[PhilipHart]

@B737-200

Yes let them be built. But – as indicated in one of my earlier comments – only with private money.

That way, decisions will be made by people who need the project to pay, and who will ensure that costs don’t skyrocket – as is usually the case with publicly-funded government projects.

[transtraxman]

It seems that yet again the decision on a new runway in the south east is to be put off.
“Airport expansion decision ‘may be delayed until September’ “. (travel Weekly 8-6-16)

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/61902/airport-expansion-decision-may-be-delayed-until-september

Apparently there is a bottleneck of important decisions to be made in Whitehall. And……” you can’t take this decision when the House of Commons is not sitting”.
That would take us to September and the Conference season. If David Cameron does not achieve a resounding “remain” vote in the upcoming referendum in two weeks then his job will be on the line. All it would take would be for some unscrupulous egocentric individual, like Boris Johnson, to put the cat among the pigeons by standing against the PM for leadership of the Tory party. Then there could be a change at the top and the decision is thwarted.

If DC loses the referendum then he is out anyway and so the decision is then postponed indefinitely.

I think the only way for this decision to go forward is for the PM to call everybody´s bluff in July before Parliament breaks up for holidays. Now is the time to lay his political life on the line.

[DavidSmith2]

Cameron has just stated (at PMQs) that there will be a decision ‘in the summer’.

[christopheL]

Summer being after June 23rd I’m afraid Cameron won’t be entitled anymore to take any decision on this matter.
On this matter it appears that all UK governments are acting the same way as the French government is acting re. Strikes organised by our outdated French trade unions…
How far away in the past do we have de go to find the first discussions about this Extra Runway ???

[transtraxman]

At least the turn of the century.

[PhilipHart]

Given David Cameron’s rather nasty remarks about Sadiq Khan in the run up to the London Mayoral Election, it would be interesting to know what quid pro quo the former has had to offer the latter in order to get him to appear side-by-side for the Remain campaign.

Perhaps no 3rd runway at LHR?

[AnthonyDunn]

@ PhilipHart – 08/06/2016 15:05 BST

Or maybe Sadiq Khan (who was not my first preference BTW) is above such considerations and sees the bigger picture that a vote to Leave the EU directly imperils the future of London as a global financial centre as it would, most likely, lose its €-related “passported” rights to continental financial centres.

[transtraxman]

So what will happen now that Cameron has resigned?
This decision will be put on a backburner…..again.

[MrMichael]

If Boris becomes PM, and there now has to be a good chance of that scenario then extra runway at LHR is dead, here comes another runway at LGW.

[PhilipHart]

I seriously doubt Boris will become PM. As the saying goes “The hand that wields the knife shall never wear the crown”.

@MrMichael, I think you are spot on, especially since Sadiq “Did you know my Dad was a bus driver” Khan is against LHR and in favour of LGW.

[MarcusGB]

Meanwhile, Schiphol have 6 runways, have just finished 20 months of work adding a floor and doubing the space for passengers, incoming and outgoing.
they are to build a new Terminal and Apron area on the A gates area.

Amsterdam Schiphol is, and has been our extra runway, hop over from you local Airport, in less time than travelling through to LHR. Save £400 + on every premium departure worldwide.

As Boris has lead the Campaign and is well liked by all voters, with a swift change of Cabinet, we may well find a new Airport as the ultimate goal, with an extra runway at LGW or STN as a medium goal.

Meanwhile, Schiphol is up and ready, growth year on year, and being used more as the UKs extra runway and flight options. KLM remain in a very strong position, as many Airlines who have recently moved into AMS. They will all gain.

[PhilipHart]

@MarcusGB,

Quisling Cameron has pulled the trigger on the leadership campaign. In that campaign, the MPs will select 2 people to be put forward to the grassroots members of the Conservative Party for them to make a choice. Boris will not – for the reason I indicated previously – be one of those 2 people.

Regarding AMS being our extra runway, my understanding – from reading other forums (fora?) – that WWW sees Dublin as fulfilling that role.

[PeterCoultas]

Hope that a few more small local airports can be developed (e.g. Manston) with connectivity so we can use AMS eastwards and DUB westwards. That might force BA to consider the UK beyond London & might reduce (or let travellers avoid) the chaos involved in passing through LHR & LGW.

A decent transport system will need to consider decent rail access & the awful consequences of Mrs May remaining Home Secretary or, worse, becoming PM.

[Edski777]

So now we have the Bexit vote over. Everything changes and everything remains the same. The same powers that blocked the expansion of LHR are still in place, AMS is growing ever faster and is offering lower tariffs and better connections.
Unless something drastic happens we can keep discussing this till hell freezes over (but with only 2 runways at LHR).
We have proven today that we are very good at taking bad decisions about the wrong issues, not good decisions about the necessary ones.

[BigDog.]

John Holland-Kaye (CEO LHR) has an extended interview with the BBC pitching/appealing for the extra runway as trade connections with the outside world are even more pressing.

(clip not yet available)

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