AIR FORCE ONE AND HEATHROW AIRPORT

That this House is appalled to learn that the arrival of President Bush at Heathrow Airport forced the cancellation of over 60 flights affecting the travel plans of over 40,000 passengers and delayed for over 30 minutes the departure of a further 260 planes; sympathises with British Airways, which cancelled 53 short-haul flights; notes with astonishment that one of the Airport's two runways was closed for rehearsals for the arrival of the Presidential party and again for its actual arrival and departure; agrees with BA's Chief Executive, Willie Walsh, that a military airport should have been used to receive the flight of two 747s, one Boeing 757 and four helicopters; and urges the Government to use a military airfield for all future arrivals of Air Force One.