HEATHROW

[Libertine Winno]

@ Windsorian

Thanks for the links, though I'm not entirely sure whether you agree with me or disagree?!

It is clear that BAA were forced to sell LGW in order to promote competition between it and LHR, which it implies had been stifled due to the interests of having the same owner.

Therefore, it would surely make sense that the new onwers of LGW turn it into a genuine rival hub? It can't be any coincidence that a nice big Emirates A380 is on the front cover, along with a BA aircraft in the background?!

Also I realise that the owners will not build a new rwy before 2019, but my point was that I would be amazed if they do not try once that deadline is up. It would also surely be far easier to get agreement for one at LGW than LHR seeing as local villages wouldnt be bulldozed, the noise footprint is far smaller and IF there is a RW3 agreed at LHR by then, surely any arguments on environmental grounds would have been blown out of the water?

@PAXboy

I am aware that alternative hubs were tried, in MAN and at LGW, but that was 20 or 30 years ago when the economic situation and world air travel were far different than what they are now. With the benefit of hindsight, I am fairly certain that one of those would have been persisted with if they had known that a third runway at LHR would STILL not be in place in 2012!

I guess my point is that the airlines are all waiting around for the Government to do something, when in reality we know how (un)likely that is to happen, so why dont they use some initiative and apply the economics of 2012 to plans that were written off 30 years ago? After all, isn't the plan for an eastuary-style airport just a re-writing of the Maplin Sands one of all those years ago?!