Yesterday's announcement that the UK Government is to defer a final decision on expanding UK airport capacity has received strong criticism from the trade association the represents the UK's freight forwarding and logistics businesses. Robert Keen, Director General of the British International Freight Association (BIFA), said: “The 1,500 companies within BIFA are dismayed that the uncertainty and indecision over expanding aviation capacity is set to continue into next summer. "BIFA has little doubt that this decision is about political expediency, not environmental matters, which must have been addressed in the work done by the Airports Commission during the three years it took to investigate the issues. "The UK's freight forwarding community, which is the engine of Britain's international trade, needs the Government to stop playing political football with the issue of aviation capacity and make a decision. "Every week that passes has a direct cost to the UK economy, its international connectivity and reputation”.