anothertyke ... I certainly don't expect Heathrow Airport itself to disappear as a going concern. However, any business carrying enormous financial debts runs the risk of insolvency in an era of higher prevailing interest rates down the line. If that were to happen, we could see those enormous debts default to the state whilst another corporate entity would inherit responsibility for the valuable asset which is LHR (minus all that pesky historic debt). The taxpayer would be left holding the bag, as usual.
If you study financial history, you will find many examples of major infrastructure innovations which ruined the investors / companies which originally constructed them, yet which continue functioning successfully under new ownership today.
By the way, I acknowledge that the £6 Billion public funding contribution is an assumption at this point. Experience shows us that we can expect the real bill to be far higher.
Last edited by Shed-on-a-Pole; 29th Mar 2015 at 18:51.