Sorry, this is a bit long but it was one of the comments under the article today in ES about Heathrow boss urging David Cameron to 'get on with it' - it made me laugh.
'I do not like the idea of a third runway. It would mean that annual plane movements in and out of Heathrow would soar from around 470,000 annually to, who knows, over 800,000. With improvements in air traffic control planes will soon be able to approach for landing just sixty seconds apart, instead of the present ninety seconds. A third runway will introduce large areas of London and the south east to the non stop roar and whine of jets.
Many will be driven mad by the noise. Some might perish from the pollution caused by the planes and the extra road traffic to and from the airport.
Forget Sir Howard Davies' demand that Heathrow would have to ban flights between 11 30 pm and 6 am in return for a new runway. It cannot happen. Sir Howard also wants Heathrow to promise it will not try to build a fourth runway. He can forget that too. A third runway would soon be full, and Heathrow has mobilised its army of PRs, lobbyists and pals in the City and Civil Service to open this campaign.
Heathrow exists to earn as much money as possible for its owners in Qatar and elsewhere. Its managers, like Mr Hollandaise and his associates also make lots of money. The bulk of the airport's traffic is devoted to leisure (that his holidaymakers) and to people changing planes, who never set foot in the UK. A third runway would do nothing for the UK economy, apart from generating unskilled, low paid jobs, such as baggage handlers.
But there is another side to the argument.
First, national pride. The country must back Heathrow's demand for more runways so it can become Number One again. Are we prepared to see our main airport be beaten by the likes of Dubai? We have lost our Empire; we do not have an aircraft carrier and we have watched the Germans, French and Italians win the World Cup since we triumphed in 1966, thanks to West Ham's Moore, Hurst and Peters; must we also see Heathrow slip down the global league table of busiest airports?
Next, Mr Hollande-Kaye and his associates have worked hard for a third runway and deserve success. Can we turn our backs on them? Are we prepared to see them lose their bonuses? How could we watch as they had to back off from buying a third home or a much needed yacht?
So, after much thought, I have decided to put national interest and consideration for Mr Holland-Kaye above my own preferences and come out in favour of a third and then a fourth runway. |
Topic | Date Posted | Posted By |
PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 22/07/15 19:13:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 22/07/15 20:04:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 22/07/15 20:42:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 22/07/15 20:57:00 | Michael Brown |
Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 22/07/15 21:03:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 22/07/15 21:20:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 22/07/15 21:22:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 22/07/15 21:40:00 | Peter Millman |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 22/07/15 21:47:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 22/07/15 21:50:00 | Michael Brown |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 22/07/15 21:53:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 06:55:00 | Michael Brown |
Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 10:04:00 | Ken Munn |
Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 10:12:00 | Will Watson |
Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 10:24:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 10:33:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 10:31:00 | Richard Greenhough |
Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 10:45:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 11:03:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 12:18:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 12:42:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 12:54:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 19:31:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 19:33:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 19:46:00 | Thomas Barry |
Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 20:18:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 23:04:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 23:30:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 23/07/15 23:56:00 | Julian Pavey |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 07:28:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 08:54:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 09:38:00 | Rima Jones |
Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 09:50:00 | R Atterwill |
Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 10:50:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 11:04:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 11:43:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 12:30:00 | Peter Millman |
Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 13:05:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 14:38:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 15:27:00 | David McLoughlin |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 15:56:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 19:10:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 19:34:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 19:59:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 21:59:00 | Mark Perry |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 22:16:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 22:31:00 | R Atterwill |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 22:39:00 | Mark Perry |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 23:30:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 24/07/15 23:44:00 | Julian Pavey |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 25/07/15 00:12:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 25/07/15 00:46:00 | Jim Lawes |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Heathrow expansion | 25/07/15 02:20:00 | Julian Pavey |
Re:Estuary Airport | 25/07/15 10:00:00 | Richard Greenhough |
Re:Re:Estuary Airport | 25/07/15 11:08:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Estuary Airport | 25/07/15 11:12:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Estuary Airport | 25/07/15 20:54:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:PM sidelines opponents of Heathrow expansion | 31/07/15 11:01:00 | Claire Moran |
Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 11:50:00 | Ken Munn |
Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 17:40:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 18:27:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 18:41:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 18:45:00 | Carl Wynne |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 19:10:00 | Dave Robertson |
Re:Nicola Sturgeon | 01/08/15 10:35:00 | Richard Greenhough |
Re:Re:Nicola Sturgeon | 01/08/15 14:22:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Nicola Sturgeon | 01/08/15 14:45:00 | Richard Greenhough |
Re:Re:Nicola Sturgeon | 01/08/15 16:40:00 | Dave Robertson |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 19:17:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 19:35:00 | Carl Wynne |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 19:42:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 19:57:00 | Carl Wynne |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 20:14:00 | Julian Pavey |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 31/07/15 20:20:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 01/08/15 10:41:00 | Carl Wynne |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 01/08/15 12:05:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 01/08/15 13:20:00 | Stuart Kerr |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 01/08/15 20:30:00 | Claire Moran |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 01/08/15 20:49:00 | Rima Jones |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 01/08/15 23:29:00 | Richard Jennings |
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Willie Walsh, CEO IAG (BA/Iberia) | 03/08/15 10:12:00 | Claire Moran |