Re: VFT Sydney - Canberra

["Skippy" <fowler9@skippy9.fsnet.co.uk>]

David Bromage <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote in message
OrG75.127$e_3.650515@news0.optus.net.au">news:OrG75.127$e_3.650515@news0.optus.net.au...
> Skippy (fowler9@skippy9.fsnet.co.uk) wrote:
> > > How many international airports has for example the UK got ?
>
> > Well lets see, Newcastle, Teeside, Liverpool, Manchester, London
Heathrow,
> > Gatwick, Stanstead, London City, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds/Bradford,
> > Birmingham Midlands, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Luton
>
> > Whats that 16 Airports in a country that you can drive from Penznace on
the
> > tip of Cornwall to Thurso in Northern Scotland in 18 hrs
>
> But if you add up the number of aircraft movements at Melbourne, Sydney
> and Brisbane, you're still short of Heathrow + Gatwick.

Heathrow & Gatwick move how many passengers tho. Thats the question. I'm all
for a high speed rail. Hell I'd travel rail over air anytime if it was 6
hours or less by train. Theres a lot of domestic movements in Syd Mel &
Bris.Where as the LHR & LGW are true international airports.

The UK situation is a little different than Oz. You drive here as it's
expensive to travel by train even the internal flights can be expensive. I
had a need about 2 mths back to goto LHR. Was quoted £120 return for the
plane (around AU$300) from Teeside or Newcastle OK it's only a 70 min (if
that) journey. The train was around £86 ($215) for a 5 hour journy. But that
included the Tube from Kings X & departure from Darlington but had to be a
certain train. A lot more if you want to choose what train you want to
travel on. I could've travelled by car about 6 hours each way (If the M25 &
M1 are trouble free) would've cost me £30 petrol each way ($75 in a 1.3
Charade on unleaded 30 litre tank if lucky) & around £70 ($175) for parking
at Heathrow. I chose the bus. A 6 hour journey going to micky mouse places &
an interesting way of getting to Nottingham from Darlington. (I go M1 this
guy went A1 a longer trip there) for £36 ($90) return. Bus stop right
outside Terminal 3's doors. I would've driven if I could've afforded it.
with petrol at 82.9 pence per lite ($2.08 per litre) & it is still rising.
Some places in the south are charging £1.10 per litre...

It is just so much more expensive out here compared to Oz. The population is
well more than Oz. It is more compacted than Oz. The trains currently run at
200kph

On the Channel Islands I have no idea & most ppl here proberbly don't even
know they exist let alone have flights to them. Most people take the ferry's
I believe

Skippy

> Look at New Zealand. Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin,
> Hamilton, Palmerston North and Queenstown are all international airports.
>
> Cheers
> David