Gordon Brown urged to ban third runway at Heathrow after drop in flights

The number of flights from the airport is due to dip by 1.9 per cent between October and March, compared with the same period last year, according to The Guardian.

The revelation of 25 fewer flights a day appears to undermine the Government's case that a bigger Heathrow is needed to ensure it remains a key international hub airport.

Labour MP Louise Ellman, head of the Commons transport select committee, said previous analyses had made the case for a third runway. "But before final decisions are taken, there does need to be an assessment of airline trends and travelling trends and keep these environmental conditions," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning.

However, she warned that it was important not to lose sight of the benefits to the economy of maintaining Heathrow as a hub airport.

A third runway would increase Heathrow's capacity from 480,000 flights a year to more than 700,000.

The Government's aviation White Paper made the case for expansion by citing figures showing that the number of passengers using UK airports would double to 460 million by 2030.

However, the latest figures from Airport Co-ordination, which oversees take-off and landing slots at Heathrow, showed a small decline this winter. "This is a reflection of fuel prices and weakening economy leading to airlines making tactical flight cancellations," said James Cole from the co-ordination firm.

But airport operator BAA, which has been working very closely with the Government on the plans for a third runway, insisted that long-term passenger numbers would rise.

"History very clearly demonstrates that aviation recovers well from short-term events such as this economic downturn," said a BAA spokesman.

John Stewart, chairman of anti-expansion group Hacan, argued that the changing economic climate meant another runway was now "a bit of a gamble", adding that the policy was "drawn up in 2003 when aviation was expanding and the economy was booming".

The Standard revealed last week that Cabinet ministers were secretly supporting a Commons revolt against expansion at Heathrow. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn and Commons Leader Harriet Harman were said to be the most concerned in the Cabinet about a proposed third runway.