This week's government announcement of support for the decision to build a new north-west runway at Heathrow has been slow coming and it may be many years before anything actually happens.
Transport secretary Chris Grayling said of the decision, "We believe that the expansion of Heathrow Airport and the north-west runway scheme — in combination with a significant package of supporting measures of the scale recommended by the Airports Commission - offers the greatest level of benefit to passengers, business and to help us deliver the broadest possible benefit to the whole of the UK."
"It delivers the greatest economic and strategic benefits to our economy; it strengthens connectivity for passengers right across the UK; it offers a major boost to freight operators; it can be delivered within carbon and air quality limits; and crucially, it comes with world leading measures to limit the impacts on those living nearby."
"In addition to the benefits identified by the commission, this scheme will deliver the connectivity and hub capacity the UK needs to compete with fast growing European and Middle Eastern hubs."
As he made the announcement, the decision was backed up with additional statistics which claim to show that Heathrow will not just be good for London but will benefit the whole country.
Our chart this week shows that forecasts for additional passengers from the regions to international destinations via Heathrow.
In the guidance issued at the same time as the final decision was announced, the government estimates that the expansion of domestic routes will mean that "an extra 980,000 passengers will make one-way trips to, or from, Scotland using international connections offered by an expanded Heathrow" of which around 60,000 will be for business.
It said, "Without intervention, the Airports Commission's forecasts showed that Heathrow was at risk of losing all of its direct services to Scotland by 2040. Heathrow currently serves four Scottish routes (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and Aberdeen). With expansion, Heathrow says these routes will be protected and increase in frequency, with an additional Scottish route to Prestwick expected to be added by 2030."
Overall, the government says the airport will offer six new domestic UK routes by 2030 and handle an additional 260,000 flights a year, with 16 million more long-haul seats by 2040.