Stansted targets Heathrow / Gatwick airlines and US flights
14.01.10
Stansted wants to cash in on its 'unique spare capacity' by targeting airlines based at Heathrow and Gatwick to switch, Business Weekly reports. Bosses have also 'breathed fresh fire into plans to bring more long haul routes into Stansted', with a new service to the US a priority.
Airport MD David Johnston, is 'spearheading a strong growth strategy buoyed by improving passenger numbers and an upsurge in interest from airlines keen on a Stansted base'. With BAA now under no immediate pressure to sell Stansted (after the Competition Commission Appeals Tribunal ruling last month), he is reported to be 'keen to ensure the airport exploits its huge capacity edge in the UK. Gatwick is full [at least for prime daytime slots], Heathrow over-full, while permission to expand to 35 million passengers per annum has given Stansted massive headroom.'
Mr Johnston told the weekly magazine: ‘We seeking to attract airlines to move across from Heathrow and to bring online more long haul routes, starting with the US.’ He added that the move carries a profitable payback for the UK economy, as unless Stansted takes the overspill from Heathrow and Gatwick, a lot of airlines and new routes will be lost to France, Holland and Germany.
He said: ‘We are prime for growth. Stansted Airport is already in brilliant shape without the need for further investment on infrastructure, so we can maintain a low cost, highly competitive base while other airports have to push the cost of infrastructure improvements onto carriers.’
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