I don't think any airport should be closed.
Just like the Glasgow model, Belfast-City should be developed into the main airport. Extend runway to 2,300m ish and build a new terminal (even alongside existing one is feasible). No matter what people say, there IS enough space to do it all. It should get all the airlines like FlyBe, Aer Lingus, BA, Jet2, Thomson, Thomas Cook, EasyJet, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, United and maybe a few other longer haul eg, Air Transat or Emirates (A330). Yes you'd get everybody in Belfast complaining of noise but much more importantly, passengers could get to Belfast in minutes by road and rail and it would massively help Northern Ireland economy and put its airport system at a way better advantage than Glasgow and Edinburgh for instance.
Aldergrove airport should become the smaller secondary and lower cost airport with airlines like Ryanair and Wizzair and all of Northern Ireland cargo movements, very much like the role Prestwick airport has for Scotland.
Last edited by FRatSTN; 10th Jan 2013 at 15:22.