Plane Stupid

Gatwick must be ‘plane stupid’ said one industry professional, mimicking a belligerent group who arrived at the Runways UK supper party in a disruptive mood, but after Sir Howard had spoken.  They must have got stuck in the lift.

At least they turned out.  Gatwick Airport, and for that matter British Airways, both declined invitations to speak at the Grange Hotel event.  And why dress as rabbits? was another question asked of the interlopers?  “Easy" was the quick reply.  "Nobody will recognise them when they board a plane next time for their own holiday.”

The Gatwick absence was a little more difficult to understand.  The Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) scheme was the one recommended by the Commission although the south London project did come in for praise.  Clearly it has a future at some point in time.  Luton, London City and Stansted Chief Executives all spoke at the conference.  Gatwick demanded equal time with HAL.  Jock Lowe was happy to speak as requested by the organisers (see Not a  Third Runway in this issue).

British Airways, in the form of Willie Walsh, has always taken a negative approach to any new runway for its own commercial reasons rather than the country's, a sort of “not in my back yard” philosophy, according to one wag.   www.runwaysuk.com

Index/Home page
 

OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum