Pilots have backed the expansion of Gatwick airport rather than the development of a new site in Kent.

The union representing airline pilots said it was surprised the idea of a new site at Cliffe had been proposed.

The British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) warned the UK's airports would reach melting point unless new runways were built.

Its preferred choice would be to increase capacity by adding another runway at Gatwick because it would be the quickest option.

BALPA general secretary Jim McAuslan said: "Mick Jagger was only 38 when terminal five at Heathrow was first mooted and completion is still a long way off.

"In France they can build new runways in a matter of two to three years.

"To try to get a new runway at Cliffe - environmental considerations apart - would mean an unfeasible time frame."

The debate over the future of aviation services in the South-East has been running since the Government unveiled its proposals in July last year.

As well as a new airport at Cliffe, other options included in the Aviation White Paper are new runways at Gatwick, Heathrow or Stansted.

Airport operator BAA had its busiest August ever as holidaymakers headed abroad despite the hot weather at home.

Gatwick reported a two per cent increase to almost 3.6 million passengers.

Biggest growth was in European traffic, up 9.5 per cent as holidaymakers took advantage of cheap deals.

About 13.7 million passengers passed through BAA's seven UK airports, up 3.6 per cent on last year.

The authority said the airline industry had recovered from the impact of the war in Iraq and the Sars outbreak in the Far East.

North Atlantic traffic was down only 1.1 per cent on last August compared to a 2.9 per cent fall in July.