Instead of a third runway at Heathrow why isn't Stanstead used more?

[sandyRoe]

While Heathrow is convenient for passengers Stanstead doesn't affect the lives of Londoners nearly as much.

[ChuckFickens]

Southend Airports runway would need to be doubled in length to make it usable, which would really upset residents of Southend or Rochford as it wold involve knocking down large parts of the whole towns.

[emmie]

the people who run the airports and airlines seem to think so. It's like this proposed HS2 rail line that the government seem intent on building, it will cause massive disruption to people around Euston, Somers Town and beyond, so there is never a right place to put anything where people are concerned.

[237SJ]

<<Is business suffering without them>> Yes. A large percentage of long haul passengers coming into Heathrow are just transiting before going on to Europe. If they get sick and tired of being delayed due to the aircraft having to hold which results in them missing their connection (which happens every single day) then they will avoid the UK altogether and use Frankfurt or some other European hub.

[emmie]

237, do you want at the airport?

[emmie]

work at the airport, sorry typo

[237SJ]

I wouldn`t say "at" the airport exactly ;-)

[emmie]

ok, have a vested interest? I can't see that building a third runway at the airport a good thing, and will certainly get loads of opposition if it gets the go ahead

[237SJ]

I don`t really have a vested interest. At the rate at which they`re making their minds up, I`ll be long gone. I think a 3rd runway at Heathrow is vital. I also think the Thames Estuary is a stupid place to put an airport. I think Boris just wants to go down in history as the man who built the new airport. He didn`t realise though, that if aircraft have to hold, they`ll be encroaching on Holland`s holding airspace. That area`s also prone to fog I believe.

[emmie]

i only wondered as you made the comments about people coming via heathrow to fly onto to Europe, so many are not stopping here?

[237SJ]

Agreed. Many are not stopping here. There are even people who fly in from the States and go on to places like Lagos, Dubai etc. Even though they can fly JFK-DXB direct, they still come via LHR. That`s good business for the UK. I`m off to have a shower now. You can`t please all of the people all of the time. I can`t do links but if you google, there`s a good overview on ft.com On Course For A Steady Descent. I`m off to have a shower. Happy reading em.

[emmie]

if you can fly direct to your destination why wouldn't you, makes no sense to me.