Gonzo
Thks for you very interesting points, but - again - you are in the end confirming that LHR capacity is artificially capped:
- on the ground (taxiways, standsetc.)
- in the air (SID to be re-written, different policy for approaches
and above all ... politically!
I did not want to give the impression that a 20% increase in movements at LHR could be achieved overnight, but I just wanted to open up this subject and draw some attention to it.
If the politicians really want to keep LHR's role up to the requirements of the market it should deserve (with all the relevant economics benefits!), they should or better to say must consider mixed mode operations at LHR, and start to use a brand new sheet of paper to project, draft and implement this alternative use of the runways (also keeping in mind that cross winds at LHR are not so uncommon, and that the existing cross rwy should be kept operational).