Captain Plectron is quite right about the reduction in fuel that the bean counters would love to foist upon us all.
I also recall when FedEX wanted to get MEL approval for the Whiskey Compass...come on boys and girls...if the bean counters could, they would get MEL authority for the right wing.
I agree with wino and the rest about certain communities that have too much say over runway useage. Balboa island and ksna...and if I may remind you, the original movie and book , "Airport" made a big deal about noise abatement...warning us some 40 years ago!!!!
I flew out of KSNA and hated it.
If they had longer runways, the planes would be heavier and make more noise over the rich folk.
I flew out of DCA for most of my career...and we had unusual noise abatement drift out procedures for many years...but still KSNA was harder and closer to the stall.
I recall that Wilbur and Orville had to travel hundreds of miles to get the right wind for their earliest flights. They wouldn't have stood a chance with the modern airport.
The Wright's were Right...into the wind!!!