Originally Posted by
Shed-on-a-Pole
A decade ago there were around 50 round-trips daily operating between four different London airports and MAN. Today there are just 8 serving LHR only and those are operated by A320-family aircraft rather than the larger B752/B763 types routinely used in the past. Such has been the decline in importance of airlinks to London, crushed by punitive taxation, WCML improvements and more competitive direct offerings by the airline industry itself. Rail and road have taken the P2P business; direct air services to end-destinations and routes via alternative hubs have claimed the rest. Yet despite this massive decline to London in particular, MAN is handling more business than ever before. So the threat of losing more frequencies to LHR is not the concern it once was. Unless British Airways wish to cut themselves off completely from the largest market in Northern England there is little left to cut. And that is a commercial decision for them to make. Life without BA is no longer unthinkable. The market has adapted.
I use numbers produced by expert professionals published in the public domain. What other kind are available? Neither you nor I will know the final verified figures until many years from now.
As opposed to the value of everything and the cost of nothing as we see from so many other commentators? Both sides of the ledger must be carefully considered.
From hub transfer passengers - nothing. From London-originating passengers the same as if they were flying from LGW, STN, LTN or LCY.
Not enough to justify upto 36 billion pounds in combined expenditure to make it a reality, when LGW can resolve the capacity shortfall for far, far less.
Honest answer? VERY!!!
Much of the media believes that a decision will come in October. If borne out, this debate won't be academic for much longer. The decision-makers need to appraise themselves of the facts now. Time may be short.
Shed. Sorry, wrong on a number of levels.There is a significantly higher level of premium traffic ex LHR compared to the other London airports so APD receipts will not be the same. Not all London airports are equal.
A figure quoted by BoJo's 'transport guru' in TfL's submission to the Commission Inquiry doesn't rate as 'expert professionals' to me. No break down, no analysis, no transparency to his evidence.
It's also laughable to think that expansion at Gatwick won't require significant public funds to support it. It's just that it generally falls outside of the coverage of TfL.