Airport wars: Heathrow and Gatwick argue about who offers the most benefits

Gatwick or Heathrow, who will triumph in the battle of the airports? Both sides have submitted more detailed proposals to the Airports Commission today, setting out why they are the right choice for expanding the UK’s airport capacity. While Boris Island appears to be mostly sidelined, the battle is looking to be between a second runway at Gatwick and a third (or possibly extending the second) runway at Heathrow.

In the revised proposals, Heathrow has increased its compensation fund for the effected 750 homeowners to £550 million, while Gatwick argues its expansion would be cheaper, more beneficial and have a lesser environmental impact — 14,000 people vs 250,000 for Heathrow.

On the Today programme, Heathrow’s chief executive John Holland-Kaye argued that adding a third runway to Heathrow would result in a £100 billion boost for the British economy — not just for London and the South East — and most effectively aid the country’s growth.