expansion at MAN/BHX/GLA/EDI/NCL isn't lilkely to generate the volume of inbound trade a third LHR runway offers.
But the extraordinary cost of enabling LHR to generate this
differential volume of additional inbound trade (just how large is this differential, anyway?) needs to be factored in. LHR R3 represents a vast expenditure in return for a surprisingly limited boost in capacity. Expansion at LGW to meet growth in indigenous SE demand combined with more efficient use of existing regional airport assets provides the best solution for UKplc. LHR R3 costs are outlandish. It doesn't make sense for a household to spend an extra £1000 if the return (differential additional business) is one extra pint of milk. We should not buy a small boost in market share without consideration for cost. Buying extra business for LHR comes with a prohibitive price-tag.