Crystal Ball Time
In light of the news that some Gulf State airlines are to open bases in LHR, I predict the following.
In the past, the global hubs for long-haul centred on the East coast of the USA, Europe, LHR, CDG, FRA, Asia and the Pacific rim. With the advent of the super long-range aircraft and the A380, the European hubs will be by-passed. Why stop over in LHR when you can either go direct or fly one-stop via the Gulf of Arabia? LHR will become a destination and not a transit stop, with good reason.
Transit passengers will avoid LHR if at all possible and choose to take the far superior product pairing of airline and airport for their journey in the future. The demise of LHR might be a long way off but I predict it will happen in time.
The Gulf Airlines are moving in now to poach customers to their product and once secured will drain passengers away from the established, worn-out airports to the new airports springing up all over the Gulf.
At least two terminals in LHR will close within the decade.
I'm just surprised it hasn't happened sooner.