Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

Nick Barton, business development and planning director for the airport, said Paris and Madrid would be among the omissions to be corrected.

He added: “If we hit our target of 200 European destinations it’s hard to imagine that we will have missed anywhere important. We are aware of the markets the business community wants to access from Stansted and are in very active and advanced discussions to fill all the voids.”

Stansted this week had two officials in China advancing talks on direct routes between the countries. Business Weekly also understands that dialogue is progressing encouragingly with Indian carriers, including Kingfisher Airlines whose chairman and MD Vijay Mallya is desperate to break into the UK via Stansted.

He is currently fighting antiquated Indian legislation that prohibits start-up airlines flying such distances within five years of birth. He is lobbying for the law to be overturned.

Nick Barton refused to comment on individual airlines but said: “We are very encouraged by progress in our advanced talks with Chinese and Indian airlines. These things don’t convert overnight but we are well aware of demand in these tiger economies and are moving as fast as we can.

“The growth in demand for travel options is breathtaking and it is important for us to have a clear and coherent transport policy to follow. We have dominance in Europe but will not be satisfied until we have taken our current 160 destinations to past the 200 mark.

“We are equally aware that we have slots we can fill for incoming aircraft from Asia and the Far East in quiet times and can therefore comfortably accommodate flights from India, China, Malaysia and Dubai among other areas.

“Four major carriers from Asia are talking to us but they have to get their fleets right. The important thing for local business leaders is to know that we are on the case.”