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BA chief condemns Tory 'confusion' on Heathrow
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor01.10.08
The Tory plan to refuse a third runway at Heathrow "beggars belief ", British Airways chief Willie Walsh said today.
In the most savage attack on the Conservatives by a business leader to date, the BA chief executive said the party's aviation policy was "all over the place".
Referring to the Tories' drive to win key marginals in west London, he said: "The Conservatives may have an election to win. But they must not forget that if they are successful, they will have a country to govern."
He warned that opposition to a third runway at Heathrow would damage the national economy and condemn air travellers to decades of delays.
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers stunned London's business class this week with an announcement that the next Tory government would cancel the third runway scheme.
She unveiled alternative plans for a multi-billion-pound scheme to build a high-speed rail link between London, Birmingham and Manchester.
But in a reference to Boris Johnson's own plan to close Heathrow altogether, Mr Walsh said the Tories as a party were mired in confusion - with some opposed to expansion, others wanting to build a new national hub in the Thames Estuary and a third group backing a new runway.
The Standard revealed yesterday that some shadow cabinet ministers worry that the new policy will needlessly cost the party credibility with business.
Speaking in the City, Mr Walsh said: "The latest idea that a rail link from Leeds and Manchester to Heathrow would be an adequate substitute for a third runway beggars belief.
"Flights to Manchester and Leeds are less than three per cent of Heathrow's current operation. The runway capacity this would free up would be swallowed almost immediately by natural growth. And even this tiny and temporary benefit would not be forthcoming until 2027.
"So the Conservatives apparently want to undermine the UK's efforts to succeed in a global economy - and condemn Heathrow to permanent status as the most delay-prone airport in Europe."
Mr Walsh added that, without extra runway capacity, Heathrow will never have any slack in the system and "the tiniest disruption will cause knock-on delays all day". The BA chief pointed out that two weeks ago, 100 leading companies made a public declaration of support for a third runway.
"High-speed rail should be seen as complementary to air travel, not a substitute for it. That is why Paris Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt airports already have high-speed rail links," he said.
A third runway would provide a 40 per cent increase in capacity that would make room for more flights to Asia and South America, he added.
Reader views (15)
Lisa, London: "You may only pass comment once you've lived under the flight path in Hounslow for an entire year."
It must be said that modern Hounslow is only there BECAUSE of Heathrow Lisa. Take Heathrow away and it would evaporate and probably reform in another guise wherever the new international airport was set up.
- Dave, London
The Tories scheme is half baked and completely unrealistic. The reason there is still no high speed rail line anywhere in the UK (except the relatively small link to the Channel Tunnel) is because the cost of acquiring the land, with the inevitable forced acquistions, would be astronomical. The budget proposed by Ms Villiers is in reality just a guess. The real cost (and given the credit crunch with banks failing left right and centre one should ask where will the billions required come from?) would be at least 5 times what has been suggested. It is obviously a stunt and not a serious proposal. Expand Heathrow - it is the only sensible and practical solution.
- Jeff, Hobart, Australia
If we want our transport system to change, maybe each of us ought to consider different choices. If enough of us take the coach or the train instead of the plane, it might be more uncomfortable and expensive in the short term but the case for change will become undeniable.
- K John, London, UK
Willie Walsh should live under the constant noise,then he would realise how insensitive his comments are. We cannot have more expansion at Heathrow. After one aircraft dropped short and narrowly missed disaster, surely the lessons are there. Further airport development must be done in a more appropriate place.
- Patrick, Wandsworth, London
BA for once have a point - different parts of the Tory party are saying different things on this issue. And why, when Cameron claims to be such a Unionist, does he only want to build high speed railways in England?
- Terry Gilbert, Norfolk
Big surprise here then... Man who runs inefficient company who have protected privileges at said airport criticises alternative to airport and his company.
I think the realisation is dawning on BA and BAA that the comfortable and expensive red carpet which Labour have been carefully laying out for them is going to be yanked away by a Conservative government.
Jolly good job too, had they concentrated on customer service instead of squeezing every ounce out of Heathrow for profit and botching it all up along the way then things might have been different!
- Rich, London
The sooner we get BJ International built in the Thames estuary and Heathrow closed, the better.
- St, London
Aviation policy all over the place?
Bit like the opening of terminal 5 perhaps? People who live in glass houses... blahdy blah.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
To expand an airport over an area inhabited by over 7 million people beggars belief.
In the medium flights will have to be reduced anyway to hit environmental targets.
- Nick, London
Well perhaps 100 self-serving companies do want another run way at Heathrow, but I for one do not!
There is absolutely no evidence that by not adding another run way it will damage our economy. All that it will do is increase transit passengers which will only benefit the likes of BA and BAA. I have never heard of anyone wishing to visit the UK being unable to do so because of lack of seats.
Perhaps BA and BAA should simply become more efficient and work with what you have got!
- Ian, Surrey
I think it is time the airways industry realised the immense damage done to our environment by their expansion and reined in their plans for more and more runways.
- Norcot, Oakham UK
Surely Willie Walshe himself beggars belief.
He doesn't know the meaning of his own words.
Any chance he could honourably resign?
- Sporting, Portugal
Willie Walsh presides over one of the biggest shambles on the planet - British Airways. I don't really think he should be lecturing anyone. Anyone who has travelled with BA in recent years will know that BA are "all over the place".
- Anthony, London, W2
Well, he would say that, wouldn't he. Mr Walsh, as boss of BA, is hardly impartial here. It's quite clear he cares more about his company's profits and shareholder returns than anything else -- including people's legitimate concerns about noise, pollution and congestion. A third runway would certainly help to line BA's pockets.
- Mark, London
Willie Walsh, why don't you go so completely and dreadfully AWAY and stop trying to turn the western half of London into an uninhabitable wasteland of runways, long-term car parks and roaring aircraft? You may only pass comment once you've lived under the flight path in Hounslow for an entire year.
- Lisa, London UK
