Originally Posted by
browserden
Although I'm happy that EDI has the full compliment of LCY, LGW and LHR currently if I had to give up one it'd be the LGW link unfortunately.
There's much more opportunities for connection at LHR, T5 is much more pleasant.
BA are a bit stuck at LGW, they gave up part of their lounge space so there's overcrowding and I can't see No 1 vacating that space to give it back to BA.
Let LGW have a third runway (they already have two, but they're too close), along with Heathrow. Let LGW build a new more passenger friendly terminal and then progressively demolish and replace the old ones (similar to Heathrow Central). Let the market decide whether to base at LHR, LGW or both.
The demand is at Heathrow currently. LGW needs to compete on merit, rather than airlines being forced there because there's nowhere else to go.
Your last point sounds fair enough, but let's not forget this is not and never has been a proper market. Both LHR and LGW were run by a state monopoly, which became a private sector monopoly. Until LGW was sold by BAA in 2009, there was no competition between the two airports - who competes with themselves?
Since then LGW's new owners (GIP) have invested a considerable amount in the airport's infrastructure and started to offer real competition to LHR. However, reversing 50 years of aviation policy is no quick or easy matter. Remember LHR used to be referred to simply as "London Airport". The development of LGW as an alternative only begins in 1958 and only when the Bermuda II restrictions began in 1978 did LGW get many North American carriers (to go with the BCal South America flights already there). Since 2008 there has be a mass exodus from LGW.
In an open market with unlimited capacity, LHR would still be ahead. But there is not unlimited capacity and I cannot see how LHR can ever replace LGW entirely, either in a BA context or looking further at other airlines. To do so would require probably 4-6 runways at LHR plus the equivalents of Terminals 6, 7 and 8. It could be a fantastic airport, but not much fun when severe weather grounds all operations and there are no mass capacity alternative left.
My personal view is that a third runway at LHR and a second runway at LGW are the best long term option for the UK. Put in a ultra fast rail link between the two, at least part of which is viewed as airside, and I think that you have a truly world class option. Unfortunately, politics is inevitably going to get in the way of this and we will end up with a fudge that doesn't tackle the immediate problems and leaves a proper solution to the long term issues as far a way as ever.