Aviation white paper - progress?
 

What exactly is happening on all the LHR/White paper issues? The White Paper was published well over a year (nearly two years?) ago and what have we got to show for it since.

With a major influx of new flights as a result of Open Skies, this is going to put further pressure on smaller regional UK routes and smaller carriers flying into LHR; airlines like bmi and BA will seek to dump these in favour of long haul routes; the DFTR - responsible for regional development - doesn't seem to care. (We are, incidentally, supposed to get the govt's response to the consultation process on protecting regional access to LHR pretty soon.)

What has been happening? What progress has been made; I realise there is an issue about traffic from proposed new runway crossing 27R/09L ... but no firm talk of T6 as yet?

There is a suspicion that the govt would be perfectly comfortable with a solution which locked out all regional routes from LHR; it seems to prefer them to be diverted to other airports with very poor connections, extra taxes, extra time, bus connections (now over £30 return) ... extremely inconvenient for outbound pax, inbound visitors, doesn't give potential investors a good impression.

However, issue now seems to be stuck in the mud; need statement of government's intentions and policy going forward. When is legislation to be brought forward?

The government will announce a further review - that should put off any decisions for another year or five.

Or am I just being cynical?


:D