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Record passenger numbers at Gatwick as tussle with Heathrow rumbles on

Gatwick Airport has further pressed its claim for a new runway after posting record passenger numbers today, just as the government announces that a decision will not be made until after a new Conservative Party leader is chosen.

In their annual results to 31 March this year, the airport revealed that passenger numbers for the previous year were up 6% to 41m, while air traffic movements were up 4% on 2015’s figures to 265,970. Both totals are records for single runway airports in a single year.

There were similarly heartening figures on the financial side with turnover up 5.5% to £673.1m resulting in a profit before tax of £141m.

The numbers have been seized on by Gatwick Chief Executive Officer Stewart Wingate, who believes they offer a glimpse of ‘the benefits a two-runway Gatwick would deliver for the UK’ and urged the government to come to a decision.

He said: “Gatwick continues to grow and break passenger records for a single runway airport. Aviation is changing fast and Gatwick has now entered the premier league of airports with more than 50 long haul routes. This week, the airport started flights to Tianjin in China and in only a matter of weeks will be flying to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific.

“Aviation growth is outstripping forecasts. In uncertain times and after decades of delay, only Gatwick can now give Britain certainty that airport expansion can finally happen. Gatwick can have a spade in the ground by 2020 and the first planes flying from a new runway in 2025.”

However, with the ongoing turmoil embroiling the Conservative Party in the fallout from last week’s EU referendum, the decision on whether to build an additional runway at Heathrow and Gatwick will now be deferred until a new Prime Minister is in place.

Many are speculating that Gatwick’s chances would be significantly strengthened were Theresa May to be nominated new leader of the Tory party as she is likely to be sympathetic to the protestations to a third runway at Heathrow by her constituents in Maidstone, which sits close to the airport.

In response, Heathrow Chief Executive John Holland-Kaye was quick to reference the fact that a third runway at Heathrow had received unanimous backing from the Airports Commission last year, and said an additional runway at the hub airport would help project a ‘confident’ and ‘outward-looking’ image for the country in the wake of Brexit.

He added: ““Government can send the strongest possible signal that Britain is open for business and confident in its future by expanding Heathrow.”

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