Britain risks losing millions of pounds in trade deals with companies in India, China and the far east because foreign executives are aggrieved about the treatment they receive at Heathrow airport, according to leading executives. Officials linked to Gordon Brown have been told that airport authorities are hampering important transactions by failing to give senior officials from increasingly powerful trading countries proper VIP status.

There is increasing concern among leading businesses that Britain's gateway is poorly perceived. The issue was raised during a private meeting between leading businesses in the capital and members of the High Level Group, established last year as Gordon Brown's bridge to the commercial and financial sectors.

Officials from the business umbrella group London First have since confirmed that they will be raising the issue with ministers from other departments.

One business source said: "We are all aware of the problems. If a senior politician or business leader arrives in Britain from the US there would be appropriate steps taken to make sure that they experience a courteous and swift passage through the airport. At this time of high security there would still be checks but they would not be so invasive."

He said the issue was not overt racism "but rather that these people are not recognised in the same way as executives from other countries are. They are treated like regular travellers. Some of the senior executives from companies in the far east have felt very inconvenienced by what they regard as offhand treatment on entering the country at Heathrow."

A spokesman for London First said the organisation recognised the pressures facing London's main airport, but a different approach was needed. "Every visitor to London is important but we especially need to be sure that those who carry the promise of jobs are left with a positive impression of our city."

There is an acute sensitivity about Britain's relationship with fast growing economies in India and China. India has the second largest number of new investment projects in London after the United States.

A BAA spokesman said airport authorities do not always know when VIPs arrive and the authorities would assist if asked.