The airport is limited to 10mppa by the 2009/10 planning permission. At the current rate of expansion this limit is likely to be hit in 3 years, so no matter what they would like to sell, the airlines’ passenger capacity will be limited by this number.
The Bristol mayor has a dream of creating a mass transit system for the city which would include a railway (tram) connection to the airport, but I do agree with MA that the elevation difference will be a challenge. IMHO the airport clearly needs a proper road connection (dual carriageway) and this would need to be directly connected to the motorways in order to avoid Bristol and North Somerset’s awful roads.
I would also agree with MA that the new North Somerset Council is likely to reject the latest 12mppa application, I think this was going to happen even if the Conservatives had retained control. As it is, the Airport is now surrounded by wards controlled by Lib dems, Greens and Independents.....
If the planning inspectors do get involved then you’d hope that the various genuine planning problems that to date appear to have suffered from the Nelsonian eye treatment will receive proper scrutiny.