IHG’s voco Reading hotel opens

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• Ian M says:

  21 Dec21 December 04:47

  Does anyone really believe the Heathrow 3rd runway will ever happen?

  • BJ says:

    21 Dec21 December 05:55

    Not me, I think we will see increased traffic from other UK airports thanks to 1. new generation of more efficient aircraft and the increasing acceptability of flying longhaul on smaller narrow body aircraft, and 2. increased interest of major European carriers in connecting UK regions to their hubs such as LH to Munich for example. Both will reduce demand for domestic connectivity to BA and VS, and evidence suggests trains a winning the battle for travel to/from London. Add to that LGW opening its reserve runway, diminished UK economy resulting from both Brexit and Asian growth, political change driven by climate change, and increasing importance of internet-based communications, I think it is more likely we will see projected passenger growth at LHR slowed, possibly even reversed, with both the airport and London diminishing in importance.

    • Shoestring says:

      21 Dec21 December 06:10

      [Downing Street…unveiled a new air traffic management bill yesterday to lift practical limits on the number of planes British airspace can accommodate. The Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill, included in the Queen’s Speech, forms part of the government’s legislative programme for the coming years…The government says the aviation sector contributes £22bn to the UK economy each year and provides over 200,000 jobs, and says its new laws will grow the aviation sector. Ministers say growth will be “sustainable” and that supposedly outdated practices “limit the number of flights the airspace can safely accommodate”. The Conservative Party manifesto appeared to give the green light to Heathrow expansion…]

  • Rob says:

    21 Dec21 December 08:24

    Not personally, no.

  • Mikeact says:

    21 Dec21 December 08:52

    Not in my lifetime, no.. Bit like the A27 down here in the South…will we ever see it ‘upgraded ‘ ? Of course not.

  • Doug M says:

    21 Dec21 December 10:13

    No. It’ll never be built. Impractical location for expansion.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    21 Dec21 December 10:17

    No. I think Gatwick getting another would have made more sense and BHX has plenty of capacity and is easier to get to for most of the country by public transport just needs some decent operators like BA and VS going LH with competitive prices perhaps a lower APD, lower not exempt, would help drive some traffic away from London.

• jc says:

  21 Dec21 December 04:55

  @Colin MacKinnon if you’re here today, drop me an email jcartwri@protonmail.com . Have some information that might help you a lot with your recent “Alert” post…

  • Rob says:

    21 Dec21 December 08:24

    I know Colin, will forward.

  • boi says:

    21 Dec21 December 09:11

    I dont know Colin but I am just way too curious I feel like emailing you too.Lol

• W says:

  21 Dec21 December 06:18

  I remember somebody mentioned a good German blog for miles and more – any recommendations?

  • Rob says:

    21 Dec21 December 19:42

    Vielfliegertreff is an FT-style site. YHBU is good for ‘deals of the day’ but not the sort of long term analysis we do.

• John says:

  21 Dec21 December 06:35

  Honestly, the third runway’s already in Dublin, and there’ll be a fourth along shortly.

  • Yawn says:

    21 Dec21 December 07:45

    Schiphol has six. Infrastructure investment in the UK is a joke.

    • Mr(s) Entitled says:

      21 Dec21 December 08:00

      London has lots of runways. Just not all in the same place.

      • NigelthePensioner says:

        21 Dec21 December 09:11

        Where do you classify as London? Southend? Luton? Gatwick also needs major passenger connection improvements to be a credible alternative to LHR. I also fear there is little prospect of a third runway tbh. The regions need to strike now – but they wont see the opportunity afforded them by HS2, 3, 4 etc etc I bet 🤣!

        • Scandalous says:

          21 Dec21 December 10:49

          EDI is seeing the ‘opportunity’

          £5 pick up charge now!!! or is it drop-off charge (like it matters)

          Apparently they are fining people for picking up in the drop-off zone (or vice versa)

          What a racket.

        • BJ says:

          21 Dec21 December 11:14

          @Scandalous, pick up I think, £5 for first 15min rising to £9 for 30min then ++. Don’t think drop off has changed, I think they intentionally try to confuse people about what charges are. Never did get my head around fees for a taxi, and whether it is the airport or council who benefits from those. I doubt the fines would stand up to challenge. Even saw a newspaper article about them fining a taxi driver who went the extra mile to assist a disabled passenger.

        • Nick_C says:

          21 Dec21 December 11:21

          Gatwick has excellent connectivity. For many Londoners, it is easier to get to Gatwick than Heathrow. Add to that people living in Kent and Sussex. Even from North of London (Herts, Beds, Cambridge) it is now quicker to get to Gatwick than Heathrow by train. Its a different story by car of course.

          Is just a pity that the major airlines have largely abandoned Gatwick, which was once the home to BCal, Delta, Continental, and even Air New Zealand.

        • Lady London says:

          21 Dec21 December 13:14

          I think EDI got the idea from STN. Ripoff Britain again.

        • Dave says:

          23 Dec23 December 05:16

          Connectivity at Gatwick is fine, direct trains to central London within the main terminal and quicker than the Piccadilly line. Not to mention fqr less chaos in general. It’s my airport of choice where possible, having said I live within a 30 minute drive 😁

• Jonty says:

  21 Dec21 December 07:17

  The millennium madjeski Reading had some reasonably priced rooms for five and six people, hopefully Voco will not be removing beds to add charming touches

  • ThinkSquare says:

    21 Dec21 December 08:53

    When I saw this post I was hopeful of finally getting an affordable IHG/Hilton option in Reading. Test booking for a Wednesday in mid-January: £233. Oh well, back to Hilton Newbury North.

    • Rob says:

      21 Dec21 December 09:37

      Press release says it will be from £99 so that price looks like a peak event night.

• Charlie says:

  21 Dec21 December 07:27

  Anyone here not targeted for the Barclays Avios offer, go on to get them? What did you do?

  • Shoestring says:

    21 Dec21 December 07:35

    they emailed CS and got quick resolution, see yesterday’s comments

    • Tanya says:

      21 Dec21 December 07:46

      I’ve emailed and called (several times) and still nothing. Very disappointed with Barclays and will be unlikely to stay once I get points.

      • Sloth says:

        21 Dec21 December 08:11

        Why you don’t contact your relationship manager? It’s what they are there for…

        • Tanya says:

          21 Dec21 December 08:28

          I have sent an email but haven’t got a response….

        • sloth says:

          21 Dec21 December 12:29

          @Tanya, so phone them and complain at them specifically for not responding to your mail and not sorting out your avios. mine is very good, I’m surprised yours doesn’t even respond…

• Froggitt says:

  21 Dec21 December 08:14

  Build Boris Island.

  I read you could build 100,000 houses on Heathrow.

  • pauldb says:

    21 Dec21 December 08:33

    St Albans switched from Tory to LibDem. Maybe they won themselves a major infrastructure investment?!

    In all seriousness, isn’t it obvious we need a new hub airport and it should be NW of London in the Luton-Oxford-Reading triangle. Tory heartland but a little more possible for them to annoy the locals these days.

    • Lady London says:

      21 Dec21 December 13:15

      More sense than HS2.

      • Shoestring says:

        21 Dec21 December 15:08

        I protested at the ‘No Wing Airport’ protests 50 years ago! 🙂

        don’t tell me I need to get the posters out again!

        we won then & we will win again lol

        (even if I have to trundle up from Cornwall)

  • BJ says:

    21 Dec21 December 11:18

    Nah, just send him to Robben Island.

  • Lady London says:

    21 Dec21 December 12:51

    I believe houses in Sipson have already been compulsory purchased.

  • Charlieface says:

    21 Dec21 December 19:33

    Apparently big issues with wading waterfowl and constant fog. The Commission did seriously look at it.

• The Savage Squirrel says:

  21 Dec21 December 08:37

  Demolishing a large chunk of the Home Counties when Gatwick already has a runway in place that it’s not using and ample space for a 3rd does seem a bit insane.

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