Delta has insisted that it will always fight for space at Heathrow rather than Gatwick, even if the south London airport was selected for a new runway to be built.
The US airlines giant also said that it would not be alone in wanting to have slots at the west London airport because business travellers predominantly want to fly from Heathrow.
The carrier, which owns 49% of Virgin Atlantic, said any solution to the UK’s airport capacity crisis would have to involve some expansion at Heathrow, because the business traveller market surrounding it was too valuable to surrender, The Telegraph reported.
More than 200 of Britain’s top 300 companies have their headquarters within a 25-mile radius of Heathrow.
Delta’s executive Perry Cantarutti, who oversees the airline’s joint business with Virgin Atlantic, said his carrier would not shift its services from Heathrow if Gatwick was awarded an extra runway.
