Heathrow could become 'small firm airport'

Heathrow could downsize to become a business airport if the country invests in another four-runway hub in the future.

That is according to the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who earlier this week unveiled the team that will be researching new air links in the coming months.

Speaking at the UK Transport Select Committee, the Mayor said that Heathrow could be much smaller in the future, accepting fewer than 70 million passengers a year.

"Heathrow could not be a rival hub, but it could be used by all these plutocrats in their jets. You could imagine that kind of thing continuing to happen," Mr Johnson explained.

"But you would have all the development potential of that incredible site. Any jobs lost at Heathrow would be readily found again in the developments that would arise there."

It comes after Westminster was named as the best business area by Santander Corporate and Commercial Banking's UK Town and City Index last week.

Posted by Thomas Fletcher

Date published 12 Feb 2013 | Last updated 12 Feb 2013