Is the UK's aviation policy up in the air? ‎

Ministers don't feel confident enough to start a debate on extra runways at the moment and that has annoyed many in the business community and the aviation industry.

"This is fiddling while Rome burns," says John Strickland, a respected aviation consultant.

"Putting off until the autumn any consultation on extra runway capacity simply puts more pressure on existing infrastructure and leaves the UK further behind its competitors, not only in Europe, but the Middle East."

"The government has spent years working on a strategy for UK aviation, so the fact there'll be yet more delays beggars belief," says Cheryl Smart from the Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce.

"Businesses are tired of indecision and equivocation on aviation."

Aviation Colleges

But in other respects we do have a clear idea of what the government is expecting of the region's airports in the short term.

It wants to make more use of their existing capacity and it's going to do what it can to help.

This week's policy statement announced a consultation on easing the night flying regime at Stansted Airport.