British people already fly twice as much as citizens of the United States, and one fifth of the world\’s flights use the UK\’s airports.
That first part might actually be true. An American is more likely to drive a long distance, a distance where we are more likely to fly. That would be something to do with our being surrounded by water though.
However, one fifth of the world\’s flights use UK airports? Seriously, George expects us to swallow that?
I really don\’t think so. Heathrow is very much the busiest UK airport and it doesn\’t even make the top ten of the world\’s busiest airports. Less than half the traffic of Chicago or Atlanta.
Now, if he meant "of international flights" then I might just about believe him. Might mind. But then that comes back to us being a small country surrounded by water then, doesn\’t it?
Hee hee, when we went to Malta (a very small island, surrounded by, er, water) there was a big sign on the terminal saying “Malta International Airport”.
I asked a stewardess whether there were any other airports on Malta, and assuming there weren’t, surely the word “International” was superfluous, as it was neither necessary to distinguish that airport from any other, and by definition all flights to or from that airport were international anyway.
She stared at me blankly, of course.
Conversely Mark, here in the US all-sorts of tiny airports have the word “International” in their title, yet whenever you look up where you can travel to, all the flights are internal.
I can only think it means they have an alcove set aside for customs, if you happen to be going abroad on a later leg of the flight.
@Mr. P
At Crescent City, California (pop. +/- 8,000) airport (terminal the size of my London flat) this August, there was a notice posted on the glass door of the (only) gate that Homeland Security had determined that “Bandara Ngurah Rai
International Airport, Denespar, Bali, Indonesia, does not maintain and
carry out effective security measures”
Cumbernauld International Airport. Just down the M80 from me. Very strange.