Originally Posted by
Fairdealfrank
You’re falling into the trap of regarding the county of Yorkshire as a homogeneous catchment area for an airport at Church Fenton. It doesn’t work like that. Just because it’s in existence as a business jet airport doesn’t mean it will become a regional civil airport.
It's not really a 'trap' my friend it is a recognised process using population area catchment study. The methodology is done for potential airports worldwide. It identifies the exact amount of people within certain differing travel times of exact spots on the globe's surface. I'm glad you are now aware that an airport has just been opened at Leeds East airport.
The same arguments could be made for Northolt which has good potential surface communications and just needs an airport station. There is no chance of that airport becoming a replacement for Heathrow or a county airport for Middlesex, despite having business/general aviation (and an RAF presence). Life simply isn’t like that.
You don't half come out with some nonsense! Comparing an airport 7 miles away from the worlds 3rd busiest stuck in the middle of urban London to what is required in Yorkshire to replace its far from ideal airports. 'Life simply isn't like that' lol. You really should stick to gazing at the planes on the flightpath where you live.
All that’s stopping Church Fenton is (apologies for being repetitive):
(1) it is unviable because it cannot survive alongside existing airports;
(2) a business case cannot be made as existing airports cannot be forced to close;
(3) there is not enough demand for an additional airport in Leeds;
(4) pax and carriers want to be elsewhere i.e. Yeadon;
(5) it will never be built and may be seen as a vanity project.
It is like trying to explain trigonometry to someone who fails to grasp basic maths.
(1) It is viable and hence it has just been created after prolonged study. It is currently surviving along side existing airports.
(2) Business case has been made and hence the airport has just opened. (despite there being a GA airport 2 miles down the road). There is political will to develop a 'new' airport in the Yorkshire region by the Council in direct control of LBA. Leeds City Council decides on whether (or not) LBA's owners can use a temporary building as a check in area for example. [google - 'calls for new Leeds Airport'. ps a lot has happened in the last year.
(3) See answer to point (2).
(4) Please show your evidence for this statement or it will be classed as opinion. If LBA did not exist would airlines want to be at Leeds East Airport with a natural catchment of 5.4 million people?
(5) It has begun to be built and has just been renamed Leeds East Airport and is accepting flights. The development of a fit for purpose airport to replace airports that are known to be far from ideal and underperforming in a region whose population is much bigger than the island of Ireland will never be seen as a vanity project.