Heathrow has rejected claims that a lower cost alternative to a third runway was blocked by the airport.
Transport secretary Chris Grayling said the “main reason” he could not recommend the extended runway option was because the owners of the airport could not guarantee to build it.
He was speaking to the transport select committee on its inquiry into the government’s planned airports national policy statement which centres on a third runway being built at the west London hub.
The third runway proposal was put forward by the Airports Commission and selected as the government’s preferred option.
A rival independent alternative to extend Heathrow’s northern runway put forward by former Concorde pilot Jock Lowe is claimed to be cheaper, have less environmental impact and have no impact on air passenger charges.
The idea suggests aircraft would land at one end of the runway and take off from the other.
Grayling told the transport select committee yesterday: “The extended runway is a very innovative idea, but the main reason it wasn’t chosen is the promoters could not provide a written guarantee from Heathrow that they would do it.”
Lowe, director of the Heathrow Hub extended runway option, said: “It clearly is not right that Heathrow Airport Ltd and its shareholders should be able to inflict on passengers and the country as a whole a much more expensive, more noisy and complex scheme by vetoing our scheme.
“What was the point of inviting the Airports Commission to consider ideas, if only airport operators can win?”
Lowe added that discussions were held with Heathrow about the extended runway scheme in August 2016 but these were “abruptly halted” when it became clear that the government wanted to make an announcement.
A Heathrow spokesman told The Independent: “Heathrow did not ever veto any plan. As the secretary of state identifies there were several issues which led to the government choosing a north-west runway at Heathrow.
“In the end, the government followed the advice of the Airports Commission which after its 2.5 year, £20 million study – the biggest ever into the issue – found a north-west runway delivers on all fronts including economic value, safety and benefits to local communities.”
Grayling addressed the concern of airlines that fees could be increased to pay for the project, saying: “I see no reason for a material change to landing charges.”
He also said that UK regional airports would collectively be guaranteed a certain proportion of arrivals and departures.
“We would expect to reserve up to 15% of slots for domestic connections.”
But Grayling said there were no guarantees about links from specific airports.
The government has committed to holding a vote in the first half of the year on the national policy statement for Heathrow expansion.
A formal planning application is expected to be submitted in 2020, with the third runway opening in late 2025 or 2026.