please empty your brain below

I think shoehorning another runway in this area is just mad.

The Thames Estuary aka Boris airport is a crazy idea too, but I would vote for the latter out of the two.
Thames Estuary airport probably a better bet - until the tide coming in meets loads of rainwater draining down!
quite frankly I'm past caring which option is the best ... after all these years of argument I just wish they'd get it over with and get on with construction

only, even if they did get on with it, I guess it wouldn't end there ... it would just be the beginning of the next phase of discussion about even more expansion ... hey ho ... will it never end

anyway, thanks DG, at least with your (more impartial) analysis I feel I understand the plans a little better
It seems crazy that Manston airport in Kent which has a runway large enough to accommodate the A380 (and Concorde) is about to close. If only the high speed line could be extended from Ashford the journey from St Pancras would be easy. I'm not sold on the idea that we need more capacity in the south east until I see planes in a holding pattern over Ramsgate.
I'm guessing the original destructive proposal looked so much like a bad idea versus Gatwick's reasonably non-destructive option that the Heathrow designers had to go away and stop destroying ancient protected landmarks.

The estuary airport is probably the most expensive option, but in the long term it's probably the best way to have a large airport for London.
We don't need more airport capacity, in the south-east or anywhere else.

Expansion will however provide more profits for the Heathrow owners, and more income for all the builders, architects and so forth. And of course the extra flights will contribute to climate change.
May surprise all, but agree with comments thus far. I for one already am already under the flightpath (Heathrow in-bound). Probably part (not all) of the reason I am "grumpy". No doubt pressure will also be placed on increasing "night-flights". Though to be quite honest there seem to be enough of those already...with so-called "quieter planes". No plane I have heard going overhead at 2am or 4.30am seems that quiet to me! Think I even starting to hear planes when none flying...maybe I am losing my mind as well as getting "grumpy" due to interupted sleep. Still, could be worse, I could be on the night-shift...then never get any sleep with what are now 1min approx intervals. I not like to agree with Mr B Johnson but if a new airport is built by all means "stick-it" east of London and do something that is long-term and as "future-proof" as poss. Rant over, thanks for reading!
@James -- possibly a Manston airport with LHR-like traffic levels would seriously get in the way of Brussels and Amsterdam airports.
Of course years back when the runways were shorter Heathrow did have more than two runways. I still remember the runway that was used for when the wind was from the North or South. Now there are just 2 East /West long runways.
As much money has been spent on Terminal 5, and the soon to be opened new Terminal 2, with future development plans for Terminal 3, and there are many hotels and other businesses in the area which have arisen over the years due to the airport it does seem strange for Mayor Boris to propose demolition of the site.
The airport is within Hillingdon London borough with some parts just inside Hounslow so I image those Councils get some revenue from the site.
It is a popular airport, mainly because it is easy to get to from much of London and the South East.
If I fly I do try and get a flight from Heathrow, as I can get one bus there, a 490 or a 285 depending which Terminal, or use the Piccadilly Line. For Gawick and other airports it is a longer journey with coaches or trains.
The only way to prevent further expansion of airports is to deter people from flying. I try whenever possible to use the train if I can, I recently went to Spain by train, but I came back by plane because it was so much cheaper. This is the problem, planes are cheaper than trains and coaches. A friend went to Paris on a day trip last Saturday, (a journey I would always make by train) she chose the plane from Heathrow because it was cheaper. The same person goes regularly to Scotland again by plane from Heathrow because it is cheaper than the train.
Either bring train fares down or put air fares up.
Get the HS2 train line built as soon as possible. Discourage plane use for short haul journeys.
It is odd that the Mayor of London wants to close down a major business and job creator that is within London and move it outside of any London Borough.










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