[AMcWhirter]

Recently there was a thread about Virgin Atlantic returning to LGW (London Gatwick).

But LGW is not perfect and it cannot be considered a serious hub airport.

Main reason is that it operates with a single runway and if this gets blocked (there have been several instances of this happening over the years) flight schedules are thrown into chaos.

Just a few hours ago a Vancouver-bound BA 777 had to abandon its take-off run at the last minute.

Although this 777 blocked the runway for a short time this still caused chaos with arriving flights having to be diverted to other airports both in the UK and mainland Europe.

This disruption is expected to continue for the remainder of today.

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/gatwick-airport-british-airways-runway-plane-b2570638.html

https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2024-06-28/flights-at-gatwick-airport-temporarily-suspended-after-plane-aborts-takeoff

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Inquisitive

[Inquisitive]

I thought LGW have an auxiliary runway that could be used in an emergency, at least for landing?

[AndrewinHK]

The auxiliary runway could not be used as the fire brigade were dealing with the British Airways aircraft.

[transtraxman]

The matter of Gatwick´s runway getting blocked has been on the cards for a long time now. It just goes to show how LGW and LHR´s operativeness is hanging by a thread. The powers that be do not seem to see the damage this sort of incident does to the image of the UK and to those who operate within its borders. It is not surprising that by flying around in their own private jets and landing at private airports they do not see the damage, but it exists.

Therefore, I would consider it the time, coming into the summer high season, to consider what can be or should be done to aleviate the (potential) problems. Those ostriches also known as cowardly politicians have a duty and obligation to forget about looking popular so as to gain reelection. They should lay it out clearly – what is the RIGHT thing to do?
CAPA, 10-06-22, presented us with a report, “As Virgin Atlantic doesn’t rule out a return to Gatwick Airport, will Heathrow run out of runway?”

https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/as-virgin-atlantic-hints-at-a-return-to-gatwick-airport-will-heathrow-run-out-of-runway-687169

In my view, an interesting piece which pulls no punches. It even calls the lack of runway space at London as criminal. What is also pointed out is that there is no terminal problem as there is still substantial room.But there is a complete lacking of runway space. Link that with the heavy restriction on aircraft movements and we are heading for the “Perfect Storm”
Gatwick´s forthcoming intention to convert a one time taxiway into an additional runway is laudable as it is pitiful. Remember, it already has land reserved for a second full parallel runway

Alternatives do exist but all depends on how you look at them and present them to the general public.

With the permission of BUSINESS TRAVELLER as well as your own I would like to present two articles I have written in my occasional blog.
“trans-trax.blogspot.com. Thet are from 28th October and 16th December, 2022.
1) “To Fly or not to Fly? – Is that the Question?”
2) “The Third runway at Heathrow and the Second at Gatwick”.
There might well be more to add but that is up to you.
At least somebody has to kick start this debate, but let it be done from a posture of laying out the information as it really is, not by some blinkered dogmatic self interested populist Luddite.

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RJames

[Author]

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