OK I'll bite.
In every other global urban area, one major airport provides the main intercontinental hub. In other European urban areas, these hubs (CDG, AMS, FRA) all have >3 runways, if I'm not mistaken.
The first question is, is there another means to serve the London area and hence its northern European hinterland? If so, what is the alternative strategy?
If there is no alternative strategy to a 3-runway minimum hub, are all the alternatives covered by:
1. LHR,
2. new estuary airport (henceforth NEA)
3. or, as proposed in the 2003 policy document, a 3-runway STN?
If there are alternatives, what are they?
Last edited by answer=42; 6th Jun 2012 at 14:18.