Originally Posted by
22/04
£138M is not a lot of money and the first question is what could be achieved with it.
LBA and EMA do exist - but EMA actually doesn't do that well as a passenger airport as it is and is reliant on cargo for viability. LBA is no the best operationally but it is local catchment and log term airport airline bases which matter. LTN is arguably similar. No one suggests it should be closed.
Objectively, the DSA experiment failed I'm afraid - let it go. Don't let it raise people's hope as a political football.
Think EMA does alright given its own proximity to BHX and LTN to the South. Even so, there are investment programs ongoing at EMA (£120m) and LBA (£100m) funded entirely by their private sector owners to increase capacity and improve the passenger experience. LBA are to build new stands starting next winter which will eventually see 10 extra stands, which is a 30% increase. They are clearly gunning for more based airlines.