Wow, I knew this was going to provocative!!! Nothing has changed in nearly 20 years! I appreciate the frustration that a lot of people feel, including my mate from what was then BY and the policital connections that the BAA allegedly had/have, but what I was trying to point out, was that when the decision on Londons third (not fifth!!) Airport was made, there was only one choice!! There is a whole heap of tarmac in Essex that subject to the local 'nimbys' you can keep spreading, not the case in LTN with cliff edges at the end of the runway, border disputes, etc. As I said before, an acceptable regional Airport.