the much vaunted BA connections
Not a supporter then? Do you support BA maintaining the Shuttle to MAN or is your love of the Qataris and ME3 so great because they use "proper" aircraft and give your local airport the respect it deserves?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Qatar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_..._Arab_Emirates
Still, all hail the ME3 eh?
would they really operate from all bases ?
I think so, but not at the same levels, they would rebalance. No one, me included thought they'd win when they went up against Gatwick's biggest airline. The difference here is that BA LGW was perpetually loss making and LHR isn't. EZY arriving at LHR would be exactly what IAG would need to force through productivity improvements across short haul, so whilst not ideal, BA do have a loyal market out of LHR and there's an upside to be had.
Utter waste of time when there is already a suitable runway at other London airports that can be used immediately and without having to tear down streets of houses and ruin the lives of those who reside in them.
Unless airlines want to fly from somewhere, there's no point expanding the facilities. Think Mirabel, Stansted and the empty airports in Spain. It's not simply a need for a runway, it needs to be supported by a commercially effective group of operators using the facilities, any serious legacy long haul operator chooses LHR and ignores Gatwick, alliance members tend to pick additional services into alliance hubs, Garuda being the exception as they fly (recycled) fresh air between LGW-AMS-CGK, except on weekends....
It is just plain daft to increase that risk however minor.
Best close LCY immediately too as the flight path is over a World Heritage Site in the Tower of London, the Shard and the Houses of Parliement no less. Sounds risky.
Won't the amount of traffic grow exponentially so the same problems will remain?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponential_growth
Traffic growth won't be quite that rapid. However in terms of pollution and noise, a big difference will be apparent over the next few years as the last of the B757/B767/ B744s / A330s are rolled over in favour of more B787 / A380/ A350s. They're much quieter than the old favourites, the RB211 powered BA noise machines. The BA B744s on long haul are painful by comparison.