Britain is an island trading nation.

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That simple fact means our prosperity has always depended on how well-connected we are to the rest of the world.

London’s airports today are at the heart of Britain’s global connectivity and the economic opportunities that it brings. That's why the news that Heathrow has slipped behind Istanbul in the latest OAG rankings of the world's best-connected airports – having lost its crown as Europe’s busiest airport to the Turkish rival earlier this summer – should worry anyone who cares about growth.

While we've spent the best part of two decades debating a third runway at the UK’s only hub airport, competitors have got on with building. Istanbul's hub already handles up to 90 million passengers a year, with plans to nearly double that. Closer to home, Paris has expanded Charles........

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