It's really not that big of a deal. You set up a package proxy that is itself behind the airgap, and you're good. Yes, you have to put some extra effort into moving packages across that airgap when you need to add or upgrade one, but then, isn't having to do things like that kind of the whole point of an airgap?
I certainly wouldn't want to ask that the other 99% of the world's developers avoid a feature that's useful to them just to assuage my feelings of envy about the convenience they enjoy.
I certainly wouldn't want to ask that the other 99% of the world's developers avoid a feature that's useful to them just to assuage my feelings of envy about the convenience they enjoy.