I can't imagine why BA is not out there announcing that, with a third runway, they will be adding domestic services to various points around the UK. With the absorption of BMI they already added two Heathrow domestic routes, Leeds and Belfast, which has given them some additional UK coverage. Inverness, Cardiff, Norwich, Liverpool etc would have politicians biting their hand off if offered a trunk route connection to Heathrow.
With a third rwy there may well be other carriers with aircraft more suited to thin domestic routes, BE perhaps, it wants to operate from NHT. Also, U2 has said (in its submission to the Commission) that it would introduce IOM, INV and JER plus taking on BA on the domestic trunk routes as well as on some Europe routes, should a third rwy be built.
It is notable I believe that at all the UK provincial airports which have a Heathrow service, that route is the No 1 for flights per day from those places, and for all that we hear of diversion of provincial traffic through Continental hubs, the route to Heathrow is still the principal destination for Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Manchester etc.
Indeed, and many other UK airports want (need?) such a link, as does business and enterprise. The suggestion that no one outside the southeast wants LHR expansion is risible.
And I support the project because it is necessary for the country - extending Gatwick alone is daft and just means London has two big airports which cannot compete with CDG AMS and FRA instead of just one . Blindingly obvious to anyone who has ever travelled on business but nevertheless a huge costly complex enquiry is seemingly necessary to come to the same conclusion that could be determined over a weekend and that would be one day more than necessary.
Quite right, or as they say at Gatwick,
obviously.
Nice. Leeds is definitely a slot sitter then. Probably why the poor timings then. The route has carried over 250000 since it was introduced and would do better still with better timings. Sadly KLM still carry the majority of onwards due to their early morning departure shortly followed by a Jet 2, and the KLM late evening arrival for those returning. I'd love to see more pax on BA through OUR hub and not AMS but slot restrictions mean it won't happen. Not going to change anytime soon sadly.
Me too, and Leeds is
not a slot sitter.
Can i just say which ever side of the fence you sit on its an intetesting debate but why oh why is the Transport Select Comittee not having this discussion. I have followed the various meetings with interest and at no point has one of the MPs scrutinised the figures as one of the posters on here has!
the Transport Select Comittee did, yonks ago, and, unsurprisingly, came out in favour of……..
Heathrow.
Personally I do not want much more spending in the SE, I do not want HS2 as the saving of 20min on a fast train to London would spoil breakfast. HS3 is not required we just need longer trains so people do not have to stand on their trans Pennine journeys every day. It is just a joke what politicians think we want and they just get bemused by numbers
Since the south east has a third of the UK's population, it is hardly surprising that so much infrastructure spending takes place there. If not, the SE would grind to a standstill. Because of the high population, the SE also pays the bulk of UK taxation.
HS3 may not be needed but a massive improvement
is necessary on Liverpool-Manchester-Leeds-Sheffield-York-Hull, and not just longer trains, and if SE taxation pays for it, good.
It's surprising in my view that people like G Stringer MP appear to have accepted the claim that expansion of Heathrow will benefit the regions (implying all regions and by inference all regional airports). That is a highly questionable assertion for some of us.
Why? just because he's a Manchester MP? As mentioned before, the suggestion that no one outside the south east wants LHR expansion is risible.