Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson

The bizarre proposal by London Mayor Boris Johnson to build an airport on the Thames Estuary could soon be laid to rest once and for all following a derisory report by UK airlines.

Boris surfaced the scheme as an alternative to the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport – something repeatedly ruled out by his Conservative Party on environmental grounds.

But the Board of Airline Representatives UK (BAR UK), which represents 78 of the 90 carriers operating out of Heathrow, this week issued a scathing attack on the “pie in the sky” project.

The airline body’s opposition hinges on a wide-ranging raft of concerns that have previously been cited by everyone from business leaders to environmental campaigners.

Safety fears top its long list of complaints, with planes landing at the proposed six-runway airport off the Kent coast subject to a dramatically increased risk of encountering bird strikes. BAR UK also noted the economic fall-out from the project, which would cost an estimated £40 billion.

Rodney Chambers, leader of Medway Council in Kent, will today present the findings of the report along with alternative proposals to London Deputy Mayor Kit Malthouse.

“Not only do the people of Medway and Kent not want this airport, neither does anyone else,” Mr Chambers told the BBC. “I have continuously said that the Mayor of London’s Estuary Airport plan is pie in the sky.”

Independent councillor Tony Goulden added: “It is difficult to understand Boris’ obsession with this monstrous pile of sand, cement and tarmac that he wants to dump off the shore.”

BAR UK airline members including British Airways, Air France, Qantas, and Virgin Atlantic are all opposed to the scheme. Some of the strongest criticism has come from BA boss Willie Walsh, who warned recently that “closing Heathrow would create a vast wasteland west of London”.

Even Conservative Party leader David Cameron has distanced himself from Boris Island, last month remarking: “Boris is a great Mayor … but building airports is not his responsibility.”

© Cheapflights Ltd (Creative Commons image: Think London / Flickr)

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