Originally Posted by
golfbananajam
Sorry RJ, I fail to see the national benefit in this.
All I see is peoples homes being demolished, additional traffic on the M25 car park and access roads to LHR, even longer queues at check-in and subsequent security, more (over) crowding in the terminals, longer waits for baggage collection, more flights over London etc etc etc.
It might suit you southern softies folks, but people from north of the M25 would have been better suited by expansion of regional airports to allow some of the holiday type traffic to leave LHR, freeing it up for the so-called business traveller. For our business travel, LHR ADDS 2 hours or more and all I see are the commuter type flights leaving regional and heading to LHR
It's about time people realised the UK is more, much more, than London and the SE
Ok, before anyone gets into the intricacies, is there really a serious argument against the busiest airport in Europe expanding? Add to that the fact that LHR is second busiest airport in the WORLD by international traffic, but only the sixth busiest by total traffic. This would indicate that LHR is lacking national connections (pretty well known anyway). Easyjet have pretty much confirmed they will open a base at LHR it the third runway is built. Its safe to say regional connections will improve dramatically as a result.
I agree regional airports still play a part, and always choose to fly out of my local airport given the opportunity. Do i think it makes sense that Emirates are opening long haul routes from various regional airports, illegally subsidized by their wealthy government, whilst LHR bursts at the seams? No I do not. The skies are already extremely crowded, it surely makes sense that long haul routes are served by the largest aircraft from LHR, which are fed nationally from the regional airports (e.g. AMS, CDG etc).
All other London airports are tolerated, like all offsite airports in other countries that FR love to fly too. People only fly there as the fares are the cheapest, but they are a pain to get to. LHR has the M25 on its doorstep, the Heathrow Express connecting to Paddington Station, an underground stop at every terminal going direct into London and eventually by Crossrail. How much would it cost to connect LGW to all of that? Probably a lot more than a third runway at LHR is going to cost (and that is before the cost of a third runway at LGW is taken into account).
As for homes being demolished, LHR have long since bought most of the properties required for demolition. Plus if someone came to my door and said we will pay you much more than your property is worth I would move in a heartbeat (free money).
Crowding would no doubt be dealt with by a new terminal to serve the third runway. The toast rack model they have already started implementing is the future of airport design (another few billion LGW would need to find to even catch up with LHR).
More flights over London? Expansion at the other airports in London would not result in this? Surely larger aircraft and fewer frequencies, is more environmentally friendly than the likes of Emirates, Norwegian flying half empty jets from airports other than LHR? Not to mention LHR is long and established, putting an airport in the middle of the Thames is going to disrupt millions of people who have consciously chosen to live away from an airport. There cannot be many people still alive who moved in before LHR arrived on their doorstep?
As for Boris, he has to say he will lie down in front of the bulldozers, he represents one of the local constituencies. This from a man who is also one of the chief brexiteers. We are now open for business to the world (but only if you arrive on an Arab airline via Newcastle because we are still deciding the merits of expanding our hub!).