… and with no great surprise, the the airport expansions committee is recommending that Heathrow Airport should get a third runway.
The Heathrow Central Terminal Area – Image, Economy Class and Beyond.
However this isn’t the end of the road – and to get the diggers in to start building the new runway.
Rather its time for the government and parliament to debate and argue, with the Conservative Party (the party of government) itself is split with members such Zac Goldsmith, Justine Greening and Boris Johnson heavily against expansion of Heathrow.
As such, there’s going to be a year of debates and consultation before the final decision is made by Parliament. That’s before we head into the planning process, more legal challenges and more opposition to come in.
The Howard report last year recommended the expansion of Heathrow (and at the time, the report was politically unpalatable – with the decision kicked down the road)
But why Heathrow? It’s rather simple. Airlines want Heathrow. Heathrow has a critical mass where airlines can connect together and pull customers in. Combined with the connectivity it offers to and from London, it’s important.
Add the fact that Heathrow is also a major air-freight terminal too (remember – the hold of the plane carries more than your baggage), there is an insatiable appetite for the airport to expand.
Construction will commence in 2020/2021… subject to all clearances being given.
A full statement is due to be to parliament today – I’ll be roaming this later.
Meanwhile, other European hubs such as Paris Charles De Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol and Frankfurt-am-Main have gone ahead and expanded, dwarfing Heathrows runway capacities… and are laughing all the way as they take regional traffic
Heck even Amsterdam Schiphol sends cakes to Heatrow each time there’s a runway delay…
Thanks to @Schiphol CEO Jos Nijhuis for the congratulations cake (and for letting us ‘borrow’ your runway for now)! pic.twitter.com/fdTlxn5jEp
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) July 1, 2015
So the next steps. More debating. More arguing, more indecision whilst the UK attempts to expand its runway capacity in the South East of England.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
With a 16 year debate, discussion, cancelled runway expansion plans, more consultations, more reports – I’m sure that this will run.
And run.
And run.
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