Heathrow in 10 years?

Browsing around the FT there's an interesting story about how T2 is coming along - anyone who has flown recently may be amazed, as I am, about how fast (and big) its going up - and there's an interesting graphic here suggesting how Heathrow may be laid out in the future ... looks good!

[buns]

Slinky

thanks for the Link y) y)

They will need to radically alter the current road infrastructure and do something about the bottleneck of the underpass

That said, I am old enough to remember flying out of Heathrow when Terminal 2 was the only Terminal (1960 if anyone asks!!)

buns

The road structure and tunnel leading up to the CTA are all being redesigned to allow better egress and access - though the timeframe for this won't be for another 5/6 years.

The T2 redesign is just the start of a much longer programme to redevelop the airport to a complete rectarlinear design (like a toast rack) - so no more cul-de-sacs that aircraft can get stuck in.

That diagram on the link Slinky has provided is actually reasonably accurate, though that hollow square off T2A is not in any long term infrastructure plans I've seen. T4 will also be going the same way, though it will be linear to the southern runway.

If anyone is particular interested in getting the inside track on LHR developments, then feel free to send me a message

[Darren Wheeler]

I might be totally up the wrong tree here, but unless there is a 3rd runway I can see LHR slipping into decline in 10 years. It's at something like 98% capacity and unless there are a whole lot of A380's delivered, not much room to grow.

I blame years of government dithering and NIMBY'ism.

[buns]

I might be totally up the wrong tree here, but unless there is a 3rd runway I can see LHR slipping into decline in 10 years. It's at something like 98% capacity and unless there are a whole lot of A380's delivered, not much room to grow.

I blame years of government dithering and NIMBY'ism.

Even more so as the current trial to maximise Runway use - BBC News Story is not going down too well with people living near the Airport

buns

I might be totally up the wrong tree here, but unless there is a 3rd runway I can see LHR slipping into decline in 10 years. It's at something like 98% capacity and unless there are a whole lot of A380's delivered, not much room to grow.

I blame years of government dithering and NIMBY'ism.

The official figure is 99.32% :p

There are a number of initiatives being trialed - such as mixed mode - which has actually been pretty successful, as well as other elements designed to improve the overall efficiency of aircraft takeoff/turnaround/landing. However, I agree that without a third runway, there is only so much you can do with an effective slack of 0.68%

I do disagree with the idea that LHR will decline though - and not only because I have a vested interest in it doing the opposite. LHR is, and always has been, a stalwart of the aviation industry. By rights, it ought to never process as many passengers as travelled through it 10 years ago, let alone today; and yet, despite enourmous pressures, it still gamely carries on. I agree that LHR will struggle without a third runway, but I find it hard to believe, with the capital investment being put in place, that it will decline.

I might be totally up the wrong tree here, but unless there is a 3rd runway I can see LHR slipping into decline in 10 years. It's at something like 98% capacity and unless there are a whole lot of A380's delivered, not much room to grow.

I blame years of government dithering and NIMBY'ism.

There is scope for growth, it's just that we have a government that isn't interested and wants to regulate ... a third runway is the best option, but further efficiencies can be found like mixed mode runway use, if the vision is there.

But I don't see it declining, plateau'd maybe in terms of flights, but there's a whole lot better for the passenger experience to come.