What exact developments is their to damage, LHR is more less closed for new business and will be for the foreseeable yet regional airports are not capitalizing on it. Why is that, very few seem to be able to come up with a logistical answer?
Jamie, I'll leave others to comment on some of your other points but I would question the above assertion.
In recent years, GLA & EDI have seen the ME3 start services; NCL has EK and now a UA flight to New York. BHX is seeing EK expand and AI have regular flights. MAN now has non-stop flights to HKK and Saudi started last year. Now personally, I hope those flights have started because of demand from local business and communities that can make those services viable, thereby making it either unnecessary to use LHR if flying p2p, or providing alternative hubs to fly to and greater choice for passengers. However, it is conceivable I suppose that some of these developments only happened because of LHR being almost full.
So regional airports are progressing even for long haul, albeit slower than some of us would like. Cause and effect though may not be clear cut.
I've not had time to look at the figures but it would be interesting to see the growth in passengers (and freight) for the likes of AMS, CDG and FRA compared to LHR over the last 5 years, and any specific examples of airlines starting new routes or increasing frequency at those 3 airports because slots at LHR were not available. It does surprise me that there are still B757s being operating on some TATL flights into LHR. If demand is so great, why are larger a/c not being used?