Rachel Reeves’s boast that Heathrow is having to ‘expand their VIP section’ to accommodate all the high-rollers arriving for her investment summit has caused some hilarity in the City.
Her remarks, quoted in the Financial Times, were ridiculed in the comments section as the Chancellor appeared not to realise many tycoons land their private jets in smaller, more discreet airports and wouldn’t be seen dead with the hoi-polloi at Heathrow.
VIPs ‘don’t land at LHR, it’s Northolt’, said one reader. Others said Reeves should not be bragging about moguls flying in to the UK because of the emissions.
‘Un-socialist’: Rachel Reeves’s comments on private jets has caused some hilarity in the City
Yet another mocked the Chancellor for being un-socialist: ‘I bet Reeves is excited about all those high net worth individuals jetting into Heathrow. She has her eyes on an expensive Gucci bag and a top notch chalet in Verbier for a week in the New Year.’
Experts say business flights tend to avoid commercial airports. The UK’s most popular is Farnborough, Hampshire, which has accounted for almost 30 per cent of inbound business flights so far this year, according to aviation data provider WingX.
Biggin Hill in Kent and RAF Northolt in Middlesex are also top destinations, but not Heathrow.
Heathrow said it was expecting lots of VIPs and would ensure it was adequately resourced to cope.
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