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Anonymous03/11/26, 04:20No.2067443City Airports
I did not see another thread on this so here we go. How does /n/ feel about downtown city airports? I know most world class cities such as London, New York, Washington DC, etc. Have proper downtown airports.
It looks like Toronto is going to get one as well. Until now, the Billy Bishop island airport, so named after a Canadian WWI fighter pilot ace, could only accommodate turbo prop aircraft.
The Province of Ontario is now looking to extend the runway to allow Jets. This would greatly expand the range of the airport, especially to far cities in western Canada and the southern United States. Potentially even western Europe.
Is this a good move, or a short sighted volley?
https://www.cp24.com/local/toronto/2026/03/09/ford-doubles-down-on-toronto-billy-bishop-expansion-plans-calls-island-residents-squatters/
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Anon03/11/26, 10:30No.2067449
As much as I find airports hella awesome and think people are being bitches when they complain about noise (I've lived under the approach path of an airport for decades), let's be honest that this is a retarded fucking waste of taxpayer money that will have utterly marginal economic benefits.
It was already being debated whether the airport should close entirely because it was non-economical for even Porter compared to relocating to Pearson. Only boomer nostalgia about never wanting anything in the city to change, ever, is driving this idea.
And, like, I get it. I'm sad Downsview Airport closed and became an ugly reality-TV set, and then an even uglier "stadium". But life moves on.
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Anon03/11/26, 18:38No.2067479
LCY.
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Anon03/11/26, 19:22No.2067484
Seems like a no-brainer and recently Ontario announced they'll be taking over the airport from Toronto, which would expedite the expansion. It has the benefit of not being encroached by private property that would need to be secured. I wonder what their plan is to handle additional parking and services for jets, that area looks crowded now. Ultimately they could close the smaller runway to free up space - it's only 750m/2400ft long.
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Anon03/12/26, 07:51No.2067533
Most of the airports have developed away from city centers because planes and tall structures should avoid each other, and the ones that do remain are functionally obsolete or second-string at best.The closure of Meigs Field was a gross overreach of mayoral power but it was also not very useful as a major airport, either.
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Anon03/14/26, 10:58No.2067726
I miss TXL. Landing there was peak comfy.
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Anon03/14/26, 15:53No.2067755
LaGuardia is out in Queens and Spirit is a ghetto airline but ever since they took over the old Marine Air Terminal it feels like you’re in a small city airport with just a short walk to baggage and ground transportation. Go to Departures and it’s like a time portal to 1939 with art deco murals of air travel in the rotunda. Now if only they had a train to Manhattan.
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Anon03/15/26, 00:16No.2067784
Idiotic. Should be DEEPLY outside the city with a rail that goes to center of a city. And enough of an apron that these morons arent tempted to do the most moronic thing: live around the airport....(i.e. dulles)