I've been watching our local news, and it turns out that a High Court has dismissed the possibility of a new airport in the Essex planes at a place called Cliff.It now sounds like Gatwick is going to be getting a second runway, and the possibility of other airports north of London to be extended also.Just wondering what all you others think. I'm for it, because it will provide a local job for me when i become a qualified airline pilot within a few years.Will

Darn! I wanted to see that project go through! A new international hub airport is allways exciting. I thought they would approve this onehttp://timbo87.home.attbi.com/eric/Delta747sig.jpg

I guess the treehuggers and backroom socialists who want to curtail economic development and travel are still firmly in control over there.

Why can`t they just use the exisitng 2nd runway at Gatwick or is that no longer a runway??

The second runway as you call it, is an emergency runway. It is used as a taxiway when the main runway is in use.So considering safety, i wouldn't think thats possible.Will

Jeroen,Those "treehuggers" as you call them are trying to save areas of outstanding natural beauty in the UK. As much as I would love to see a new, large airport being built in the UK, I do not find the idea of carving up huge areas of rural landscape particularly amusing. Let's face it, adding a second runway at Gatwick is the LOGICAL solution. That daft clause about not being able to add any more runways before 2019 is ludicrous.As for Stansted, converting this from a one runway airport to a FOUR runway airport would have destroyed yet more wonderful countryside. I just hope that this particular area is quickly designated as a national park, thereby restricting such a huge expansion. I don't mind one extra runway (in an area that makes use of existing urban development), but this is ridiculous.Just how many airports do we need in the south-east ? Maybe if the UK government started realising that civilisation does indeed exist north of +51 degrees latitude, they would also realise that maybe another large airport just a bit further north might be beneficial to ALL of the UK, rather than just London.Oh, and if any of you Westminster chappies are reading this, please take note that we would like to see rural England preserved for the enjoyment of future generations. Bearing this in mind, go and build your new airports on land that has already been developed on. You know it makes sense.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

I agree with you Christopher,yet Heathrow needs another runway(s) most badly

The thing with Gatwick is that it's impossible to get to! Not that Heathrow's much better, lying as it does on the M4/M25 axis of evil.

That maybe so at the moment. But if the government decide to go ahead with the expension at Gatwick, they will provide better transport links and services that meet the airports needs - just like at Heathrow....Maybe an extra lane on the M23 and else where?http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3deb3be16daac29d.jpg