The government will not back calls for strict controls on air travel in a bid to curb environmental damage, transport secretary Alistair Darling has told the Times.

Forum Response: British Airways

A spokesman for British Airways told ePolitix.com: "We believe that we already made a great deal of progress in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and we are continually striving to reduce our emissions further.

"The airline has already reduced its CO2 emissions by more than 500,000 tonnes in the past two years.

"Overall aviation fuel efficiency has increased by 70 per cent over the last 40 years, and British Airways is on track to achieve a self-imposed target of 30 per cent improvement by 2010 relative to 1990.

"The airline has committed to reducing its CO2 emissions in the UK by 125,000 tonnes over the next five years.

"Our overall CO2 emissions continue to decrease as a result of our investment in new aircraft with better environmental performance.

"The British Airways fleet is now one of the youngest and quietest of major airlines - which reflects the airline's determination to meet the needs of its customers and minimise the impact on the environment.

"Overall noise generated by the BA fleet has decreased substantially despite an enormous increase in passengers carried. This has resulted from massive and continuous investment - over $1 billion in the last year - in new aircraft, which has decreased the average age of the fleet by two years.

"Overall emissions of engine exhaust gases have increased at a lower rate than growth in overall passengers or tonne kilometres.

"The greater efficiency of newer aircraft, and the BA strategy of decreasing capacity and flying smaller aircraft, has resulted in a decrease in overall carbon dioxide emissions for the last two years."

Forum Response: Institute of Directors

A spokesman for the IoD told ePolitix.com: "The environmental impact of airport expansion obviously cannot be ignored, however, the economic benefits have to take precedence.

"If the UK, and particularly London and the south east, is to remain competitive, thereby creating jobs and wealth for society as a whole, then air traffic capacity has to increase."