Heathrow Expansion - News and Debates

[Aviador]

Airports Commission reveals expansion shortlist

New runways at Heathrow and Gatwick are among the options that have been short-listed by the Airports Commission for expanding UK airport capacity.

The three short-listed options include adding a third runway at Heathrow, lengthening an existing runway at Heathrow, and a new runway at Gatwick.

The commission, led by businessman Sir Howard Davies, will also consider a new airport in the Isle of Grain in north Kent.

A final report is due by summer 2015.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25402007

I think the final outcome of allowing Heathrow expansion is inevitable and this preliminary report is just to soften the blow for those people living around Heathrow protesting against further expansion there.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I think the final outcome of allowing Heathrow expansion is inevitable and this preliminary report is just to soften the blow for those people living around Heathrow protesting against further expansion there.

Did anyone notice how all three main parties played dead bats to this topic today. None of them want to commit themselves until after the general election in 2015.

The Conservatives said a year or two ago that a third runway would never be built at Heathrow. They and the Lib Dems have powerful MPs sitting in the well-heeled areas under the various approach paths to LHR and would be in danger of losing many heartland votes if they even suggest a change of direction in policy over this.

That's why the Coalition dreamed up Davies - to put the problem into the long grass until after the next general election.

Commission recommendations on all sorts of issues down the years have lain gathering dust and never acted upon. Who is to say that won't happen with Davies after its final report is published?

 

[News Guru]

Fourth runway at Heathrow ‘would block flight paths to other airports

Those against Heathrow expansion said the analysis was a 'game-changer' in the debate Toby Melville/Reuters

A fourth runway at Heathrow would reduce the number of flights in the South East significantly, according to confidential analysis that has been described as a “game-changer” by opponents of the airport’s expansion.

Read more: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/ ... 028122.ece

 

[News Guru]

Hundreds attend Heathrow consultation events on north-west runway proposal

Read more: http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/loc ... ts-6832268

 

[jfy1999]

A Commons select committee has told the government to stop putting off a decision to expand Heathrow instead of Gatwick. Personally I have no idea how this saga is going to end.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-36195209

 

[TheLocalYokel]

A Commons select committee has told the government to stop putting off a decision to expand Heathrow instead of Gatwick. Personally I have no idea how this saga is going to end.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-36195209

The decision, when it's eventually made, will be one that is primarily based on what the government believes is best, or least worst, for it as a political party. I'm not having a go at the Conservatives because I'd say the same whichever party was in power.

 

[Aviador]

The Telegraph recently ran a story saying a third runway at Heathrow was more likely now as new London Mayor, Labour's Sadiq Khan is a firm supporter of a new runway making it easier for the government to grant permission. The Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith was a fierce opponent of any new runway expansion at the airport.

 

[Land23R]

Sadiq Khan supports a new runway but wants it at LGW. Whether he is open to persuasion is another matter.

 

[jfy1999]

Same old, same old. More interim reports, committees, procrastination etc., etc to follow. How many forests are falling in order to produce the paperwork for all this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36877287

 

[Jerry]

I think they should just scrap the plans and concentrate on developing the routes out of regional airports because even if they build it can anyone really see airports like DSA EXT LPL BRS CWL or MME getting daily flights to LHR for onward connections? They'll just be used for more London centric routes!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I think they should just scrap the plans and concentrate on developing the routes out of regional airports because even if they build it can anyone really see airports like DSA EXT LPL BRS CWL or MME getting daily flights to LHR for onward connections? They'll just be used for more London centric routes!

Some months ago the LHR CEO said that a third runway would enable the airport to offer flights to a number of UK regional airports. I seem to recall that CWL and NQY were mentioned amongst others. Quite how an airport operator can guarantee this sort of thing I don't know as airlines operate routes, not airports.

Whatever the final outcome all this prevaricating, entirely for political reasons, is helping no-one, other than senior members of government who don't want to make a decision.

 

[Jerry]

Some months ago the LHR CEO said that a third runway would enable the airport to offer flights to a number of UK regional airports. I seem to recall that CWL and NQY were mentioned amongst others. Quite how an airport operator can guarantee this sort of thing I don't know as airlines operate routes, not airports.

Whatever the final outcome all this prevaricating, entirely for political reasons, is helping no-one, other than senior members of government who don't want to make a decision.

Any domestic flights would be done by BA or an airline working for BA and i remember that they use slots which were for domestic flights for European flights after they got them back from Virgin? Unless Virgin take them back and Flybe use them?
In the end they need to make a decision so airports can plan for the future.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37692903

It now seems that the final decision will not be made until winter 17/18. The government will apparently announce its preferred option next week after which it will be reviewed, debated, consulted on until a final decision is made in over a year's time, although it's not made clear whether MPs will have a free vote in the matter at that time.

 

[thunderchild]

Considering the main argument for a new runway at Heathrow has been to open links to important new business markets (ie China) crucial to developing the UK economy I find it quite interesting that BA have dropped Chengdu and to all intense and purposes replaced it with New Orleans, a route I'd imagine would mainly be tourist driven and would have been better suited to Gatwick anyway?

 

[Coathanger16]

Considering the main argument for a new runway at Heathrow has been to open links to important new business markets (ie China) crucial to developing the UK economy I find it quite interesting that BA have dropped Chengdu and to all intense and purposes replaced it with New Orleans, a route I'd imagine would mainly be tourist driven and would have been better suited to Gatwick anyway?

Don't confuse BA's route decisions with what is needed - BA have long been focusing their growth on the US. The problem at the moment is the BA have a large share of slots, meaning they can choose to serve where they want. Many of the Chinese airlines (and pretty much every other airline from developing countries) only have enough slots for 1 destination to be served. With expansion, Air China say might launch a route from Chengdu to Heathrow.

Looking at other European Hubs, most Chinese Destinations are served by Chinese Airlines, whilst the European airlines just serve the main hubs (Beijing, Shanghai).

 

[Jerry]

A new runway isn't guarenteed to bring in just long haul routes. It might bring in some but there is a stronger possibility of the extra slots that are created being taken up by a low cost carrier. I believe EZY have expressed interest so it'll be more european routes and probably more scottish flights. I did read about Flybe also looking at LHR so maybe they would introduce more regional routes to tie in with VS flights?

 

[Aviador]

Personally I can't see the locos serving Heathrow. The slots will be too valuable to make it work for them. I recall reading (probably in this thread somewhere) that an extra runway at Heathrow will only provide additional capacity for around a decade or so before a fourth runway would be required. I thoroughly expect the government to approve a third runway at Heathrow but it's only a matter of time before the government will have to seriously consider second runways at both Gatwick and Stansted. We may learn something on this when the government stops dithering on the Heathrow decision.

 

[Coathanger16]

Personally I can't see the locos serving Heathrow

For what its worth, easyJet have been in talks with Heathrow management about flying from an expanded Heathrow. They've even toured terminal 4 to see how viable it would be.

Easyjet fly from both CDG and Amsterdam so no reason why they couldn't fly from Heathrow. Sure, the price for say Heathrow to Rome will be higher than Gatwick to Rome, but crucially for easyJet to work at Heathrow, it'd be lower than what BA or Alitalia could offer.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...ommission-forget-gatwick-expand-heathrow-now/

Sorry if this should be posted elsewhere, the headline attracted my attention.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Thank you for that. Fascinating insight into the thoughts of the Airports Commission chairman, particularly his comment about the previous prime minister.

Davies certainly seems to have a personal view that BHX ought to be developed as the next piece in the airports puzzle, although there will be an almighty surge to prevent LHR being expanded if that turns out to be the government's favoured option which, according to many press reports, looks likely.

Although he makes a strong case for expanding LHR many people will wonder why airports such as BHX could not also be developed in tandem rather than, as he suggests, at a later stage. Obviously cost will be a factor but expanding BHX, and MAN for that matter, will surely cost a small fraction of the money needed to give LHR an additional runway.