The world airlines body IATA on Tuesday called on the British government to ensure that the way was cleared quickly to allow for expansion at London's biggest airport, Heathrow.

While welcoming the decision to give the go-ahead for construction of a new runway at Stansted Airport northeast of the UK capital, the Geneva-based group argued that only Heathrow could provide the global hub Britain needed.

"The expansion of Stansted Airport is a useful decision in the European context, but there is no room for two intercontinental hubs in the London area," said IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani.

IATA, the International Air Transport Association has some 270 members, including nearly all traditional airlines operating international services.

Britain's biggest airline, British Airways, a leading IATA member, had been lobbying hard for a third runway at Heathrow, the world's busiest international airport, but faced stiff opposition.

Liberalization and consolidation in the global aviation industry would trigger more airline mergers and further boost hub and spoke systems, or connections for long-haul flights, Bisignani said in a statement issued soon after the British decision was announced.

"Heathrow is and will remain the global gateway and hub that London and the UK need," IATA said.

Congestion at the airport, which is west of London, "causes delay, environmental damage and financial loss, which can only be overcome by providing adequate capacity for efficient operations there", the statement declared.

The British government should proceed speedily to complete the environmental study it has ordered to make it possible for further expansion at Heathrow to be delivered, IATA said.

But Britain's Transport Secretary Alistair Darling said that while the runway at Stansted -- a base for no-frills airlines like easyJet -- would be built by 2011-12, Heathrow would have to wait at least until 2015-20.

Even then the go-ahead would depend on the outcome of the environmental study on whether the project would add to atmospheric and noise pollution in the area and increase pressure on wildlife and natural habitats.

(Reuters)