Ministers are close to choosing Stansted as the site of a new runway in the South East, but are likely to leave the door open for the development of Heathrow a few years later.
Industry insiders say no final decision has been made but they now expect Alastair Darling, the transport secretary, to give the Essex airport the nod when he unveils a White Paper on aviation in a few weeks’ time.
Britain’s biggest airlines have threatened a judicial review.
Andrew Cahn director of government and industry affairs at British Airways said: “If Heathrow is not chosen, then the government is condemning UK aviation to go the way of the shipbuilding and motorcycle industries.”
“I am worried the government may be about to make a historic mistake. Standsted means standstill.”
References: The Independent on Sunday Business 16/11/03 page 1, The Sunday Times Business 16/11/03 page 3
