Prophead actually few support Boris island as an option North or South it’s pure fantasy by the buffoon named !
True many in the regions are well aware of that Hanseatic hub due east and on the direct routes to Asia and those in the sandpits.
Both offer a tremendous product at a variety of price points you know capitalism at work.
Oh and with the exception of Cardiff the sandpit operators already have BA competing via Heathrow for the same trade as all those fields retain regular flights to Slough and Windsor, Spelthorne and neighbouring boroughs airfield today.
As for KLM they have been in the regions since the dawn of aviation (mini fact) and they have extensive petro chemical contracts from those east coast smaller fields they retain.
Actual point to point fares are substantial for individual travellers.
However simply planting billions of pounds worth of concrete in West London to allow EasyJet to move over the Thames really isn’t value for money !
HAL still needs to win the real argument on genuine grounds such as resilience of operations ,however that’s a rather more difficult thing to present and not so glossy to sell as mythical regional connectivity and extra flights that look good but make no money for anyone to secondary Chinese cities.
Again beware of the political agendas at work.
Many do argue for Gatwick not just on cost but understanding the reality of where the market growth in aviation’s is projected to be and that’s a multitude of relatively short haul flexible fares operations just the sort at Gatwick today, and inter regional short haul in Asia none of which needs the concreting over of parts of Hillingdon right now or anytime soon.