Publish detailed Heathrow third runway flight paths, says Sadiq Khan

But he argued a decision to support Heathrow expansion had not been delayed as he believes it will never get the go-ahead on the grounds it cannot meet EU air quality rules — a claim strongly disputed by the airport.

Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate today suggested his proposals for a second runway were now the “frontrunner” after Cabinet ministers delayed the decision. Heathrow rejected this, arguing it is still the “only show in town” after the Airports Commission backed a third runway.

The Airports Commission did publish indicative maps showing which areas could be overflown by more flights to and from either Heathrow or Gatwick. But neither airport has published detailed flight paths which would reveal which communities to the east of Heathrow, as well as around Gatwick, would suffer from more noise.

Campaigners in Sussex also want more information on flight routes.

The airports panel insisted quieter aircraft and new technology could mean fewer people were blighted by noise from a three-runway, and possibly even a four-runway, Heathrow.

It also proposed a ban on night flights and ruling out a fourth runway, though Heathrow has so far refused to accept either.

The Commission also called for Heathrow to spend more than £1 billion on compensation, including noise insulation if a third runway gets approval. It said respite periods would become more predictable but did not highlight that some communities could see this cut from around half the day to a third.

A Heathrow spokeswoman said: “Our proposals have been designed so that fewer people are impacted by noise from Heathrow than today, and so that it is possible to offer respite to most people — or 95 per cent of people — for 50 per cent of the time.”

A Gatwick spokesman said: “Noise from Gatwick expansion would impact a fraction of the population compared to Heathrow.”

Both airports said they needed more firm information in order to draw up detailed flight paths.

The Department for Transport stressed that further work is being carried out into noise, air quality and carbon emissions resulting from airport expansion.