Bradford Council is right to be calling for a public inquiry into the plan to develop a new airport at Finningley, near Doncaster. Competition is a good thing, but too much competition can sometimes be counter-productive by spreading available business too thinly.

That is a possibility if the proposed airport was to go ahead. This region already has three airports, with Leeds-Bradford leading the field and Sheffield and Humberside performing lesser but still significant roles for their parts of the county. A new airport near Doncaster would do none of them any good, particularly if - as is feared - flights from it were subsidised initially to woo the important charter trade.

That could affect the commercial viability of the existing airports by drawing charter trade away from them - something which, in its turn, might mean that passengers from this part of the world would have less choice of flights from their local airport and would have to travel further afield before they could start their holiday or embark on business trips.

Leeds-Bradford airport has grown steadily - if sometimes a little painfully and controversially - from modest beginnings. It can now lay claim to being a major asset to this busy and thriving region, offering a very convenient alternative to a slow journey across the Pennines to Manchester.

It needs to be encouraged to grow so it can offer flights to even more destinations. That growth could be threatened if a new airport is allowed to open for business and lure away some of its present bread-and-butter trade.

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