The Tourism Alliance has warned that playing “political football” must not stand in the way of increasing UK aviation capacity, after plans backed by London mayor Boris Johnson to create an airport hub in the Thames Estuary – dubbed ‘Boris Island’ were discounted by the Airports Commission.

The decision over where to boost airport capacity in the southeast of England is highly politicised – the ruling Conservatives were elected in 2010 on a manifesto pledge to block Labour plans for a third runway at Heathrow – and Tourism Alliance policy director Kurt Janson said that party differences must not get in the way of badly-needed development.

"Naturally, supporters of any option that is not recommended will be disappointed but it is important that we respect the process and not turn the Commission’s finding into a political football, as this will simply delay the development of additional capacity," he told Leisure Opportunities.

"The Estuary Airport was a bold and ambitious plan to deliver a long-term solution to aviation capacity restrictions. However, it was recognised that this plan came with significant technical and financial challenges."

The panel set up to decide on the best way to increase air travel capacity around London concluded that the proposal for a new four-runway airport had "substantial disadvantages that collectively outweigh its potential benefits."

Johnson was withering in his assessment of the decision, which he claimed was the result of political influence from Whitehall.

"In one myopic stroke the Airports Commission has set the debate back by half a century and consigned their work to the long list of vertically filed reports on aviation expansion that are gathering dust on a shelf in Whitehall," said the mayor.

The panel’s decision on the best way to increase aviation capacity – not due until after next year’s general election – is now a clear split between increasing runway capacity at Heathrow or expanding Gatwick airport.