Here I go again...
Hell-mend the airline chiefs for putting all their 'eggs in the one basket' for beleiving LHR is the B-all and end-all when it comes to arriving and departing the UK - sorry, United Kingdom of London
Iam sick of watching the news and reading the papers about how the public are suffering with weather delays and such like. Its nothing new at LHR and the surrounding area. The airlines have a duty to offer flights that will depart - although normally they do - the weather isnt the only delays LHR suffer from. Ground congestion as well as very restrictive slots and appauling terminal infrastructure... It seems that LHR has a monopoly on certainly BA B747 flights from the UK to the US (for example).
The old story of ''not enough demand from the 'regional' airports'' is wearing very thin as the years go on, and investment is given to an airport that clearly is a liability at the best of times ie LHR.
Regional airports in the UK are under-utilised in general. They have the facilities and staff to deal with long-haul flights and normally bear the brunt of LHR shut-downs when pax cant get there.
WHY OH WHY DONT AIRLINES TRY THE REGIONS - even for the summer to guage the popularity... Trust me it would work. The number of passengers through-checked from the regions is amazing, and then they have to fly back up over the UK (9 times out of 10) if going to the US...
T5, another runway and another terminal at LHR - Are the government for real
The sky above has not increased... No wonder there are slot delays now, never mind in 2,3 or 4 years time - even with another runway.
VS trialled a MAN-GLA-MCO last year that was very popular. Come on BA, BMI etc... Give the UK a fair shot, and do your image a turn too.
Why shouldnt pax fly from LHR up to say EDI or GLA to meet a longhaul US bound flt? Greed and all the excuses under the sun cant hide the fact that LHR has had its day and has a terrible image.
Oh, but now a new airport has more recently caught the eye of every airline cheif exec in Europe... LCY. Surprise surprise, its in London. Can hardly more there now, with everyone clambering to get in and out - including BA - well, its very poorly equiped and paid relation, BACityflyer. Now thats another story for another time..........
The UK comprises England as well as Scotland N Ireland and Wales, who all have airports capable of handling the big-boys.
Spread the joy once and for all
