11 held in private air travel demo

The group, who blocked off Biggin Hill airport in Kent by chaining themselves to the main entrance gate and lying down in the main access road, were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.

Meanwhile, about 20 protesters at Farnborough airport in Hampshire blockaded the gate for around two-and-a-half hours.

Richard George, 26, a spokesman for the Kent group, which is linked to the climate change camp at Heathrow airport, said the protest was aimed at the "super-rich" who, by using private aircraft, fly in the most carbon inefficient way possible.

"This is a protest against the super-rich with their own planes who are putting two fingers up to attempts by the rest of us who try to cut our carbon emissions by saying they will not only continue to fly, but they will fly in the most carbon inefficient way possible," he said.

He stressed that the protest was in no way a "dry run" for what is planned at the weekend for Heathrow.

"This is not the sort of thing that will be happening at Heathrow. We have no intention of shutting down Heathrow. That is a very different situation.

"The growth in private aviation scandalously mocks the efforts of people who try to reduce their carbon footprint," he said.

Around 30 police officers were at the scene including several in boiler suits.

Police said arrests were made after the protesters refused to leave the site.