Would love know how Zac Goldsmith (and Justine Greening and some others) will justify to their constituents' the ending of their daily half-day of no aircraft noise when "mixed mode" operations become a reality and permanent and "alternation" is ended!
The truth is that these MPs cannot have it both ways: it's either a third rwy and the continuation of "alternation" on the existing rwys and a daily half-day of no aircraft noise or remaining at only 2 rwys and having mixed mode operations to squeeze in an extra 10% more movements.
The second option is "kicking the can down the road", because it doesn't end the congestion, and because the rwy issue will resurface again in the future.
The current status quo of 2 rwys with "alternation" is untenable: at Heathrow we currently put a quart into a pint pot, a gallon into a pint pot is not possible.
So, build two more rwys, keep "alternation", do it now.
Last edited by Fairdealfrank; 21st Jun 2012 at 00:47.