Originally Posted by
LAX_LHR
Don't forget, as Leeds Approach said in the CF thread, he is not interested in economics.
He just wants the big shiny airport parachuted in with no care for cost, and all of those airlines to flock in with complete disregard for any yield and load potential.
In other words, LA wants Changi in Yorkshire.
Let me try to explain slowly to you LAX. The economics are utterly critical to any airport but try to understand I am looking at this from a purely aviation point of view. Centre of catchment, ease of travelling from catchment, ability of airport to do the job efficiently. I've crunched the figures. IF and it's a big IF LBA was to close and CF was to be developed - Yorkshire passengers would use CF airport as it would easily be the most convenient and easy airport to get to from all areas of Yorkshire and the Humber. Yes base fares from MAN would be cheaper certainly to begin with but this would be countered by the ease and cost of getting to CF and the much greater reliability of CF doing the job of landing and departing passengers on time (compared to Yeadon).
The yield would be greater than is present at Yeadon because the airport at CF would be more attractive to a bigger population and CF would be the airport of choice for more people. If you cannot accept that then we'll just have to disagree. Why do you think the yield demand would be less than at Yeadon? People from Hull and Sheffield go to MAN and EMA at present over Yeadon but if an airport at CF was developed this would in time become their airport of choice due to the ease of getting there and its reliability as airport. People from Leeds and Bradford would also use CF. People from the North East who stay on the train to MAN would be able to get off over an hour earlier at CF. The REALITY catchment of CF would be greater because of the better airfield circumstances.
It's not a vanity project of big new shiny airfield it basic economics proven beyond any doubt. The only thing that will stop it is politics and more aptly politicians.