Belfast international airport has declared its support for expansion at Gatwick over Heathrow.
Gatwick chairman Sir Roy McNulty has written to the leaders of Northern Ireland’s political parties in Westminster outlining a set of commitments designed to support Northern Ireland’s future connections to London, if local MPs support a second runway at Gatwick.
They include guarantees on delivery of new capacity by 2025; passenger charges capped at £15; protection of slots for regional services; a dedicated fund to support connectivity to Northern Ireland and appointment of a role whose sole task would be supporting services to/from the regions.
Sir Roy also told Northern Irish business leaders that expanding Gatwick was the best way to help secure regular and sustainable access to London, providing cheaper fares for travellers who would avoid the inflated charges that would be needed to fund Heathrow.
Belfast international airport managing director Graham Keddie, said: "With easyJet and Ryanair now offering frequent and affordable flights from Belfast international, Gatwick has rapidly become the pre-eminent gateway from Belfast into London.
"Gatwick expansion is a win-win for Northern Ireland, securing the long-term future of our flights to London, while allowing us to focus on building a greater network of direct routes from Belfast International to the rest of the world."
