British Air Transport Association responds to Liberal Democrat manifesto

April 20th, 2015

Responding to the publication of the Liberal Democrat manifesto, Nathan Stower, Chief Executive of the British Air Transport Association (BATA) said:

“I welcome the Liberal Democrats’ recognition of the value of tourism and heritage to the UK economy and their commitment to make sure the British tourism industry is able to compete with other major world destinations. Unfortunately, their opposition to any expansion at Heathrow or Gatwick (as well as Stansted or a new Thames Estuary airport) will make that task harder over time, and is at odds with their promise to carefully consider the conclusions of the Davies Review.

“The Airports Commission, established by the Coalition Government, has spent over two years looking at whether new capacity is required and has clearly concluded that there needs to be additional runway capacity in the South East of England by 2030 to meet demand, with Heathrow and Gatwick the two shortlisted locations. I urge the Lib Dem leadership to study the Commission’s final report with an open mind.”

Last month BATA published a manifesto on behalf of UK airlines. Ready for take off: our priorities for the new Parliament sets out the vitally important economic and social contribution that UK airlines make to national life. Five key policy areas are identified where action is required in the next Parliament.

  • Tax – abolition of Air Passenger Duty to transform the UK’s competitive position, lower the cost of flying and deliver significant benefits to the economy
  • Airport capacity – the green light for new runway capacity without imposing pre-funding on today’s passengers, alongside further improvements to surface access to support airline growth at other airports.
  • Sustainability – including support for the commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuels and controlling development near airports to support the industry’s actions in limiting the number of people seriously affected by noise.
  • Border & Visas – keep Britain open for business and tourists whilst protecting the border, including providing Border Force with the resources it needs to maintain service levels and the need to make further progress on visa accessibility and competitiveness.
  • Protecting passengers – secure lasting reform to European law to deliver clearer consumer rights and support industry progress in improving the passenger experience for persons with reduced mobility.

 

ENDS

15th April 2015