Heathrow bosses: Night flights 'would be reduced' with third runway

Heathrow bosses have given MPs a "clear commitment" to reduce night flights if a third runway is built, but would not say "exactly what" would be done.

MPs were told it was "not easy" to balance noise disruption with the economic impact of a reduction.

The Airports Commission has recommended a third runway but also a ban on flights between 23:30 and 06:00.

One committee member, Conservative mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith, criticised the "absence of clarity".

Giving evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee, Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said the west London airport could comfortably expand to include a third runway and still stay within environmental targets. He also added that road traffic would not increase.

'Real opportunity'

He said night flights were "something that we are looking at and we will make a comment on in due course".

There are "huge benefits" for local communities in stopping arrivals scheduled between 04:30 and 06:00, he said, but there was also "a big cost" to the UK economy as they involve "valuable trading routes to the Far East, Singapore and Hong Kong".

He added: "It's not easy to resolve that. We are working on it. I'm confident that we will be able to find a way through that and that there's a real opportunity to significantly reduce night flying at Heathrow with expansion."

Heathrow's director of environment and sustainability, Matt Gorman, added: "We can reduce night flying at Heathrow.

"This is a significant change. We're not saying exactly what yet but it is a clear commitment."

'Core condition'

Mr Goldsmith, the Richmond Park MP who has campaigned against a third runway, asked Mr Holland-Kaye if he expected the government to make a decision on expansion "in the absence of clarity from you on that very core condition" of night flights.

Mr Holland-Kaye said this was a question for the government, which has yet to announce its final decision.

Also giving evidence was Sir Howard Davies, who led the Airports Commission.

He said he did not want to "add or take away" anything from his report, adding that a fourth runway, which campaigners fear could follow if permission is granted for a third, would not be manageable "in air traffic terms" as the skies would become too congested.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson claimed the session showed Heathrow was "willing to undermine the Airports Commission in pursuit of its own ends".