Environmentalists believe a new Government policy allowing greater inter-continental flights by foreign airlines from regional airports like Birmingham will create an "open season" for the aviation industry.
Friends of the Earth believe the Civil Aviation Authority report calling for a relaxation of "fifth freedom rights" to foreign airlines will lead to more air and noise pollution.
The report recommendations were accepted by the Department for Transport last week and West Midlands business leaders joined Birmingham International Airport in welcoming the news.
BIA also claimed that if more services were introduced to places like Washington and Dallas, it would claw back the 50 per cent passenger demand that leaves the region to fly from elsewhere in the country and, consequently, reduce car pollution.
Chris Crean of West Midlands FoE, was critical of of the report, saying: "The findings of this economic assessment, if implemented, could effectively create an open season for the aviation industry resulting in more planes, more pollution and more noise - all without any environmental impact assessment.
"This report should be scrutinised by a full environmental impact assessment and if that shows that there would be an overall increase in local and global pollution then the proposals detailed should be scrapped."
Present Government policy is to refuse "fifth freedom rights" unless there are exceptional circumstances or unless UK airlines get rights of broadly equivalent value.
Plans for an extension of the current BIA runway and the building of a second are being prepared by BIA. The need for a second runway was backed by the Government's Aviation White Paper in 2003.
BPNOV24
