Representation by British Airways plc (British Airways plc)
- Date submitted
- 27 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
We have taken note of the proposal by Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) to bring its Northern Runway into regular use. Our view is that any airport expansion should meet certain key conditions: 1. Affordability: Expansion must be affordable for consumers and we need to be confident in the cost of delivery 2. Cost Transparency: We must be able to scrutinise costs of development in an open book and transparent way 3. Environment and sustainability: The programme must have the strongest of environmental credentials and manageable wider community impact 4. Consumer benefits: The right incentives need to be in place for expansion to be delivered for the primary benefit of consumers, now and in the future 5. Operational resilience: Proven reliability of operations, including having in place the appropriate infrastructure and resilience for the expected aircraft movements and passengers. We understand that some of these elements – such as the cost of the project which will span several years and the ensuing benefit to the consumer – need to be fully developed and consulted on with airlines who are required to fund expansion under the current regulatory framework. We look forward to engaging with GAL on those elements and detailing our positions further during the public examination.