BAR UK, the trade association for scheduled airlines doing business in this country, has written to the Secretary of State for Transport expressing the concerns of its members on this topic. The letter also reconfirmed the BAR UK members' priorities for new runway capacity in the south east.

Top of the list is the need for a new short runway at London Heathrow, followed by a widely spaced second runway at Gatwick. More capacity may also be required at Stansted airport within the next 30 years.

Whilst new runway capacity at both Heathrow and Gatwick could be funded from the incomes generated at those airports, it is very doubtful the same could be said for Stansted. BAR UK members fear that were the Secretary of State to decide that priority be given to developing a new runway at Stansted in preference to or before Heathrow, then that could only be done by means of cross-subsidy. BAR UK members are clear that they do not wish to subsidise the construction of runways at Stansted by means of the profits earned by the BAA at London Heathrow.

BAR UK's Chairman, Mike Carter of Continental Airlines, said "If the government propose to develop new runway capacity at Stansted before Heathrow and Gatwick, and to have that expansion funded by the users of BAA's other two London airports, I expect BAR UK members to support a recourse to legal action."

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For further information contact:
Peter North
Chief Executive
BAR UK

Tel:	020 7393 1261
Fax:	020 7393 1206
Email:	peter.north@bar-uk.org