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Environmental charity WWF has called the government's airport expansion plans into question as soaring oil prices seem set to reduce passenger numbers.

WWF said the effect of rising oil costs and policies encouraging a switch towards alternative forms of travel could potentially reduce the government's forecast for passenger numbers in 2030 by 150 million.

If the real figure is closer to 350 million, the WWF said, this would be well within the current UK airport capacity of around 425 million passengers per year.

"The government's current projections for passenger numbers are pie in the sky, based on estimated oil prices which border on the fantastical," said Peter Lockley, head of transport policy at WWF.

"What's more, the government hasn't even examined a scenario where it makes an effort to promote alternatives to flying such as video conferencing."

The government's air passenger forecast assumes that oil prices today are only $60 (£31) a barrel and will fall to $53 (£27) by 2012 and remain at that level indefinitely, WWF said.

At present, oil costs $136 (£70) a barrel, with some analysts forecasting prices as high as $200 (£103) in the near future. By doubling the government's estimate to a conservative assumption of $106 (£54) a barrel in 2030, the impact of the increased oil price on air fares alone would cause an estimated 15 per cent reduction in the growth of air passengers.

WWF calculates that greater use of video conferencing and alternative methods of travel combined could serve to reduce passenger growth by up to 13 per cent.

A recent report, Travelling Light, found 89 per cent of major businesses expect to cut their flights in the future and that a similar number believe video conferencing is the key way to achieve this.