London Gatwick aim for emerging markets after Air China gain
2012 05 10
- Details
LONDON Gatwick is looking to position itself as an alternative gateway for emerging markets "just as effectively" as Heathrow by taking advantage of a capacity crunch and lack of take-off and landing slots, said its chief commercial officer Guy Stephenson.
By gaining Air China as its latest long-haul carrier of four weekly direct flights to Beijing, it is strengthening "Britain's connectivity into the rapidly growing economies of the world," said Mr Stephenson, cited a report from London's Daily Telegraph.
It believes it can capture the long-haul market and become a hub much as Heathrow does in handling up to 33 per cent of its passengers as transfers with the approval of a second runway, currently 10 per cent of its passengers are transfers.
The West Sussex-based airport is running at 75 per cent of its capacity and could up its 2011-2012 figures of 34 million passengers to 40 million by 2020 with the approval of a second runway.
The UK government is under pressure to reconsider airport expansion after opposing a third runway at Heathrow due to worries of the UK losing out on trade with emerging markets. Gatwick, known as a point-to-point airport, has relied heavily on short-haul with a lesser amount of transfers but it is suggested that a second runway may be approved there or at Stansted.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
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