WE note with interest the views of Sir John Elvidge (“Building a third runway at steroid enhanced Heathrow full of risks”, Agenda, The Herald, October 19) and Iain Macwhirter (“Rough with the smooth in wooing of the SNP”, The Herald, October 20) relating to the forthcoming decision on where to locate new London airport capacity.
At Gatwick, we support a network of independent, competing airports across the UK, including Scotland. Such a network would allow for the development of more direct connections to international destinations from the nations and regions of the UK than would result from concentrating international connectivity in one place. Our well-stated view is that direct international connections are existential for any nation that aspires to stand on its own feet.
It is therefore difficult to imagine that policy makers at Westminster might mortgage Scotland’s future connectivity to a southern monopoly, particularly if – as is currently the case – Scottish taxpayers are being asked to pay for it.
Stewart Wingate,
Chief executive officer, Gatwick Airport,
Destinations Place, Gatwick Airport, West Sussex.
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