Birmingham International Airport's expansion plans are doomed because British Airways is preparing to pull the plug on its operation there, according to the outspoken boss of Irish budget airline Ryanair.

Michael O'Leary said BIA should cancel the planned runway extension and new second runway because it would have "plenty of room" when BA left.

Mr O'Leary, who moved a number of services from BIA to Nottingham East Midland Airport last year, said it was common knowledge in the aviation industry that the UK's flagship airline would be gone in one or two years.

However, both BA and BIA denied Mr O'Leary's claims.

During a hastily arranged press conference in a Birmingham hotel yesterday, the Ryanair boss called on BA to drop the fuel surcharge on its ticket prices.

"Even though the price of crude oil has fallen by a fifth since August, BA is still screwing its passengers with no intention of ever removing its six surcharges of up to £60."

He then accused BIA of being run with a "1970s mindset" with high airport charges and an over-reliance on BA.

Mr O'Leary called on the airport to start dealing with low-cost airlines instead.

"BA will be gone within five years but I actually think it could be in more like one or two years' time.

"They are winding down their short-haul operations at Birmingham and Manchester, you can see that that by how they are downsizing the planes they are using.

" They can't make any money out of a regional base like Birmingham, because their cost base and fares are too high.

"My message to Birmingham is cancel your expansion because you will have plenty of room when BA are gone."

A BA spokeswoman countered: "We were the first airline to fly from there and we will probably be the last."

She said the company was transparent with its fuel surcharges, unlike Ryanair whose fares were increasing "dramatically".

She added: "Birmingham's expansion plans are not dependent on BA because we have always said we will not introduce long-haul flights there.

A spokesman for BIA branded the claims the product of "an entrepreneur with a vivid imagination".

"Speak to the seven low-cost airlines that operate at Birmingham at the moment. They're investing in new technology at a time when Ryanair's service to Dublin uses the oldest and certainly the noisiest 737s operating here," he said.