Prime Minister Theresa May has been accused of dithering after No 10 confirmed that plans to expand either Gatwick or Heathrow will be delayed for at least another year.
Mrs May had earlier moved to prevent possible Cabinet resignations by allowing ministers to rail against the Government's initial decision, due next week.
The special arrangements were seen as the clearest hint yet that Heathrow would be given the nod.
Scottish Economy Secretary Keith Brown has backed Heathrow saying it offered "the best deal” for Scottish passengers and could create up to 16,000 new jobs.
But the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and the Education Secretary Justine Greening are both long-term opponents of a third runway at Heathrow.
They have been told that they will be able to criticise next week’s choice – for a temporary period.
However, the decision will be subject to a full public consultation.
And a “final” choice will not be put to MPs until next winter at the earliest.
Ministers who criticise the plans will also have to apply for permission to the Prime Minister to speak out and will not be allowed to say anything in parliament.
They could also still be forced to back the government's plan in a vote in the House of Commons, No 10 suggested.
The choice is due to be made next week by the cabinet sub-committee on airports, whose members include the Scottish Secretary David Mundell.
No London MPs sit on the 9-strong committee, which also includes Mrs May, the Chancellor Philip Hammond, Business Secretary Greg Clark, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom, Chief Whip Gavin Williamson and Conservative party chairman Patrick McLoughlin.
Ms Greening has warned of the extra noise her constituents in Putney would suffer.
Mr Johnson vociferously opposed the idea of a third runway at Heathrow while he was mayor of London.
He even proposed an alternative, new airport by the Thames in east London, that attracted the nickname ‘Boris Island’.
Last week the SNP said that expanding Heathrow could also free up £200m in construction spending and deliver a huge boost to connectivity.
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