London - A plan to build a major new airport to the east of London was rejected by a government-appointed commission on Tuesday, dealing a blow to its high-profile backer, the city's mayor Boris Johnson.
The Airports Commission said the idea to build a new airport in the Thames Estuary, nicknamed Boris Island, had not made the shortlist of options it is considering to expand Britain's runway capacity.
It will now make a final recommendation by summer 2015 from three remaining options, including two plans to expand Heathrow Airport and one to expand Gatwick Airport.