David Cameron today came under attack from a senior figure in the aviation industry for postponing any decision on Britain’s airports until after the next election.
Tony Tyler, the International Air Transport Association director general, accused the Prime Minister of “kicking the can down the road” and risking Britain’s status as a leading business and trading nation.
Mr Cameron in September announced a new independent commission headed by former top business chief Sir Howard Davies into the future of airports. But the commission will only make a final decision on whether to build a new airport or a third runway in 2015 — after the next election.
Sir Howard will release an interim report at the end of next year.
Mr Tyler accused the Government of not appreciating the importance of aviation to the British economy. “In the long grass, kicking the can down the road — you can pick your own metaphor,” he told The Times.
“To be told not to report before the next election shows a lack of political will to do something about an industry which should be seen as strategically critical for the UK as a trading nation and financial centre.”
He added that 1.4 million jobs and 3.6 per cent of UK GDP is supported by aviation.
Transport minister Simon Burns said: “Our airport network provides UK citizens and business with the international connections they need to trade, to visit friends and family and to go on holiday. Maintaining that is vital to our economy.
“The strength with which the different options for achieving this are put forward shows why we were right to set up a proper independent review with the timescale to consider fully what is in the country’s interest.”
