The majority of people DON’T want to fly to or from Heathrow that is pure rhetoric!
The majority of legacy and alliance airlines have a business model based on Hub and Spoke that actually allows a multitude of connections over FEWER flight stages , its effective particularly in the US where the large states and vast travel distances mean there are fewer ground travel opportunities competing.
However just go and ask some medium sized US airports if it’s been any good for them you might find they are less than enamoured by the system !
In later years it’s been applied to longer haul operations however even those in Europe particularly are being disrupted by Norwegian, the 787 effect and yes the ME3.
Look at the areas of projected growth in the industry over the next 15 to 20 years and it’s not in longer haul to from or across Europe .
Its regional in Asia and domestic in China , India, Indonesia .
The primary growth projections in Europe are continued flexible fares point to point operations further disrupting Hub and Spoke and Gatwick , Manchester and others similar sized airports on the continent is where that development will come from.
We don’t need a super hub imho as said above those US airports in this mode are based on domestic links in a huge country serving the purpose of railways and motorways here in Europe.
Its telling that the only carrier that has registered an interest in moving on a much expanded R3 operating Heathrow is a regional point to point disruptive force carrier isn’t it .
Not those long haul and regional feeders likened by politicians and HAL marketing !