FOR the southern elderly citizens Southampton Airport has been a life line for us to undergo travelling without the stress of long journeys to Gatwick or Bournemouth.

Depending on your flight times you need to allow at least an hour and a half to get to the terminal, getting up at 4 `o`clock is no easy task when you are of a certain age when the enjoyment of the travel to the airport is no longer an enjoyable experience, apart from the overcrowding when you get there.

Southampton Airport is enjoyable with its easy going casual approach without compromising security or health and safety measures.

The opportunity to extend the runway to cater for longer journeys can only bring prosperity to the people of Southampton and surrounding areas, being able to fly to the likes of Greece and Turkey will more than double the turnover for all concerned.

The pandemic is showing how much damage is being done to the economy, if the airport is refused permission to expand into the 21 century then it will be condemned to the history books of what might have been.

It will be the end of our travelling days abroad along with many others unless we endure the misery of unwanted travel requirements.

Hope it gets approved.

Colin Elmes

Fareham.