LHR will accommodate all the services it needs to regional China regardless of whether R3 is built or not. In the event of runway capacity scarcity, you can be certain that expendable short-haul frequencies will be sacrificed to make way. That is the way it has always worked in this industry, at LHR and elsewhere.
Certainly
was the case. At present new routes to/from LHR have been predominantly shorthaul, especially on BA. Things change, nothing is set in stone.
But actively promoting the myth that LHR will be turning away priority long-haul opportunities serves the vested interests who want R3 approved at all costs. Of course, the gutsy solution would be to permit increased night-flying by quieter new-generation widebodies. But the politicians are too wimpish to consider that.
No, apart from 0430-0600, when 16 landings are permitted to accomodate longhaul arrivals from Asia and South America, there is no need for all night flying.
The "
gutsy solution" would be for the government to "grow a pair" and approve LHR expansion
now.
Frank, can I quote you some words from Hainan that state "Shenzen, Xa'in, Chongqing and Wuhan as possible links from Manchester".
They the cities you mean that can never be served from anywhere but LHR ?
Slighly related, Hainan are currently busy setting up a UK HQ, at MAN.
Obviously not "never", but clearly not in the short to medium term. Not convinced that all of those 4 cities would be linked with LHR in the short to medium term either.
No, I didn't. BA can swap short-haul and long-haul slots around in-house, but LHR has a very active second-hand slot-trading market used by other carriers to accommodate lucrative opportunities.
The secondary slot market is a restraint of trade as it excludes all but the richest carriers from access to LHR. Yet another good reason for a third rwy there as the secondary slot market there would be eliminated.