Interesting reading -- see https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-heathrow-airport-expansion-plans-12648726

Yes Britain, always doing a half-a**ed job.  Dreadful idea!

Good news, although I wouldn’t trust anything the mirror or equivalent type of paper spews.

I’m sure there is a few hurdles to go yet, but ultimately good news to expand an airport actually near somewhere. Gatwick and Stansted are in the middle of nowhere.

 

 

I always say:  Better late than never! 

(I live in South Florida but Heathrow has always been one of my favorite FSX go-to airports). 

Do people in other countries whinge and moan endlessly about airport expansions, or is it just a British thing?

The thing about these expansions is the knock-on effect on the surrounding communities... I was looking at buying property in the Frankfurt region just shortly after their fourth runway (which only is used for landing) was opened in 2011. That fourth runway led to a massive collapse in house prices in what was once one of the most sought-after (and pricey) parts of the city, Sachsenhausen, and the equivalent area to the west (especially Flörsheim). Just for fun I spent a day in Flörsheim, as I could have gotten myself some brilliant places for next to nothing and had lived smack-bang next to one of the busiest freight-train lines in Germany which operated 363 days a year, 24/7. Truth be told: although I love plane-spotting and simming - there was no way that I would want to live less than 1000 feet under a landing A330 at 6 in the morning after a hot summer night... Of course I then applied the same criterion of staying well away from the most affected areas when it came to my move to Dublin.

 

I challenge anyone who complains about initiatives, political parties or other interest groups opposing these expansions to actually go and live at the end of a major airport's runway for a year.

 

Cheers

 

Mallard

Crazy decision I think.  Anyone ask the ATC guys n' gals their thoughts.  Or how many undisclosed near misses there are.  Throw in another runway, maybe north/south ops, and I believe we'll see a mid air at some point.  Hope i'm wrong.

Seems to me that the logistical and business case for a second runway at Gatwick is much stronger than adding a third to Heathrow. Am I missing something?

James

I hate the taxes on going through there, something like $350...

2 hours ago, Dean_EGTC said:

Crazy decision I think.  Anyone ask the ATC guys n' gals their thoughts.  Or how many undisclosed near misses there are.  Throw in another runway, maybe north/south ops, and I believe we'll see a mid air at some point.  Hope i'm wrong.

How would there be a higher chance of midair collisions?

Doesn't make any sense at all.

Matt, I think the implication is of increased air traffic in an already congested airspace...

That is going to the case wherever an expansion is built in the greater London area, be it Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, or Heathrow... I am appalled by the huge ground taxi times these mega airport complexes cause, Amsterdam Schiphol being one of the woirst examples in my mind. The Polderbaan takes 15 or more minutes to reach or taxi in from... massive local carbon footprint... Look at Frankfurt too! With Ryanair now operating to Frankfurt Main Airport, they sometimes get vectored onto 25R and then have to taxi all the way across Frankfurt to their parking stands on the other side of the airport on the cargo apron... At least 15 minutes' rolling time there...

A

I would have thought a 2nd runway (that can actually be used) at Gatwick would have made more sense.

They should be adding a second runway at Gatwick in addition to the third runway at Heathrow.

Appears to be quite a costly project.

5 hours ago, Christopher Low said:

Do people in other countries whinge and moan endlessly about airport expansions, or is it just a British thing?

Definitely a British thing.  To be fair, you really don't get the chance to moan in places like China, even when they built Narita they completely railroaded the locals.

Adding more runways to Heathrow or Gatwick is a bad idea.  Why not build a brand new airport in the Estuary like Boris suggested, then scrap both Gatwick and Heathrow for much needed housing.