One of the heads for Gatwick has spoken out about the high costs for airlines operating out of Heathrow.

Speaking to the Guardian, the airport's chief executive Stewart Wingate expressed concerns over Heathrow's legitimacy as an option in the Davies Commission, which is looking to find a suitable method to support London's growing demand with air capacity.

Mr Wingate said: "If Heathrow builds its runway, it will be the death knell of low-cost flying for a generation."

In regards to the other two main options in the commission, he stated support for Stansted's eventual expansion adding Boris Johnson's plans for an island airport in the Thames Estuary is "sinking without trace".

The Davies Commission will be submitted to the government by the end of this year and will outline recommendations to improve aviation, with immediate suggestions to improve existing runways in the upcoming five years.

A final report will be given in 2015 on environmental and economical factors for various methods of increasing airport capacity, of which Stansted, 'Boris Island', Gatwick and Heathrow are all viable options.