Is there any provision at present for a certain percentage of the new slots to be assigned to domestic routes? A Telegraph article suggests that while a member of the EU this would not be possible (but I'm not sure that this is true - BE has 'domestic only' slots, albeit a temporary restriction). Currently 6% of LHR flights are domestic. If central Government are serious about "Global Britain" and "Northern Powerhouses" and making sure that additional runway capacity in the SE benefits all of the UK then restrictions on slot use seems a reasonable idea. Heathrow could, themselves, encourage domestic operations and reduce handling charges for aircraft of <100 seats, or Turboprops.
Ringfencing slots for domestic traffic is a good idea on many levels: to aid inward investment and tourism; to boost the rest of the UK, as mentioned above, "Global Britain" and "Northern Powerhouses"; to provide an alternative to congested/gridlocked roads; to provide a cheaper alternative to an expensive and increasingly unreliable rail network that operates only 5 or 6 days/week (weekend engineering); to provide UK regions with hub access for connections to the world. Use of PSO is also needed for thin routes and links to remote/island areas.
EU rules prevent this except where its own rules are broken by the commission in the name of interfering in UK "competition" issues, hence VS/BE LHR-ABZ and LHR-EDI. Of course those slots could have (should have?) been used for other domestic routes rather than those that already exist, in order to increase connectivity.
Heathrow Ltd. has slightly reduced airport charges for domestic routes until 2037 and arguably could do more. APD could be scrapped for domestic routes, but that would be illegal, allegedly until March 2019.
Brian D,
”reduce handling charges” Heathrow will then want to reduce their tax bill below zero?
Just like much of big business. It's frequently in the news, of course, but rarely does the news report the EU rules that make it possible. EU single market rules allow any EU business to pay corporation tax in any member country irrespective of the amount of activity taking place in that country. Not surprisingly, they opt to pay corporation tax in Ireland and/or Luxembourg.
Trinity 09L, why are all your posts just one never ending moan about your local airport? You’re old enough to remember VC10s and Tridents on TEN LEFT for God’s sake! Unless you’re an incomer who bought without doing their homework?
It's a fair comment, a little more positivity please. It would be greatly appreciated and not make readers want to give up the will to live.