As someone who has worked at LHR since 1970 with spells at STN and LGW I agree with Tristar. Why the government persist with patching up as a way of life I do not know. LHR has been a s---hole since the day I started there-a tunnel of only 2 kanes in and out. BAA no monies to invest - they have never invested in anything properly. Even STN the lanes adjoing the terminal are total crap as are the transport connections. LHR needs to be capped and it is only right and proper that the midlands and the north should see some expansion.
That said the fuel costs I believe will actually cause the industry to rapidly reduce and we will soon see a thinning out of services and reductions in airline fleet numbers. It is not as though we did not know that fuel was going to run out or that one day our Arab cousins were going to charge what they like for fuel.