S1F - I'm aware of the reasons why R3 would be opposed by IAG. But comments made by Willie Walsh do oppose R3. That seems clear. Are you suggesting that IAG secretly wants R3 to proceed?
Doesn't matter either way, IAG has nowhere else to go.
Fifteen percent of 260,000 additional movements equates to more than 50 additional daily departures to domestic destinations. Nobody seriously expects that to happen
.
Who can say how things will be in 100 years?
With increasing congestion, ever higher fuel costs, and likely road pricing/mile on the roads; with increasing chaos, delays, cancellations, strikes, and unfeasibly high fares on the railways; and the inability to predict journey times on both modes of transport, air travel will become an increasingly attractive option, especially as the delays at Heathrow will be eliminated by having a third rwy. The abundance of available slots will make the secondary slot market obslete thus the costs of operations will reduce significantly and other, smaller, carriers will operate from Heathrow.
At 4 roundtrips/day, for example, 50 additional daily departures to domestic destinations is not that many. It's just 12 new destinations, but a huge boost for regional connectivity with far more comprehensive cover than HS2. Domestic air travel can also reach places where road and rail cannot (Northern Ireland, jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, etc..). This is important for the country, so PSO will be used if necessary.
Once outside the EU, the "neo-liberal" economics of the single market won't apply, so if MPs want domestic links between their constituencies and Heathrow, governments may agree to aid
where necessary to help economic development. Subsidies of this nature would be far better value for money than pouring money into the black hole of the franchised railways.
Yes, yes, OK, granted, it's a fair comment that it's an over optimistic assumption that we'll be outside the EU by the time the third rwy is up and running!
BTW Mods, the new format for PPRUNE is awful!