Developing a third runway at Heathrow is the top choice for creating more UK airport capacity, according to a study carried out for World Travel Market, which starts today.
An expanded Heathrow won the support of 28% of people, against 25% who back a new hub in the Thames estuary scheme.
Support was even stronger among senior figures in the travel industry with 34% favouring a third runway, 14% more than those in supporting of a Thames estuary airport.
The findings came within days of Sir Howard Davies unveiling his Commission which will report just before the next election on how to provide additional airport capacity.
Options include new runways at Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted – all of which have been ruled out during the current Parliament.
London Mayor Boris Johnson’s opposition to a third runway showed no sign of weakening over the weekend as he condemned the Davies inquiry for even considering it.
An additional runway at Heathrow was “a complete disaster” and “simply will not happen,” he said.
But Sir Howard said: “I observe the political debate swirling around this, but I don’t think it makes sense to get involved in it.
“We have been told that all options, including the third runway, are on the table, and for the moment that is where they shall remain,” he told the Observer.
Prime minister David Cameron told The Times on Saturday that Sir Howard had a “completely open mind” on the issue.
Cameron said: “What I would say to Boris, what I have said to Boris, is that for the first time a government has properly put all the options, including estuary options, on the table. Boris is passionate about the idea of an estuary airport. Now he has a forum to put forward his arguments in a way that he hasn’t in the past.”