Ooops!!
I fear I might be partly responsible for the use of the wording, 'floating airport'!!
I guess I was attempting to simplify things and try to get folks to appreciate that a 'floating airfield' 50 miles away from the operational area is much better than having a fixed 50 mile length of concrete
some 500 miles away.
An aircraft carrier is clearly far, far, far more than just an airfield and will usually be carrying a flag officer who is the senior on station representative of Her Majesty's Government. The ship will have the very latest command and control suites with secure communications with every type of unit in theatre plus a direct link with Northwood.
In the days of my shipmate Able Seaman Nelson.... The capital ship dictated policy, could fight the war, alter the strategy of the war and win the war without outside interference. The flag officer not only controls the carrier, the aircraft, but every single resource within the task group whether ashore, above the sea, on the sea or under the sea. The carrier is but one part of this projection of power.
Apologies for any confusion