Expansion at Gatwick Airport

With so much publicity and debate regarding the expansion of Gatwick Airport and with the Government’s decision imminent, we wanted to reconfirm why I Love meet and greet support the decision to build a second runway at Gatwick.

The building of this runway to the south of the existing airport would cost £7.8 billion compared with Heathrow’s third runaway which would cost £15.6 billion and unlike Heathrow, growth at Gatwick would be funded completely from the private sector and will not require any taxpayers’ money.

The expansion at Gatwick would create more competition between both airports and airlines, which will keep airfares lower. Gatwick Airport has guaranteed that, in return for the Government agreeing a 30 year contract, passenger charges will be subject to an inflation-linked £15 limit which would mean fares would be kept low for all passengers – from business travellers to families.

Gatwick’s expansion will deliver around £90 billion of economic benefits to the UK, generating more passengers (currently about 34.2 million a year to between 67 and 87 million a year) and more connections to new destinations.

It will deliver a modern, world class airport and make the passenger journey simple and efficient, passengers will reach boarding gates just 30 minutes after arriving at the airport and Gatwick will match the world’s quickest aircraft turnaround times with exceptionally short taxing times. This in turn will reduce operating costs and engine emissions as they aim to build a carbon neutral airport.

The expansion would create 120,000 jobs and Gatwick will fund a £50 million housing and job programme to enable local authorities to deliver local community infrastrure and ensure local young people directly benefit from these new jobs.

Fewer people would be affected by noise and pollution at Gatwick than those who would be affected by Heathrow’s third runway and Gatwick guarantees that it will pay £1000 (linked to inflation) annually towards the Council Tax of those people currently affected or those who may become affected by significant levels of aircraft noise.

We think Gatwick is the obvious choice and I Love meet and greet is in favour of all these proposals as much as everyone here at Gatwick Airport is striving to make it a world class airport enhancing the experience for all the passengers that pass through.

By Sarah Anglim at 12 Jun 2015