this the Thrid Runawy at LHR that Fair Deal Frank says will not have ring-fenced slots for UK regional flights as that will be a "commercial decision way in the future"???
Wrong again,
Heathrow Harry, have
never said that.
In fact the opposite is the case. It is only
WITH a third rwy that the issue even arises, and it's the same for PSOs.
With another rwy, loads of
free slots become available to existing carriers as well as new operators.
FYI, wrote the following replying to
Cornish Simon about PSOs on the Newquay thread:
"
Yes, NQY is on Heathrow Ltd.'s list of potential extra domestic links along with CWL, EXT, HUY, INV, JER and LPL (page 14, "Taking Britain Further), but surprisingly, not IOM.
It’s been raised in Parliament several times and is a sensible idea. Suspect such provisions would be there, and need to be there, as a condition for LHR expansion."
and....
Wrote the following replying to
Heathrow Harry’s question about cast-iron guarantees on the Newquay thread:
"
Hopefully not like Call-Me-Dave's "cast-iron" guarantee on a referendum on the Lisbon treaty.
As for more JFK, it's unlikely, there’s already hourly flights at the times they’re needed, and in any event extra longhaul flights still need feeders.
What you forget is that with LHR expansion, there will be loads of new free slots available, enough for small operators to/from smaller airports like NQY and for new longhaul to the emerging fast-growing economies in S. America, Asia, Africa, etc.. Many haven’t yet realised that a third rwy is a whole new ball-game.
In the long term road and rail will become even more congested, overcrowded and expensive, and this will give a boost to domestic air services to/from airports like NQY and others. The ability to also feed longhaul will make an expanded LHR the London airport of choice for these."
As you can see,
Heathrow Harry, the cast-iron guarantee should
not be like Dave's on the Lisbon Treaty, because it was worthless: we never did vote on it.
That is very different from "
will not have ring-fenced slots for UK regional flights as that will be a "commercial decision way in the future"???" as you suggest.
Suspect that some slots
will be ring fenced for domestic links as a condition in the unlikely event of permission being granted. Some of these will also be on a PSO arrangement.
Pure speculation of course, based on balance of probabilities. Truth is, no one knows.
Hope this helps.
PS if ringfenced slots on a third rwy and/or a PSO gets PLH opened up again, bring it on. But don't hold your breath.