f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

So everyone seems to be agreed that there is a genuine need for airport capacity expansion in the SE of the the UK. This will according to both Labour and the Conservatives help the economy by providing more flights in and out of the UK and of course in the short term by providing jobs to build the new capacity.

After this though is where it gets sticky.

NL decided to build a third runway at Heathrow, not the most sensible of decisions in my opinon, but there you go.

Then of course the Tories made it a pledge in their election manifesto (yes that fine work of fiction) not to build that third runway at Heathrow (if nothing else it guaraneteed them votes from the surrounding constituencies).

Now we see that they are moving opponents of the third runway out of cabinet and moving in those more open to the idea. They then state this morning that it will not happen in this parliament as stated in their manifesto (not quite what their manifesto said, but no surprise there).

So we are now in a situation where if capacity is genuinely needed it looks like no decision will be taken over Heathrow or more importantly any other solution before the next parliament solely to satisfy kneejerk reactionary election promises rather than any commen sense reason.

This is a typical example of career politicians making a rut for themselves and then doing what is best for them rather than fessing up to making another ***** up and deciding on the best solution now and getting on with it. If that turns out to be a thrird runway at Heathrow then so be it, get on with it and stop playing party politics! The country is in a mess and we cannot afford to wait around while these morons **** about!

Dr Hu

I vote for Boris Island......

Spent a couple of days in Legoland Windsor last week with the kids, all feckin day massive jets roaring overhead about 1 min apart - must be a nightmare to live there.

Keeping the jets from out of the conurbation makes sense.

plus would'nt a nice big national infrastructure project help the economy...
(mind you some fcukwit would probably award the contract to a german company or something....)

ReallyReallyGoodMeat

Boris island is still pretty close to London so don't see how else planes would get there than to fly over London.

But I agree with you that I'd prefer it over Heathrow expansion (which is already a terrible airport), but I'd prefer Heathrow expansion over not building anything.

David Lock

I almost, repeat almost, felt sorry for little Justine All she was doing was faithfully following the party line - actually the Clegg line - and got a spanking and slung out.

Expansion at Heathrow would be free for HMG and I suppose quicker as most of the infrastructure is in place. I always wonder what would happen if a plane accidentally or deliberately crashed into one of the terminal buildings. Can you imagine the long term chaos. But I have never heard this concern mentioned.

Surely Boris Island would cost a small fortune and not do much for the river environment?

Plenty of space around Gatwick though and fewer residents about. I used to live near there but have now moved so it's fine by me

dl

Leslie

Nothing is done these days without a deep assessment of how much political capital they can achieve from it.

The good of the country comes second every time!

Les

FlightMan

Lots of crap being spouted on here (DL and Les excepted) . As you were.

FlightMan

Lots of crap being spouted on here (DL and Les excepted) . As you were.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Wouldn't a better idea be to start now and move some of the work, people, employment and such OUT of the overcrowded SE and share the wealth about a bit? There are underused airports at Humberside, Doncaster etc, and that region is crying out for investment. Both airports can take the largest jets, in fact Robin Hood airport at Donny has the longest runway in the UK afaik. It used to be Finningley RAF base.

The French did something similar: tax breaks to companies who relocated all except the head office AWAY from Paris. Result: less overcrowding round Paris and large factories in most parts of France, NOT just round Paris. More work elsewhere and no poor relation cities like we have.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

In what way am I talking crap? All I am saying is if there is a genuine need for airport capacity then decide the best way to do it and get on with it rather than dither around. What's wrong with that?

FlightMan

Underused airports. Correct. So ask yourself why aren't airlines flying to/from those airports? The spare capacity is there so why not use it? Maybe because of sound business reasons.

I bet there are lots of empty shops in those places too. Using your logic, Maybe Harrods should move out of Knightsbridge to a flagship site in Humberside?

FlightMan

Para 3.

It's your opinion, your entitled to it, but it's wrong.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

You read my post, so why not read ALL of it?

The SE is MASSIVELY overcrowded, short on water and short of workers.

Take some of the factories away, pay them, give them tax breaks and relocate them to Humberside.

Thus, folk will move up here, investment will create more jobs, infrastructure will be needed, more jobs, more taxes paid, and underused airports will be used.

Oh no...wait....lets ALL stay in the SE, and just overcrowd the area and it's skies even more

mrmadcap

They need another runway so they can handle the volume of health tourists and imigrants coming into the country.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

So you think a 3rd runway is a good idea?

Moley

iTrader: (9)

Why can't they make more use of Stanstead out of interest?

FlightMan

Yes.

In a perfect world( and I stress that and it will never happen) a 3rd runway would be built at LHR, to tackle the 'now' problem of lack of capacity and to open up emerging markets, and aid our economic recovery.

And now comes the fantasy bit, the perfect bit.

Then a new airport would be given the go ahead to tackle the long term problem of a massive increase in aviation. I've got an Airbus presentation that I cant share but the predicted growth in aviation will astound you.

As the new airport is being built, assuming the Ferrovial shareholders have agreed to stump up the £50,000,000,000 cost of the new airport, on top of the £6-8,000,000,000 for the 3rd runway, so is the associated infrastructure, transport links, schools, houses, hospitals etc to support the airport. The multitude of corperate head offices within 45 minutes of LHR are building new offices closer to the new hub. If the site located is in the Thames estuary, the associted noise problem for East London, Kent and Essex (sound will travel for miles along the open sea ) have been sorted out. The bird strike issue has been resolved. The SSSi issues have been taken care of. The consultation with the Dutch on the new airports airspace encroachment on Schipol has been resolved, peacefully without any military involvement.
And the airlines have signed a legally binding contract to use the new airport once its open, and leave LHR.

For starters.

Dingdongler

Because nobody wants to live in a smeg hole like Humberside

Dingdongler

Let's just hope the immigrants coming over here can spell better than you.

RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)

Didnt the tories say they would not hink about a 3rd runway until after the next general election and not NEVER.... Was on the radio today.

hodgy0_2

An airbus presentation, predicting massive growth in air travel - no ****

FlightMan

An airbus pres that pulls slides from other sources.

Jesus.

Martin2005

Well if your view prevailed we'd need a 3rd runway to fly them all out!

jef

iTrader: (13)

how are ferrovial doing thsed days btw? - genuine question

got lots of capital to invest in new and bettering infrastructure?

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Ignoring the sweeping generalisation All the more reason to spread the wealth and invest then, surely?

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

If I remember rightly you reckon you've got some reasonably important job. In the extremely unlikely event that of that being the truth I just hope it doesn't involve you coming into contact with anyone of a foreign persuasion as your bigoted views would mean there is no way they would get fair treatment by you!

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

OK and that is your opinion, but mine is different and just because it is does not mean it is crap.

You view LHR from someone who works in the industry whereas I view it as a customer.

I have done a **** load of air travel in my time mainly on business and have been regularly to many of the world's airports including Changi, KL, Seoul, Chicago, JFK, Atalanta, Phoenix, San Fran, LAX, CDG, Schipol, Frankfurt, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Melbourne, Sydney, Dubai etc. etc. and I can honestly say wth the possible exception of Schipol which is nearly on a par that LHR is the worst airtport I have ever been to.

It is a disorganised mess, planes land late, take off late, taxi for ages, wait for a stand for ages, inter terminal transport is a joke as there was never any real planning as to the termnal locations and layouts and as for baggage handling... how long can it possibly take to get a bag from a plane to a terminal??? At the first sign of bad weather it descends into chaos and above al it is just not a nice place to be... the terminals seem almost designed to be nosiy, dingy and in many cases dirty! These days I deliberately plan any journey so as to avoid LHR and luckily have not had to go there for over 3 years.... long may it continue!

When I worked for a company regularly flying over 500 people around Europe we did a trasnport survey run by the company that organised all our travel. 72% of those surveyed voted LHR as the worst airport thay had to use!

That is why IMO if we need extra capacity let's stick it somewhere other than LHR, but if there isn't anywhere else where it can be done as quickly then LHR it should be.

To come back to my original point above all else we should not be dithering around so politicians can make a name for themselves.

Luan Pra bang

LHR is fine, Madrid is much worse its run by the most lazy inept staff I have ever seen but even that is great compared to airports on some of the Greek Islands or places like Pontianak in Borneo you clearly don't travel to far if LHR is the worst you have seen.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

It's quite clear from my psot how far I travel FFS! Let's not turn this into a ***** waving thread as usual please! The whole of SN knows you have done everything better, longer further etc. than anyone else

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Silly, silly. Fresh air, loads of land available, cheap housing, good motorway links, decent rail links....

And above all, it's NOT full of southerners!

hodgy0_2

are you seriously comparing LHR to the world famous Pontianak airport in Borneo