http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/ima...%20quieter.pdf
Stansted does not come out well in this report.
Location and connections, existing and possible, mean that there is no sensible economic case for making Stansted into Britain’s hub airport.
The future of Stansted largely depends on the other options chosen. If one
airport expands, we will have spare capacity somewhere in the system, and that will allow airlines currently operating at Stansted to consider moving to another airport.
It is very plausible that easyJet would decide to concentrate more
flights from Gatwick were more slots to become available, or that it would decide to move Stansted flights to Luton were that airport to be transformed
it has by far the weakest natural hinterland of any of
London’s principal airports, and the slowest connections to London. Furthermore those connections are hard to improve, given the nature of the rail line to London.