MV. There has been rapid expansion over the last few years and this cannot be sustained. The airport will have to enter a phase of consolidation. It is hard to see what destinations are now missing, save for a couple of German cities. The short runway will hinder any long-haul expansion and the 787 is still a long way off. Emirates is a non-starter because of the runway, their current aircraft and the fact the airport now has three full service airlines connecting to European hubs. Passenger numbers are unlikely to support a fourth transit hub in Dubai and the volume for point to point will not fill a wide-bodied jet. There are unlikely to be further American routes from full service airlines, I saw that Delta pulled a proposed EDI-ATL route because of rising fuel costs. It would be interesting if Ryanair chose Bristol as one base for it's mooted UK-US operation. Passenger expansion will come from larger aircraft on existing routes. The master plan planning application is going to be a long process because the anti lobby will fight. The airport has seen this and has very shrewdly developed the building itself with the new security area and taking Burger King air-side. This will create more space without the need for planning. The walkway is proposed as permitted development for the same reason. The current passenger throughput was expected to be reached in 2009-2010. The current developments will probably allow the airport to handle up to 9 million without the need for extension. If need arose the void above the main check in area could be developed without planning, although this would not be without logistical problems! Given that the economic cycle is going to enter a downturn and the introduction of new routes will be less frequent this current development will meet the needs of the airport in the short to medium term. Transport links to the airport need to be improved, however hell is likely to freeze over before we see the airport connected to the ring road or the M5. Interestingly it is likely that the surrounding area will be declassified as green-belt and this will lead to office parks galore! I agree that the opportunity for a large regional airport either on the Severn or at Filton was lost a long time ago and with hindsight this would have been the better option. It is the same debate as Heathrow. Do you continue to develop existing facilities or start afresh? It would need public money to start afresh and there isn't any. All in all since the time of Les "Bristol Airport" Wilson the airport management have turned the farm strip into a solid regional airport. I remember an article in the Sunday Times about 20 years ago rating all region airports and Bristol was bottom. The Times printed a cartoon with confused farmers pointing at a plane! You would have a very different picture now.