker, Director General of the Institute Of Directors, commented:

“The IoD warmly welcomes the Airports Commission’s recommendation to expand Heathrow. There is a clear business case for a new runway, with only 3% of our members believing that our current airport infrastructure is sufficient to ensure the UK’s long-term economic growth. Access to markets overseas is absolutely vital for firms to trade, with 75% of our members, many of whom run small or medium-sized companies, having flown for business in the last year. 40% of members expect to fly ‘much more’ for business in the future, and particularly need the links to emerging economies which expanding Heathrow would create.

“When asked to choose which of London’s major airports should get a new runway, 61% of IoD members chose Heathrow, compared to 39% who chose Gatwick. The Airports Commission has recommended strong environmental and noise protections at Heathrow, and believes expansion can bring economic benefits while limiting the impact on those living nearby. The report recognises that there is also a good case for a second runway at Gatwick, which would help promote competition, and this should be kept as an option for the future.

“This is the issue that has been kicked down the road time and again, but there can now be no further delay from politicians. Sir Howard has left the government with no excuse to put off this vital decision again, and if ministers do not proceed with all possible speed it will send a clear signal that the UK is not interested in being a modern, outward-looking, trading nation.

“The Government should move quickly to produce a National Policy Statement or a Hybrid Bill to enable construction to start at Heathrow. Parliament will have to approve any plans, so we call on all parties to recognise the vital national need for airport expansion and lend their support.

“If the Government chooses to use the National Policy Statement route, the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project system provides for a final decision in under 18 months from it being accepted by the Planning Inspectorate, and we do not want it to take any longer than that. The Government should also make clear that Heathrow will receive only the minimum possible public subsidy.”

Support from BACA

The Baltic Air Charter Association (BACA) has also welcomed the Report and fully supports the outcome - giving its full backing to the speedy implementation of the findings.

After a considerable time in waiting for the result BACA urges that construction goes ahead at the earliest possible opportunity and that any objections should be dealt with quickly and resolved within a time limit of three months, maximum.

Now that the Commission's report has been published BACA urges the UK Government to respond quickly and begin implementing the findings with immediate effect. BACA believes that building a new runway at Heathrow should be a key priority of the new UK government. Primarily because, even if the decision is fast tracked, it will still be 10 years or more before the new runway becomes operational.

The decision to increase capacity at Heathrow will mean that during times of traffic disruption London will have multiple airports with available capacity and adds options to cope with diverted traffic. Gatwick was, and still is, a very viable alternative. Long haul flights and transits to our trading partners in all parts of the globe are vital, and runway capacity is vital. If the UK government doesn't implement this decision Britain will suffer in the long term. Many major cities in Europe are already adding runway capacity, some already having 3, 4 and 5 runways.

BACA Chairman Tony Coe commented: "I would like to thank Sir Howard Davies and his team for his carefully considered report and ask that the findings are implemented with immediate effect. With UK airport capacity at full stretch there should be no further delays in the building of the runway at Heathrow. The issue of UK airport capacity has to be urgently addressed, BACA is of the opinion that the new runway should be the number one infrastructure priority for the UK."

The battle is not over

Ben Vogel, Editor of IHS Jane's Aviation Review, sounded a note of caution however:

“The decision by the Airports Commission to back a third runway at Heathrow is not very surprising, as it always seemed to be the path of least resistance and had the backing of UK businesses and airlines.”

“However, the battle is not over: Gatwick may seek a judicial review of the Commission’s findings, anti-expansion activists are doubtless planning similar challenges and direct action, and several high-profile figures in the ruling Conservative Party (notably Boris Johnson) have made it clear that a third runway at Heathrow is undesirable.”

“The debate will continue, regardless of today’s announcement. To paraphrase Winston Churchill: Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”