MINISTERS have been urged to open a former Battle of Britain airfield near Heathrow to commercial airlines to ensure the survival of direct routes between the Highlands and London.

RAF Northolt in Ruislip, Middlesex, which currently caters for private jets, has been mooted as a northern satellite runway for Heathrow as the UK Government seeks airport capacity in the capital.

Now Highlands and Islands Labour MSP David Stewart has written to Defence Secretary Philip Hammond suggesting it could be used by airlines amid fears over a significant reduction in the level of service between Gatwick and the Highlands.

The deputy convener of the Holyrood cross-party group on aviation asked that regional carriers such as bmi Regional, Eastern, and Flybe be allowed to use Northolt following easyJet's £20 million purchase of Flybe's slots at the main London airport.

RAF Northolt, which opened in 1915, is close to the London Underground and next to the A40 main route into the city.

RAF typhoons were stationed there during the London Olympics. In 1997, Princess Diana's body was brought back aboard an RAF aircraft to the airport from Paris following her death in a car crash.

Mr Stewart said: "RAF Northolt is only six miles north of Heathrow with excellent underground services to central London and is a fully operational airport.

"It already operates in parallel with Heathrow for existing operations in support of the MoD and for 7000 business aviation movements per year and was used very successfully in support of the London Olympic Games." He said he hoped easyJet would continue Flybe's services to Gatwick, but this would enhance links to the south.

Aviation expert and former adviser to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee and Highlands & Islands Airports, Laurie Price said: "The use of RAF Northolt is an excellent idea to allow air traffic from regional airports, such as Inverness, which have long lost or been denied direct service to London Heathrow, to gain or regain access to London Heathrow, which is only six miles away.

"With the loss of the multiple daily full service links to London Gatwick from many UK regional points by FlyBe, and recognising that the MoD is keen to make better use of Northolt and increase the revenue from commercial operations, this would provide an opportunity to improve regional air service connectivity to the global air network at Heathrow and meet the MoD objectives, while the Government decides on its longer-term policy and priorities for aviation."

In April, the Government decided a self-imposed ceiling of 7000 commercial movements per year at RAF Northolt would be increased to 12,000 over the next three years.