flybe. (2002) (Exeter) has called for RAF Northolt, a Royal Air Force station situated in London's north-west, to be opened up to domestic civilian traffic until a new runway at either London Heathrow or London Gatwick is built. A decision is only scheduled to be made after next year's election.
Regardless of who wins the final go-ahead, the outcome is expected to encounter extreme resistance from environmentalists and other left wing lobby groups. Anticipated legal action is likely to mean that either facility will only see a fully functional runway in the late 2020s.
According to The Standard, Flybe. told a Transport Select Committee that RAF Northolt could be “a temporary ‘satellite’ facility for regional services that do not currently have air traffic until new runway capacity is built and operational”.
