Airlines have called on the government to improve public transport links to Heathrow as a £15 congestion charge on drivers using the airport was put forward to cut pollution.
They claim that charging motorists to access the London hub would amount to another tax on air travel on top of Air Passenger Duty.
Sir Howard Davies, who chaired the Airports Commission which backed a third runway at Heathrow, suggested a levy of £10 to £15 could be imposed on holidaymakers, business executives and other travellers seeking to drive polluting vehicles to the airport
Lord Adonis, chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission, also backed a “congestion cordon” around a bigger Heathrow
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is also understood to believe that some form of low emission zone around the airport will be needed.
He has stressed that another runway will only be allowed to operate if it can do so within air quality limits.
Sir Howard told the London Evening Standard: “When we looked at this, congestion charging to the airport was something that people regarded as pretty extreme.
“But I think now, the congestion charge is hardly controversial in London any more.”
The former director of the London School of Economics added: “The idea that you should have to pay, you know, ten quid or 15 quid if you really want to drive to the airport and maybe you pay more if you are in a diesel car, I think that is a perfectly politically acceptable thing.
“Indeed, I think it would be popular.
Former Labour transport secretary Lord Adonis believes persuading millions more passengers to get to the airport by far better public transport links, including new Crossrail services, will be crucial.
He said: “I would support a cordon charge around Heathrow to ensure the number of vehicles going to and from the airport is reduced even after the new runway is built.
“The charge level should be set to ensure there is a reduction in the number of vehicles going to and from Heathrow.”
Airport bosses have committed to consulting on proposals to introduce a charge, though, a source stressed this was seen as a “last resort” to tackle any air pollution problems.
Current plans would be for the levy only to apply to vehicles going to the airport and there could be exemptions in place for the greenest vehicles, taxis and local residents.
A Heathrow spokesman said: “We have been clear that even as the airport grows, the amount of airport-related traffic on the road will remain the same as today’s levels.
“This is something we have been able to achieve in the past – over the last 20 years, passenger numbers have nearly doubled whilst airport-related traffic has remained static.”
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, the industry body representing UK-registered carriers, said: “Notwithstanding the fact that much of the pollution is caused by non-Heathrow related congestion, the government needs to do more to improve public transport to the airport.
“Whilst access is very good in places, from the West and South, in particular, it is scratchy at best and it seems unfair to penalise people who have no other reasonable way, other than the car, of getting to their destination.
“Speeding up the delivery of western rail access to Heathrow should certainly be a priority for government.
“We need much more consultation on this proposal – its knock-on impact on congestion elsewhere and its effect on consumers.
“This will, in effect, be another tax on air travel, at a time when we have the highest tax on aviation in the world in the form of Air Passenger Duty.”