Heathrow expansion is 'urgent', says airport boss John Holland-Kaye

The chief executive spoke at the British Chamber of Commerce's conference

Heathrow's chief executive has said that MPs' dithering on airport expansion was "just the British way of making decisions" - but he told the British Chamber of Commerce "it is time to get on with" expanding the airport.

At the BCC’s annual conference, John Holland-Kaye told of British exporters struggling to get live langoustines to Singapore and to sell chocolate to Mexicans because Heathrow is full and cannot add routes.

He added: "We need to make the right choice to secure the prosperity we have enjoyed for future generations.

"This is a competition Britain could win - Heathrow is the best-located hub in the world, with 95 per cent of the global economy within range of a direct flight - [but] the UK is starting to fall behind.

"Dubai is overtaking Heathrow in the number of international passengers carried and Paris with more long-haul destinations."

Holland-Kaye concluded that British politicians "put off difficult decisions" as long as they could but expanding Heathrow "is now urgent. It is time to get on with it".