Airlines UK has welcomed the appointment of new transport secretary Grant Shapps and urged him to push ahead with Heathrow’s third runway.
Shapps was among those named in new Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s cabinet.
He was previously international development minister.
In a statement Airlines UK said: “We’re lucky that we’ve got another Secretary of State who buys into and supports the value of aviation. It’s too frequently been the poor relation of rail and this needs to change, and we need someone at the heart of it who will give aviation the attention it deserves.
More: Heathrow third runway ‘could limit other airport expansion’
Gatwick denies bid to create a second runway ‘by stealth’
New PM urged to opt for cheaper Heathrow expansion option
“Our priorities are fairly clear – crack on with R3 at Heathrow, the single biggest thing government could do to support UK connectivity, ensure aviation is ready for all Brexit scenarios, and cut through the general feeling within DFT that aviation is a sector that can manage itself, rather than one that needs and requests Govt leadership to maintain its world class international status.”