IN reply to Mr Enticknap's letter (December 2), I would point out that the runways at Newcastle, Durham Tees Valley and Humberside are respectively 2,339, 2,291 and 2,196 meters long, whereas the runway at Elvington is approximately 1,000 metres longer at 3,230.

This means that Elvington can take inter-continental traffic but, with the exception of Doncaster Sheffield (which is only just in Yorkshire), these three airports can only take European traffic.

I would think that a county the size of Yorkshire could use two inter-continental airports.

Some weeks ago we were told the lack of tourists in York was partly due to the number of cheap flights abroad.

It would be nice if some cheap flights from abroad were coming into Elvington.

Mike Usherwood,

Huntington,

York.

Updated: 10:59 Friday, December 09, 2005