callum9999

You're confusing two different issues - what the politicians think people want and what the politicians think is best. They don't have to tally.

Not that this really has much to do with the point raised - that people in power don't know that London is a more popular destination/transit point than the regions. Your Gatwick and Boris Island suggestions don't conflict with that at all as they aren't in the regions, and it's perfectly legitimate for politicians to recognise one scenario being more popular while thinking it's not the best scenario to go for. I'm sure many tourists and workers would love the airport to be smack bang in the middle of the city, doesn't make it feasible.

Again, you make the assumption that you are right and any politician that dares to have a different opinion to you on what's best is either wrong or scheming against the country. That's ridiculous.

origin

Quite a lot is right about this.

The politicians will do what is best for the majority of their voters. Some will complain but the man or women who has the main points at voting time, is usually the winner.

I am not so sure about airports in the middle of town. Many people fly Ryanair who don't always fly to the main airport.

callum9999

I also fly Ryanair and I've yet to hear a person remark how great it is that they've landed further away from their destination than necessary so get to enjoy a longer journey!

Calchas

LCY = ^ ^

callum9999

Exactly what I was thinking of! Imagine if it had the route network of LHR.

bealine

Unfortunately, LCY is only suitable for STOL Aircraft (Short Take Off and Landing). So far, no one has designed a high density aeroplane that could use City's short runway.

Given the popularity of the Club Only A318 service to New York, I'm sure BA's aircraft procurement team would love to acquire an airframe capable of fitting out with more revenue Club seating - I'm sure we could even fill a First cabin - if there was only such an aeroplane available on the market!

WeAreFlyingHigh

You have either misunderstood or did not read my comment. There is also a slight contradiction in your postings insofar as you earlier state 'all those in positions of power agree [Heathrow expansion is most feasible and most wanted by travellers]' yet go on now to state any politician who dares to have a different opinion is either wrong or scheming against the county. Judging by your earlier post no politician does have an alternative view. Examples of Boris Island and other alternatives were examples of not all people in positions of power conforming to the 'Heathrow is best' viewpoint.

"what the politicians think people want and what the politicians think is best." - this would be a fair point if something was happening. Doing nothing is indecisiveness. They are failing to do what they think is best; they are also failing to do what they think the voters want. In short, they're not decent leaders.

KARFA

What has any of this got to do with a380s, t3, or longhaul services moving to T3?

PoincianaKings

This sort of thread gives me palpitations. I have just booked my first First to MIA for next summer. I can only hope this is rumour does not become reality until after my flight!

Never Stansted

It would be fascinating to see whether moving flights from T3 to T5, or vice versa, has a significant impact on future bookings, especially on long hauls. (I did MAN-LHR-JFK, connecting BA->AA a few months ago and even though nothing went wrong, the seamless connection at T5 is a major plus point for BA.)

It's a shame that BA gave up T4 when T5 was opened. Far nicer than T3 -- the walk to the AA gates is endless.

LHRATCO

Some opinion/conjecture on a couple of points raised upthread.

Considering the location of 380 gates in both T3 and T5, towing between the two wouldn't take all that long in either direction. In fact the distance between gates 40/42 in T3 and 63/64 in T5 is pretty short. To my mind it wouldn't preclude any services operating from T3 when the aircraft arrived into T5 previously and vice versa.

Also, there is construction starting on where T3 gate 23 used to be for a new transfer centre. I'm not entirely sure whether it is temporary or permanent, but there are some changes afoot. Given that the terminal is relatively quieter following the Star relocation to T2, there must be some justification, whether that be BA or others.

There is also talk of one/both of MH/QR moving (back) to T3 soon too. Once Etihad start bringing 3x380s daily there's not all that much 380 space in T4 either.

In short, anything could happen, and probably will...

callum9999

I said no such thing. I said all politicians know there is more demand to fly to/from London than from the regions. I also didn't say politicians who disagreed with expanding Heathrow were wrong or scheming against the country - that's what you said...

They aren't doing nothing, they're running an enquiry to work out what's best. You may not like how long it's taking, but it's not "nothing". Planning in a democracy is also not a case of "do whatever the majority wants and sod the rest" - otherwise these things could just be decided by a computer program and they'd be no need for anyone to actually run things...

callum9999

Yeah but you could knock down the surrounding areas and expand it to the size of Heathrow.

It was a stupid point, but I was basically just trying to explain that the most desirable result for passengers - a major international airport right in the city centre - isn't necessarily the right thing to do.

BA5E

Well, I did not expect when I started this thread that it would go into 7 pages, there is certainly food for thought here, and it will be very interesting to see what happens in the end, we will just have to be patient and what for the outcome of who what goes where^

MarkedMan

T5 connections in the morning are a nightmare so often it's hard for me to think of them as seamless. No real Fast Track, slow-as-molasses security, surly, rude agents - some of the things I saw yesterday were frankly embarrassing. Especially now with T2 opening, T3 is a breeze. I still think the whole re-clearing of security is inexplicable, but if I have to do it right now T3 is definitely where I would want to. You would have to add a whole bunch of traffic at T3 before it ever got anywhere near as bad as T5.