The chief executives of Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airports Group (MAG) have added their support to the UK staying in the European Union (EU).
The UK is to hold a referendum on whether it wants to leave the EU on 23 June. Heathrow Airport chief executive officer (CEO), John Holland-Kaye, and MAG, which operates Manchester Airport, Stansted Airport, East Midlands Airport and Bournemouth Airport, chief executive, Charlie Cornish, where among the business leaders to sign the letter published in The Times newspaper expressing support for remaining in a reformed EU.
Cornish says: “The EU has benefitted UK consumers and businesses enormously over the last 25 years by opening up the European aviation market to provide greater competition and choice. UK airlines now compete successfully on routes right across Europe, taking full advantage of the ‘open skies’ created by the EU.”
Holland-Kaye says: “Heathrow believes that the UK will be better off remaining in a reformed EU.”
“We are the UK’s only hub airport, connecting Britain to over 80 long haul destinations, and handling over a quarter of UK exports – but we also recognise that for business to thrive we also need to be part of the single European market.”
Earlier this month, Gatwick Airport CEO, Stewart Wingate wrote to The Times expressing his opinion that the UK must remain in the EU. He admitted the EU is far from perfect but it was for the best to stay.
At the time, Wingate said: “In business, connectivity with our neighbours means more trade, greater productivity and new markets for our goods and services, so increasing our connectivity in Europe can only be a good thing.”
