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British Airways (BA) chief executive Willie Walsh has urged the government to back London Heathrow by allowing the construction of a third runway, warning that failure to do so could be disastrous for the UK.

Mr Walsh claimed that the country would be burdened by inadequate air links for 30 years if the government turns down plans to expand Heathrow.

He pointed out that development of London's biggest airport is the only way that the UK can hope to compete with its aviation rivals in Europe and the Middle East.

Speaking at the Airport Operators' Association annual conference in London, Mr Walsh said: 'We have prevaricated about airport expansion for far too long. Meanwhile the other major European countries have raced ahead, investing in hub airport capacity to provide the geographic network businesses need as the global economy develops and intensifies.

'Since 1990, while the networks of Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Paris Charles de Gaulle have increased, Heathrow's has declined by 20 per cent.'

The BA boss pointed out that the threat does not only come from the continent, as work is already underway on a six-runway, 24-hour hub in Dubai that would enable strong connections with the United States and bypass Europe completely.

Mr Walsh also poured cold water on the idea of a new airport in the Thames estuary, describing it as an 'unfundable fantasy', and insisted that now is the time to move forward with Heathrow.

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