London airports dilemma

The Financial Times published an article on 30 December by Andrew Parker and Rose Jacobs, the result of an interview at which he espouses the virtues of a future three-airport London hub, with Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted each having two runways. 

In a practical sense this would work, from 2020 onwards, as the land is secured, although the planning process would have to be dealt with.  The real problem is that the long haul airlines are not keen on Gatwick (and even less so with Stansted) (see Korean Air above).  If a base carrier (Middle Eastern perhaps) were to come in at either airport it might change the position.  The ownership of Stansted is not yet resolved.

Readers might also like to read a fascinating document now available ‘on line’ at the House of Commons library.  It traces the various proposals for a Thames Estuary airport from 1945 until July 2012.  What is clearly evident is that Maplin/Foulness, 40 years ago, was probably the best scheme at a time when Heathrow was moving just 18m passenger and Gatwick less than six.

Business Travel News still considers either Heathrow mixed mode or Northolt as the simple options and will discuss over the coming period.  www.ft.com www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/sn04920.pdf

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