Stansted airport owner urges government to increase flight limit

Manchester Airports Group says surge in passenger demand means London's third-biggest hub is likely to reach maximum number of flights in six years

The owner of Stansted has called on the government to raise the flight cap at the Essex airport, warning that otherwise passenger demand in the south-east will not be met until the completion of a new London runway, potentially a decade away.

Almost 5 million more passengers used Stansted this year than in 2013, when Manchester Airports Group (MAG) bought the hub from Heathrow.