My god, this reminds me of an old game on the Mega Drive (Genesis for you chaps across the pond) and SNES called Aerobiz Supersonic. Buy planes, negotiate airport slots, build routes, make dosh.

Is it possible to upgrade an airport to class 2 then 3? And if I close an airport, does it free up an airport slot?

You can't upgrade the class but you can close smaller ones to open bigger ones

Got hit by my first snowstorm.

Cheers,
Slug

Yer its worth checking the global events page every so often to keep an eye on the bad things like weather but also on the good things like the business events that go on in cities that mean an increase in passengers etc.

What does upgrading an airport do - increase in number of layovers allowed, and increased passengers/cargo waiting for pick up?

I didn't know you could tap on the passing coins, cheers.

Upgrading means more layover slots and more jobs I believe. I dont think you can change the class of an airport.

I love the cheeky names they have given things. I have just brought my airlines first 'Pearjet' Makes a change from the normal Birchcraft I had been buying before

What do you guys think of buying mainly M-type aircraft as an expansion strategy? I find that often my P or C type aircraft (esp those with capacity 3 or more) end up idle at the airport waiting for passengers/cargo whereas it's easier to fill up the M-types and turn them around quickly.
Btw I started in Oceania, but I've opened an airport in Jakarta which will be my springboard into Asia.

Nearly started off in Hong Kong but then I thought of the rainy season and typhoons, the buggers can be huge and wreck havoc across the region.
Went for Manchester instead

Cheers,
Slug