So WW ought not to be so dogmatic about staying at LHR - provided that if he moved to Boris Island for virtually unlimited slots, LHR would then close.
Why
would he move? All he wants is enough space for BA and partners to serve the world, that's not 100% of LHR capacity. He has all the maintenance hangars at home base already in place, the Heathrow Express and the M4 corridor. They have a world class terminal that is under four years old.
Now I am not trying to be awkward, but what commercial reason would make BA wish to give this up? They have been seeking a LHR to themselves my whole life. They could consolidate at even LHR and close LGW.
What commercial independent analysis has been undertaken to see what happens to the high yields that London's hub needs if the operation is split between this new place and LHR?
Would BA's LHR yields improve if they stayed and everyone who has fought for LHR access for decades got kicked out? Is that even legal?
Also, please stop calling it Boris Island, or Silver-Boris. Boris may be about to lose the mayoral election as he's so complacent with one eye on his natural destiny at Number 10, added to the fact he cannot do detailed policy ( i.e. the hard work bit) in any way shape or form. This is not about some blonde sex-mad yet loveable buffoon, this is people's livelihoods and jobs.
If BA stay in West London, the case for a new hub airport, upon which this project rests completely, is nonsense. No other carrier hubs in London. What's left is then a great new and expensive airfield out at sea, for who?
STAR? They're moving into the new world class Heathrow Terminal 2 in 2013.
Skyteam? Seem happy in the refurbished T4. We do have runway capacity at Stansted already in place and expansion is possible for a fraction of the cost of Fantasy Island.
If not the alliances, then who? All of this for Ryanair? They wouldn't pay the fees. easyJet?
I honestly do not understand how this stands up commercially. Who decides who gets turfed out of LHR if they don't close it and if they do, God help anyone standing in a West London seat as a mass of often low paid jobs disappears.
Those in favour? Architects who stand to make millions and politicians with no commercial experience and a five year fixed strategy of saying one thing and doing something possibly different.
Those against? The very businessmen who run the airlines upon which this depends. Anyone working at or near Heathrow. I am genuinely baffled and I have been reading this thread with interest.