Professional Engineering

There is already a third runway at Heathrow – it is called RAF Northolt and could take some pressure off for shorter hauls. More runways and terminals will not solve the problem however as there is a limit to the air traffic that can be contained safely in a certain volume.
Dick Vote, Aberdeen

We are blessed with a bureaucratic and glacial planning system. By the time we decide to allow the building of this new runway, aircraft will be obsolete and personal transporter beams will be commonplace.
Robin Stafford Allen, Oxford 

Most airports are now surrounded by industrial parks and housing. We could use abandoned RAF bases to increase capacity.
Rob Shipman, Nottingham

We need major public investment to help our economy back onto its feet. New airports seems as good an idea as any in this respect. 
Rob Smith, Towcester, Northants

We need all the capacity that we can get to help the economy.
Anonymous

Why bother? The bankers will have sucked the world economy dry years before we can finish the planning process.
Richard Tomlins, Farnham

Hong Kong has a state-of-the-art airport built out to sea with unlimited room for expansion and you can be in the city within 23 minutes of leaving arrivals. To stay in the game the UK needs to start thinking how it can be done, not why it can’t be.
Rob Chambers, Hong Kong

There are many underused airports dotted around the country and all we can talk about is increasing capacity at the three London termini. The money would be better spent making better use of existing facilities outside London.
Robin Luxmoore, Stokesley, North Yorkshire

We are losing competitiveness against European and Middle East airports. We must have an integrated transport policy (including reviewing passenger tax) that allows trade to increase.
Alison Owen, Leeds

Environmental concerns mean we should not just consider capping air flights but assess the total effect of commercial activity. This would require massive international, and sacrificial, co-operation. In our dreams, or it may become our grandchildren’s nightmares.
Paul Russenberger, London

Shouldn’t we be looking to more sustainable development such as high-speed rail and hydrogen and electric transport infrastructure?
Ronnie Glen, Perth

Expanding existing airports is not the answer. Building new might be, but where? An alternative is to connect airports to high-speed rail. Connect Heathrow with Gatwick by a high-speed dedicated link. 
Robert Falk, London

End the absurdity that flying within the UK is often cheaper than the train. That may free enough slots for increased medium/long-haul flying without more airports or runways.
Richard Grant, Gloucester

No new airports or runways. It is no good having more of the same which destroys the environment and has a detrimental effect on many different people.  
Anonymous

Given that the government is looking to raise the air passenger duty yet again, it is beginning to make more sense to fly from the UK to a European hub and to fly long-haul from there. Then why do our airports need more capacity?
Richard Bossom, Poole, Dorset

How will increasing the amount of people standing in queues to drop bottled water into dustbins before taking their shoes off and walking through a magnetic field maintain the competitiveness of Britain? Buy more scanners and employ security staff to operate them; that would reduce the time in airport queues that is currently wasted.
Russell Birnie, Sawley, Derby

We need to be making better use of existing airports rather than constructing any more. This might be achieved by specialisation (passengers only), improved runways (longer, wider, and stronger), new terminal buildings, and security equipment.
Edward Clarke, Sevenoaks, Kent

We must ensure that a British workforce carries out the design and construction of these airports. It is essential that we reverse the British culture of rewarding those who consume our wealth and tolerating those who produce it if we are to climb out of economic decline.
Ronald Quartermaine, Perth 

Demand will fall due to the rapidly rising price of fuel. Flyers in demand hotspots should simply use spare capacity at other airports in the UK.
Anonymous

I support building a new airport and runways. Progress in fuel consumption, emissions and noise from the engines mean that environmental concerns are being taken very seriously indeed.
Rom Chambard, Swadlincote

By the time this airport is built the cost of flying will be so high that demand will have dropped completely. Any new airport will become a white elephant.
Robert Harris-Mayes, Ffaldybrenin

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