BAA has used a Government-initiated report into the economic benefits of UK aviation to support its case for a £1.8bn fifth terminal at Heathrow.
The report, compiled by independent body Oxford Economic Forecasting, predicted the aviation industry will double its £10.2bn contribution to the UK economy over the next 15 years.
However, it warned of major economic implications if growth was restricted.
BAA chief executive Mike Hodgkinson welcomed the report, saying demand in southeast airports was expected to double to 184m passengers by 2015 and ways must be found to meet demand.
A Government decision on Heathrow’s Terminal 5 is due in 2001 following a four-year public inquiry.
If approved, T5 will give BAA a capacity of 80m passengers at Heathrow when it opens in 2007.
The airport handles 60m customers a year, which is in excess of the capacity at the airport’s four terminals. Aviation minister Chris Mullin and British Airways chairman Lord Marshall backed the report during its launch at the Department of Trade and Industry.
Lord Marshall said the report stresses aviation’s importance to the UK’s development. BA will have almost exclusive access to T5.
BA and BAA have both argued that without T5, rival airports in Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt would benefit.