Prime minister Boris Johnson is coming under increasing pressure to back a third runway at Heathrow, a weekend report claimed.
UK and US budget airlines easyJet and JetBlue have lined up alongside Virgin Atlantic, business groups and unions to demand he ends “decades of dithering” over expansion of the London hub.
The £14 billion project has already been delayed by at least 12 months after early stage spending plans were rejected over planning permission concerns.
Environmental campaigners and backers of an alternative scheme to extend the airport’s northern runway are opposing the project, together with British Airways owner International Airlines Group which has called for an independent review into the costs.
Heathrow Hub is awaiting a judgement from the Court of Appeal on the government’s initial decision in 2018 to support Heathrow’s third runway plan, which still requires official planning permission after a period of consultation.
However, Robin Hayes, chief executive of JetBlue – which is seeking to start its first transatlantic routes to the UK – told the Mail on Sunday that a third runway would results in “very significant” fare cuts.
“We are in furious agreement with the need to build a third runway at Heathrow and the sooner it happens the better.
“At the moment fares from Heathrow are obscene. The relationship between the US and UK will be even more important going forwards and lowering fares for air travel is one of the things that can spur trade between the two nations,” said Hayes, who previously worked at BA for almost 20 years.
An easyJet spokesman told the newspaper: “Not only will expansion at Heathrow bring significant benefits to all parts of the UK, it is in the best interests of all passengers and would enable low-cost airline’s like easyJet to operate from Heathrow.”