I have an apology: I'm not a pilot (though I'm thinking of becoming one). However, I can see it from the airport's point of view.
Whilst aviation can be fun, a major airport is a business. The holidaymakers are just passengers, the air traffic controllers' customers are the airlines. If an airline is delayed to slot in a GA plane, they can put a lot of pressure on both the airport and the air traffic control service. Don't forget that if an airline is severely delayed European Law means that airlines have to pay compensation.
You may be interested in:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyo...6_05_thu.shtml
and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4598786.stm
I suspect the fees NATS charges airlines is a lot more than the ones it charges GA pilots (so they have priority).
I remember hearing a discussion on the radio about traffic flow on roads. One of the things that was said was that the closer you are to capacity the bigger the impact of any disruption. I hear that most major airports operate at close to full capacity to maximise their profits.
I remember in the phone in for another You and Yours programme:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyo...6_01_tue.shtml
one of the contributers said that one of the major airports had at least 9 heavy jets stacked at any one time and improving the flow management of that would reduce the fuel/time airlines needed.
I hope I haven't annoyed anyone. All I'm just saying I can see the other side of the coin.
Ps.
You'll need Real Audio if you want to listen to the radio programmes concerned.