The Government has admitted delays at Heathrow are hitting the economy of London, with business travellers put off by the hassle of passing through the airport.
Economic secretary to the Treasury Kitty Ussher, also known as minister for the City, said the Government shares concerns about queues at security, delays at passport control and the layout of Heathrow.
Ussher told the Financial Times: “You spend so much time being processed. I don’t want executives saying, ‘Oh God, I don’t want to go through Heathrow.”
Airport operator BAA reported a 1.8% fall in passenger traffic year on year in June and a spokesman admitted the situation would not improve until Terminal 5 opens next March.
The airport lost its chief executive Tony Douglas last week, who departed to join construction firm Laing O’Rourke – the biggest single contractor involved in building Terminal 5.
The one bright spot for travellers is that the one cabin-bag rule may be relaxed in the autumn. But transport secretary Ruth Kelly told industry aviation industry representatives at a recent summit to expect no let-up in the high level of security at airports and immigration desks.
The head of the Border and Immigration Agency warned recently that inbound passengers must expect to face queues at peak times. She was responding to complaints about arrivals at some airports having to queue for up to an hour.