Heathrow third runway gets thumbs up, but may fail on take off

Davies report recommends a third runway at Heathrow, but critics are concerned conditions intended to allay their fears will not be upheld

The Davies report has landed, but its recommendations may never take flight. Amid the hysterical antipathy from Sir Howard Davies' bite noire, London mayor Boris Johnson, were pertinent questions: not least, would the conditions the Airports Commission placed upon building a third Heathrow runway be met?

Certainly, the measures would make a real difference. Davies said Heathrow needs to be a better neighbour; the airport accepts it. Some campaigners see an opportunity: a third runway could actually give more respite for those who now live under the approach to Britain's busiest airport, especially if a ban on night flights is enforced. While new neighbourhoods would clearly suffer, it would share out the pain of aircraft over London more fairly, and enlarge the constituency of people set to erupt at any breach of Heathrow's promises.