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Summaries of, and links to, the latest aviation news stories appear below. News is archived into topics
For a daily compilation of UK articles on national and regional transport issues, see Transportinfo.org.uk | For more stories about specific airports see Aviation Environment Federation Transport & Environment Anna Aero TravelMole Press releases from CAA IATA BA Ryanair easyJet Jet2.com For climate change ECEEE news and Guardian Climate and NoAA monthly analysisCheck Hansard for reports on Parliament |
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Latest news stories:
NGOs write to Aviation Minister asking that airport expansions are stopped until aviation CO2 emissions can actually be reduced
Currently there are expansion plans by 7 UK airports (Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Bristol, Leeds Bradford, Southampton and Manston) and government has no coherent policy on aviation carbon emissions in relation to the UK "net zero" by 2050 target. So a group of NGOs (AEF, AirportWatch, Friends of the Earth, Green Alliance, Greenpeace, Possible and T&E) has written to Aviation Minister, Robert Courts, calling on the Government to withdraw its policy support for airport expansion until aviation carbon emissions are actually falling, and wider UK emissions are substantially below a 1.5C-compliant trajectory. It also voices concerns that the Government’s draft Jet Zero strategy is built around assumptions that future increases in sustainable fuels and carbon removals will occur after 2030, but with no clear policy plan to ensure that happens. The letter points out that neither the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) for a new runway at Heathrow nor the Making Best Use (MBU) policy for other airports – both released in 2018 – have yet been assessed for their compatibility with achieving net zero aviation by 2050. Planning authorities should not be left reliant on out-of-date policies when determining applications for airport expansion - as happens now.
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Element Energy report shows air travel demand reduction is essential, to cut UK aviation carbon
New report for the Aviation Environment Federation, by Element Energy, looks at the reality of the UK government's reliance on novel technologies to eventually cut aviation carbon emissions. The DfT is depending on greatly improved aircraft energy efficiency, as well as electric planes, planes powered by hydrogen, and a huge component of new lower-carbon fuels, SAF (sustainable aviation fuels) replacing kerosene, and carbon capture and storage. The DfT does not consider reducing demand for flying, and considers an increase of 70% above the level in 2018, by 2050, as acceptable. Element Energy show the aspiration of 2% annual plane efficiency gains is unrealistic, and even 1.5% will be difficult. They consider that novel fuels might, at best, produce a carbon saving of 60%, not the 100% the DfT hopes for. The price of carbon in future needs to be high, for international flights, and if it does not increase enough, flying demand will not decrease - to the DfT forecasts are unreliable. The study concludes that, even with a high proportion of SAF being used, and optimal fuel efficiency gains, by 2050 there would need to be a reduction in flights and passengers of around 45%, if the sector is to achieve the target of 15MtCO2 (even that is a huge amount of carbon).
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Tees Valley airport loses link to Heathrow. Is the airport even needed?
Heathrow (always keen to make more money) wants to charge the maximum possible on its take-off and landing fees. Airlines and people who like to fly are angry about their trips costing perhaps £10 more than before .... that ignores the fact that rail journeys are hugely more expensive than flights, which are crazily cheap. Teeside airport has now lost its link to Heathrow, as Loganair says it cannot make money on the route, if the Heathrow charges are a bit higher. Councils like the kudos of having an airport, and the Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, is very keen on the airport increasing its number of passengers are routes, regardless of the increased carbon emissions. Some are asking if there needs to be a Teeside airport, as it is 44 miles from Newcastle airport. The recent launch of a direct train service from Middlesbrough to London means the Heathrow cancellation isn't much of a loss.
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TUI to offer train tickets instead of short-haul flights to 6 cities, from the Netherlands
Holiday company TUI will replace plane seats with train tickets on some routes from the Netherlands, in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint (while continuing to encourage more people to fly on holidays). Passengers booking Tui city breaks will be offered the chance to travel by rail from the Netherlands to six European cities - to Copenhagen, Prague, Vienna, Venice, Milan and Florence. The move will be launched by TUI’s Dutch division as part of a collaboration with train travel start-up Green City Trip. Flight tickets will still be available for those routes.
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High Court hearing granted on the Bristol Airport expansion ruling
Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN) campaigners have been given permission to go to the High Court to appeal against the expansion of Bristol Airport. The date is still to be set. A judge has decided that BAAN raised arguable grounds following the Planning Inspectorate's (PI) decision to permit expansion of annual capacity, from 10 to 12 million passengers. The airport will continue to fight for their expansion. Government planning inspectors granted permission for the expansion plans, on appeal in February, after the plans were rejected by North Somerset Council in 2020 on environmental grounds. These include far higher carbon emissions, more noise, more air pollution and more road traffic. BAAN has raised more than £20,000, through crowd funding, to pay for legal costs to support its appeal. Stephen Clarke, from BAAN, said: "The idea that airports can just continue to expand without limit, in the middle of a climate and ecological crisis, is so obviously wrong. We are delighted that the judge agrees we have arguable grounds that the inspector's decision has errors in law and we look forward to the full hearing." If the court rules in favour of BAAN, then the PI will have to reconsider its decision.
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For 20 years the aviation industry has missed every [except one] of their sustainability targets – that will probably continue
A report commissioned by the climate charity Possible assessed every target set by the airline industry since 2000 and found that nearly all had been missed, revised or quietly ignored. This undermines a UK government plan to leave airlines to reduce their emissions through self-regulation. There are a range of targets that cover various measure of carbon efficiency. The levels of ambition underpinning the targets were generally insufficient, even if met, to reduce the absolute climate impact of aviation in the context of ongoing growth in demand. Business behaviour does not appear to be driven by environmental targets. The target setting often appears to function principally as a tactic for giving an impression to the public and policymakers, of progress and action being taken to address aviation’s environmental impacts in order to prevent any policy barriers to ongoing growth in the industry. The research found unclear definitions, opaque monitoring and inconsistent reporting made many targets difficult to assess, with many also suddenly changed, replaced or dropped. Even if met, they were insufficiently ambitious to reduce aviation’s climate impact.
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EU urged to cut emissions from aviation faster – and address the aromatics problem
Ciarán Cuffe, a Green MEP who is shadow rapporteur for the ReFuelEU Aviation file in the European Parliament’s transport committee, has called for the EU’s "clean" aviation fuels law to be amended to include non-CO2 effects. This includes the release of soot and harmful gases, including sulphur and nitrogen oxide, as well as water vapour, from jet engines. The EU’s proposed green aviation law overlooks the true climate cost of flying, with the non-CO2 effects of air travel producing 2-4 times the impact of CO2 emissions. He says it is not credible to delay by another decade and rely solely on voluntary industry efforts. This hasn’t worked up until now, and it won’t work in the future. Some of the non-CO2 impacts are due to aromatics in the fuel (compounds like propyl benzene, tetralin and p-xylene). So there are demands to reduce the amount of these, and sulphur content, in jet fuel. However these aromatics are important in current jet engine design, as they help swell seals and improve flow. If the industry goes for more novel fuels in future, these do not contain aromatics. So either aromatics will have to be added to the fuels, to protect the engines - or engines will have to be adapted.
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IAG, British Airways parent company, records heavy loss for first quarter of 2022
British Airways’ parent company, IAG, has recorded a heavy loss for the first three months of the year as the Omicron Covid variant cut passenger numbers. Pre-tax losses for International Airlines Group were £916 million, although this was lower than the £1.2 billion loss in the same period in 2021. IAG says there is more business flying, a higher load factor, and more premium leisure passengers. It says it expects to return to profitability from April for the summer, and for 2022 as a whole. Flight capacity in the first 3 months of the year was 65% of 2019 levels, up from 58% between October and December. IAG is hoping this will rise to 80% between April and June, and 85% during July, August and September. However, there have been a lot of cancelled flights, due to shortage of ground staff, and IAG is reducing the number of short haul (ie. not quite such high carbon ...) flights.
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How middlemen carbon brokers take a cut from money meant to help offset CO2 emissions
Many airlines like to encourage their passengers to buy carbon offsets, so they can hope the impact of the carbon their flight puts into the atmosphere is somehow reduced. There are many arguments against the uses of offsets, and reasons why they are ineffective - what is needed is preventing the CO2 being emitted today, not hopes of it being removed in several years. But now joint research by Greenpeace's Unearthed, and others, has found that much of the money that is paid for a carbon offset - in the hope it will go to some project that is attempting to reduce carbon - in practice is ending up in the hands of brokers and middlemen. The carbon offset market is booming, with many new schemes - and money to be made by those working in finance, who themselves do nothing to reduce carbon emissions. There is a serious lack of regulation and transparency in the carbon markets, and that needs to change. The research found cases where brokers bought carbon credits from forestry projects in poorer countries, and sold them on to consumers and companies, including airlines and oil firms, at much higher prices - making a huge profit.
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Judge Holgate’s decision on legality of Southampton Airport runway extension approval expected soon
A High Court ruling, by Justice Holgate, on whether the decision by Eastleigh Borough Council to grant planning permission for the 163 metre extension of the runway at Southampton Airport was unlawful is expected in the coming days. In April 2021, Eastleigh Borough Council voted to approve planning permission for the scheme. Then this was followed in July 2021 by a judicial review (JR) claim filed by GOESA Ltd - the local opposition group. They say the decision should have been called in, for decision by the Secretary of State, and that Southampton Airport has greatly overstated the economic benefits of the expansion and underplayed the environmental impacts. Following an oral hearing in December, permission was granted for a JR, and this was finally heard on April 27 and 28, with Justice Holgate presiding over the case. The review considered the environmental impacts of the scheme, legal and planning issues and whether the plan should have been called in. The judge said a confidential draft of his decision would be circulated to the QCs and their legal teams in the coming days, with a final version to be made public shortly after.
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Government needs ‘coherent position’ and policy on aviation carbon emissions’ before giving CAA more responsibility on environmental issues
The Transport Committee has told the government that it must review the powers granted to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to facilitate the introduction of more environmental constraints. In its new report, "UK aviation: reform for take-off" the Transport Committee says: “The Government must review how the Civil Aviation Authority’s powers can be reformed to enable the regulator to enforce environmental mandates that the Government may introduce for the aviation sector.” The problem is that the government does not have much policy on the environmental impacts, especially carbon emissions and noise, for aviation. The AEF says that, as an arm of the central government, the CAA is hamstrung by whichever regulations are put in place – or not – by Downing Street. If there are no standards or policies from government, there is little for the CAA to regulate. This is the case for noise, since the government closed down the ICCAN and handed its responsibilities to the DfT. We need the Government to actually introduce some meaningful environmental standards for aviation before the CAA can be brought in to enforce them.
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Heathrow fears drop in air travel demand this winter after summer travel ‘bubble’
In July 2021, Heathrow had £2.9 billion of losses due to the Covid pandemic. By the end of March 2022, the losses were £4 billion. The total consolidated net debt of Heathrow Finance plc was £15.4 billion in January 2022 and £15.576 in March 2022. Heathrow is hoping for a huge increase in its passenger number this year, compared to last year - though it will still be below the number in 2019. Its 2022 passenger forecast has risen from 45.5 million to 52.8 million, but that is still just 65% of the 2019 pre-pandemic level. But Heathrow is till expecting to remain in the red in 2022. There is a current bubble of air travel demand, as people want to go abroad after being in the UK during the pandemic. But it seems likely that with the high price of oil, the considerable cost of living increase, lower GDP growth, continuing Covid around the world, and uncertainties with the Ukraine war, demand for flights will fall after the summer. Heathrow is anticipating a “winter freeze” in demand. It is possible there will be another Covid variant of concern later this year, that could see the return of UK travel restrictions, deterring people from flying.
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World’s biggest carbon removal machine ‘freezes over’ in Iceland – illustrating the myth of future CCS
Global emissions of CO2 are around 36 billion metric tonnes from the burning of fossil fuels. Taking into account emissions from land use change, it is well over 40 billion. To prevent further climate change, very little more greenhouse gases should be added to the atmosphere, beyond what the natural carbon sinks (oceans, forests, vegetation, soils etc) can remove annually. So that means humanity should be removing many billions of tonnes of CO2, into permanent storage, each year. That is in addition to increasing the amount stored temporarily in trees and vegetation. So far the only machines doing carbon capture and storage (CCS) can only remove tiny quantities of CO2. Now the Orca machine in Iceland has had problems due to unusually cold weather ... When working well, it might remove 4,000 tonnes per year (at huge cost). There would thus need to be 1 million such machines to remove 4 billion tonnes per year. That really is not going to happen. Though there are many dozen CCS machines already working, most send the CO2 into oil reserves, for "enhanced oil recovery" (surely not the spirit of removing the CO2 in the first place - but profitable). Otherwise, who will pay to store the CO2, if it cannot be sold, for a profit?
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Alex Chapman: Five ways the government’s irresponsible plans for aviation are putting us all at risk
In an excellent analysis, Alex Chapman (from the New Economics Foundation, NEF) looks at the reality of the UK government's hopes of reducing aviation carbon emissions, while letting the sector continue to grow for decades. The DfT will allow an increase in the UK’s air capacity by 70%, or 200 million passengers above 2018 levels, by 2050. There is no way this can be done, without increasing CO2 emissions, as there are no proven technologies for low carbon flight available at scale, and quickly. The DfT's plans are irresponsible and dangerous, and represent the epitome of the ‘burn now and cross our fingers something will save us later’ philosophy which has led our climate to the brink. A key problem is how the UK government ignores the highly significant non-CO2 impacts of aviation. Electric flight, or hydrogen powered flight, will not be available on any scale for decades (if ever) so the sector is depending on "sustainable aviation fuels" (SAF) and doing dodgy carbon life-cycle accounting for them. It also ignores the various environmental impacts, other than just carbon, created by using plant material in SAF. Then all that is left is hoping against hope that offsets might work (no) or that carbon can be captured from the air and stored. That will not happen on the scale needed.
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BA and Velocys planning to produce aviation fuels in Immingham
Velocys, a company keen to produce alternative aviation fuels, has extended its agreements with British Airways over plans for a fuel refinery on the South Humber Bank. Velocys and BA have signed up to further the joint development proposal for the £350 million Altalto Immingham project, as well as an option agreement for BA to buy 50% of it. Velocys has also entered into a contract with an un-named European renewable fuels developer to provide initial engineering services. The aim is to use "sustainable residues" (not adequately defined) into lower carbon fuels, using the energy intensive Fischer Tropsch process. BA says it has just started receiving "sustainable aviation fuel" from the nearby Phillips 66 Humber Refinery. BA originally, in 2020, joined up with Velocys and Shell, to produce "low carbon" jet fuel in Immingham, but Shell pulled out in January 2021 to develop on its own in Germany. Velocys is also developing aviation fuels with other companies, in the US.
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Dutch watchdog rules KLM’s ‘Carbon Zero’ advert is misleading
The Dutch advertising watchdog (like the UK's ASA) ruled that a KLM promotion telling customers they could fly carbon-emission free is misleading. The ad’s tag line, “Be a hero, fly CO2 zero,” is an absolute claim, the Dutch Advertising Code Committee said in their verdict and the company had the burden of proving the statement - it could not. While the ruling is limited to only one airline it touches on broader pressure on airlines to lower their carbon footprint and ‘flight-shaming’ campaigns to get people to stopping flying. Commercially viable alternatives like electric and hydrogen powered jetliners are decades away - so all airlines can do at present is "offsetting" carbon emissions (that is not an effective measure). Offsets such as tree planting and forest protection are no proper compensation for carbon emitted, by a journey or other burning of fossil fuels. There is no real chance of genuinely low carbon aviation fuel being available in significant amounts, without causing various other environmental problems. KLM has two weeks to decide whether it wants to appeal.
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Unwise to depend on future carbon removal, while continuing to emit CO2
Schemes to suck up carbon emissions and permanently remove it from the atmosphere will be essential, as humanity is unable and unwilling to cut its carbon emissions. The techniques to be used to remove carbon are CCS (carbon capture and storage), Beccs (bioenergy with carbon capture and storage - with huge potential negative impact on land use and biodiversity) and Daccs (Direct Air Capture with Carbon Capture Storage). But they will have the effect of allowing the continuation of "business as usual" and preventing the drastic carbon reductions that are needed, now and the the near future. There is not going to be the capacity, let alone the ability or willingness to pay for it, to permanently store the billions of CO2 necessary. Yet sectors like aviation are depending on these unlikely, unproven technologies, in order to continue to emit carbon for years, with almost no reduction in emissions. Regrettably the inclusion of future carbon removal technologies in the IPCC’s models is encouraging policymakers to treat carbon removal technology as a fait accompli and delay essential emissions reductions policies.
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T&E finds Europe’s largest airlines claim net zero future whilst lobbying to weaken EU’s climate laws
New analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E) finds that the 4 legacy airlines - Air France, Lufthansa, Iberia and Aer Lingus [both part of IAG] - are working to water down EU’s climate plans for aviation, letting up to 72% of EU aviation emissions off the hook. This is despite publicly committing to net zero emissions by 2050. Europe’s biggest airlines have been lobbying decision makers to weaken the environmental ambition of the EU’s climate plans for aviation, such as its sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) proposal (ReFuelEU). There are major discrepancies between the airlines’ public commitments and their tenacious lobbying efforts. Negative climate lobbying efforts are led by the IATA as well as the airlines. Analysis by T&E shows clear signs that IATA and IAG’s positions have filtered through a number of amendments submitted by decision makers to the European Parliament. The airlines are making crowd-pleasing pledges of net-zero emissions, but in the background, they send IAG and IATA to do their dirty work: lobby to weaken the EU’s climate package so they can continue to pollute for free.”
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Luton airport’s bid to set aside noise limits is called in by Secretary of State
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has called-in Luton Borough Council’s December decision to set aside the noise and growth limits imposed on Luton Airport until 2028. In its decision letter, the DLUHC cites concerns over climate change, policies for enhancing the natural environment, and the local development plan which was to be set aside to allow more airport growth. Campaigners have welcomed the decision as enabling the national Planning Inspectorate to review what many feel is a conflicted situation in which the Council derives significant revenue from the Airport but is also responsible for planning decisions which affect its environmental impacts on the whole local area. Andrew Lambourne, from anti-noise group LADACAN which led the calls for a call-in, said: “People living all around Luton Airport had to put up with far more noise, pollution and traffic congestion than they should have done between 2017 and 2019, and they deserve justice."
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Surinder Arora is rekindling his rival bid to build a new terminal at Heathrow
Hotels tycoon Surinder Arora wants to build a rival terminal at Heathrow. He is understood to have held talks with the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority about his plans to a new terminal, that might be dedicated (or may not) to Virgin Atlantic, Air France and Delta flights, on Heathrow-owned land. Mr Arora wants to expand Heathrow's capacity using the new terminal by up to 18 mppa more, without building a new runway - so there would be more planes on the existing runways. Heathrow airport has plans for a third runway, that have been held up for years and look increasingly unlikely after the financial losses caused by the Covid pandemic, and the change in flying behaviour of many companies and individuals. There are also serious climate concerns, so no government should allow airport expansion when aviation carbon emissions are meant to be reducing.
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France: domestic short-haul flights to be banned where train takes under 2.5 hours
The French government has become the first large economy to ban short-haul flights where a train or bus alternative of two and a half hours or less exists. This was voted on in 2021 and came into effect in April 2022. The intention is to reduce the country’s aviation CO2 emissions and might have the effect of eliminating 12% of French domestic flights, such as those between Paris to cities such as Bordeaux, Nantes or Lyon. In 2021, the French government bailed out Air France with €7 billion after suffering Covid losses, and it made the condition that the airline become more environmental conscious. The government asked other airlines to do the same, as the absence of Air France flights might offer low-cost carriers an opportunity to move in and offer the same flights. And the French government does not want Air France to be undercut, on international routes from Paris, by other airlines if too many domestic links are removed. Eurocontrol found flights shorter than 311 miles made up 31% of European flights in 2020 yet contributed just over 4% of the EU's total aviation emissions. And EU flights over 2,485 miles, for which alternative train travel is less feasible, made up 6% of all flights, but produced 52% of emissions. So the French move will have little CO2 impact.
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By March 2021 Teeside airport had liabilities of £27.48m and net assets of £1.8m
Teesside Airport has reported a £13.4m operating loss as the pandemic caused a 90% fall in passenger numbers in the year to March 2021. The airport's newly published show its turnover for the year fell 38% to £4.8m, down from £7.7m from the year ending March 2020. The number of passengers fell to just 14,521 from 139,448. It incurred £2.73m costs associated with contract termination, including a contact with Close Security Protection. During the year, a total of £20m was drawn down from two loan facilities - a £34.4m facility from Tees Valley Combined Authority and a further £23.6m set up last year to fund development of the airport’s Southside business park. The airport hopes to get thousands more tourists for holiday flights this year, to destinations such as Alicante, Palma, Corfu and Faro. The airport benefited from Government support packages of £886,278 - including £407,439 from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and £478,839 via the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme run by the DfT and used to cover business rates during the period. The accounts show that at the end of March 2021 the airport had liabilities of £27.48m and net assets of £1.8m.
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Airport expansion and UK climate policy: a mess that needs urgent attention
The IPCC report of 28th February was clear that action has to be taken, fast, to reduce carbon emissions, if there is to be a "liveable future" for all. Carbon emissions should halve by 2030, to give the world a chance of not increasing the temperature more than 1.5C above pre-industrial. But with the eyes of the world on the war in Ukraine, it did no get the reporting and the discussion it deserved. Airports in the UK (and elsewhere) continue to plan, not only for more flights and passengers, but for more infrastructure to enable yet more expansion. The UK is currently not on track to meet its 4th and 5th carbon budgets, going up to 2032. The government's climate advisors, the Climate Change Committee, say “there is no room for airport expansions”. Local authorities say the carbon emissions from the expansion are not their problem but for national government to decide. But the UK still has no policy on aviation carbon, assessed across all airports. National planning policy guidance for local councils about climate change and aviation is out of date and contradictory, with airports claiming the law encourages them to "make best use of" existing infrastructure. Proper joined up policy is needed quickly. See full piece by Nick Hodgkinson
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There were an average of 500 “ghost flight” international departures per month from UK between October and December 2021
In February, Alex Sobel MP obtained information from the DfT and CAA, to a parliamentary question, on "ghost flights." There had been almost 15,000 “ghost flights” that took off from the 32 UK airports between March 2020 and September 2021. That only includes international departures, not the arrivals or any domestic flights. There were an average of 760 ghost flights a month over the period. Now more recent data shows that, despite more air travel and fewer Covid restrictions, almost 500 “ghost flights” a month departed from the UK airports between October and December 2021. A ghost flight is one with fewer than 10% of passenger load capacity. The government relaxed the "use it or lose it" slot use rule during the pandemic, so airlines no longer had to use 80% of their slots. It was then increased to 50% use and from 27th March 2022 it reverted to 70% use. Though some low capacity flights can be explained, the vast majority cannot be justified, in terms of carbon emissions. The government needs to review its policy on ghost flights, especially the aviation industry claims it is aiming to be "net zero" for carbon.
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UK government paying £685 million for “sustainable aviation fuel” development over 3 years
The aviation industry, and pro-aviation governments, are doing all they can to convince themselves and the world in general that it will be possible - at some not-too-far-ahead date - to fly huge, heavy planes thousands of miles, but with no additional carbon entering the atmosphere. The trick most are banking on is "sustainable aviation fuels" (SAF). These fuels are going to have to be impressive, in being combusted in a jet engine, with no net carbon produced ... The aviation sector is keen not to have to pay the fuel research costs itself. So it wants financial assistance from governments (ie. taxpayer money). The UK Sec of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, is an aviation enthusiast (he has his own plane), and is enthusiastic about funding being given to companies trying to make flying "green." In October 2021 the UK government announced it would provide £180 million to support the development of SAF plants. In December we were told of £15 million being given to 8 companies. But now it is announced that £685 million is being given for a "sustainable aviation" programme over 3 years. The government wants to see perhaps 10% of SAF being used by planes by 2030 - even 50% by 2050 - the current figure is well below 1%.
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Environmental Audit Committee puts the vital, hard questions to BEIS Minister, on future dreams of carbon storage
The UK government, the Committee on Climate Change, and industries such as aviation are hoping (against hope) that carbon can continue to be emitted, in amounts only a bit lower than now, and wonderful technologies in future will take carbon out of the atmosphere, and save us all. Now the Commons Environmental Audit Committee - which has a vital role in trying to hold government to account on environmental issues - has written to the BEIS minister, Kwasi Kwarteng, setting out a list of issues with future "Negative Emissions Technologies" (NETs) and engineered greenhouse gas removals. They ask a long list of important, necessary questions. Some of the key issues are whether misguided hopes of the efficacy of these will just allow industries to continue with "business-as-usual" emissions, rather than making the steep, rapid cuts needed. They ask how government will measure and monitor the NETs; how they will assess their effectiveness; how much harm would be done to global biodiversity by growing vast areas of crops, in order to burn them (and capture the CO2). They ask if the carbon storage will be permanent, or if the government will allow captured carbon to be used by industry, especially for enhanced oil and gas recovery. And much more.
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British Airways receives batch of SAF made from “waste oils” from Phillips 66
British Airways says it has received its first batch of "sustainable aviation fuel" (SAF) after it launched into a multi-year agreement with Phillips 66 Humber Refinery. Phillips 66 say the y can produce the fuel at "commercial scale." BA is hoping to be able to get SAF at significant scale, to say it is cutting its carbon emissions - while continuing to fly ever more planes and flights. The parent company of BA, IAG, says it hoped to power 10% of flights with SAF by 2030. There is lots of hype about jobs etc. and that Phillips 66 has invested £20 million in the fuel production complex. Phillips 66 are (as usual for these fuels and ventures) coy about saying what the fuel is actually made from, except that it is from "waste oils", but say they are "currently refining almost half a million litres of sustainable waste feedstocks a day, and this is just a start." IAG is investing $400 million over the next 20 years into the development of SAF. As well as Phillips 66, IAG is hoping to get fuel from the planned Altalto Immingham refinery (using plastic waste) which is not yet even built. The concern is if the jet fuels produced contain any palm oil, or its derivatives, or other plant oils, that compete with food production and increase habitat destruction.
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Government new consultation on the development of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme
The government has opened a technical consultation (aimed at companies, experts - not individuals) on Developing the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. It runs till 17th June. It is asking for stakeholder views on proposals to develop the UK ETS - which operates across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It includes the aviation sector. On aviation it sets out the scope of the review into UK ETS aviation policy, including the future of aviation free allocation, considering responses to the 2019 consultation on carbon pricing, and future use of allegedly "Sustainable Aviation Fuels" (SAFs) and how that could be incentivised under the UK ETS with "options for expanding the coverage of the scheme within the aviation sector." There is a new paper, produced for the DfT and BEIS by Frontier Economics, on the impact of carbon pricing etc on UK aviation causing "carbon leakage" to Europe. ie. people choosing to fly from European airports to long haul destinations, rather than from UK airports. The report does not consider this will be a problem. The issue of airlines being given free allocations of carbon permits, based on past usage, will have to be addressed.
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DfT launches new technical consultation on its “jet zero” (ie. huge future SAF use) plans
The UK government currently does not have an aviation policy, and is aware that this will first require policy decisions on aviation carbon emissions. It hopes that air travel demand will not need to be reduced (the most effective way to control the level of emissions) but instead hopes for "jet zero" flying, largely using novel fuels. These are called SAF (sustainable aviation fuels) and the hope is that they emit less carbon, over their lifecycle, than conventional jet fuel. Now the government has opened a consultation which it calls "Further consultation on the updated evidence and analysis to inform the different pathways to achieve net zero aviation – or jet zero – by 2050." It lasts until 25th April. There was an initial consultation on "jet zero" in July 2021. This consultation is technical (so not easy for most people to respond to). The consultation is unrealistically hoping there might be 50% of SAF use by 2050, with 27% of flights being "net zero" by 2050. It also assumes a continuous 2% increase in efficiency each year, and a 70% increase in air passengers (cf. 2018) when the earlier estimate was a 60% increase.
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Covid may have a long term effect of reducing long-haul flight demand (leisure and business)
It seems that, while demand for short haul flights may be returning, people are not booking long-haul trips - either leisure or business - in the numbers they used to pre-Covid. The pattern of long-haul holiday demand may take years to return, if it ever does. Though many Covid restrictions are now reducing, there are many uncertainties, and travel is more hassle to more distant places. The price of jet fuel has risen, and also the unanticipated crisis of the Ukraine invasion. There were still around 1,400 wide-bodied, long haul planes (about 30% of the total) in storage in aircraft hangers at the start of December 2021 - but few short haul. Although long haul make up just 6% of the flights leaving European airports, they produce more than half of Europe’s aviation CO2 emissions, according to Eurocontrol. Many businesses have switched most of their international contact to videoconferencing, rather than face to face meetings. In March 2022, T&E (Transport & Environment) is planning to launch a corporate travel campaign to reduce - even a 15% cut is significant. But will the change in flying habits last for long?
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Bristol Airport expansion decision to be taken to High Court by local campaigners, BAAN
On 2nd February the Planning Inspectorate allowed the appeal by Bristol airport against refusal by North Somerset Council, for the airport's expansion plans - that would allow it to increase its capacity from 10 million to 12 million passengers per year. Now the campaign group, Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN), is taking the battle to the High Court. They have raised more than £20,000 to appeal the Planning Inspectorate's decision. BAAN believes the expansion will be damaging for local people and the environment, citing a rise in road traffic, increased noise and air pollution and an "inevitable rise in carbon emissions". The Planning Inspectorate said at the time it recognised the "major disappointment" campaigners would have, but the considered economic benefits would outweigh the harm to green belt land. But North Somerset Council will not pursue a legal challenge to the ruling, fearing they would lose and there would be an unacceptable cost to ratepayers. A legal challenge through the High Court can only be successful if the inspectors can be shown to have erred in law, and currently the UK has "no policy which seeks to limit airport expansion" nationally, or on aviation carbon.
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Proposed relaxation of limits on night-time flights at Dublin Airport poses ‘significant hazard to human health’
There have been several studies, in recent years, confirming that aircraft noise at night can have negative health impacts, especially on cardiovascular health. For good health, adults need at least 7 hours of good sleep each night - that requires a period that long without plane noise overhead. Now the Irish Government proposes to allow relaxation of limits on night-time flights at Dublin Airport. This would pose “a significant hazard to human health” for people living in the area. Currently there is a ban on planes using Dublin's new north runway between 11pm and 7am, but the intention is to reduce this to midnight to 7am. ie. from 8 hours to 6 hours without noise. The proposal is also to increase the number of flights overall from 65 per night, between 11p. and 7am, and replace this number with a noise quota scheme, based on the theoretical noise level of planes. All this would increase the level of noise at night, and prevent people living near the airport or under flight paths from getting good quality sleep - with a high probability of negatively impacting their health and well-being.
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Heathrow traffic struggles at 50% of pre-pandemic levels as fuel costs and the outbreak of the Ukraine war add to its problems
Low levels of overseas business travel and tourists coming to Britain have kept Heathrow's passenger numbers at just over half of pre-pandemic volumes. Only 2.9 million people went through Heathrow in February, compared to 5.4 million in February 2019 - the month before the World Health Organisation declared the Covid-19 outbreak to be a pandemic. This was despite the US lifting a 20-month international travel ban on non-US residents and citizens flying to the country, which lead to a surge in travel between the UK and the US. But traveller numbers on Middle Eastern and EU routes rose by over 600%, while the cargo tonnage rose to within 7% of its pre-pandemic levels. Flight bookings continue to be significantly reduced by the continuing strict testing and quarantine rules in multiple countries. Business travel is significantly lower, as companies have cut back expenditure on flights and largely turned to videoconferencing meetings and hybrid working practices. The cost of jet fuel has risen sharply, due to the war in Ukraine. There is also concern about new Covid variants, and some American travellers worry about the behaviour of Russia in Ukraine.
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The cancelling of expansion plans by Leeds Bradford may make other airports less confident about theirs
Leeds Bradford Airport has withdrawn its plans to build a new terminal. That expansion would have allowed a higher number of flights and passenger, as well as carbon emissions. The airport was not keen on having to defend a planning inquiry. Now it is likely that the confidence of other UK airports in their expansion plans may have been reduced. The Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) emphasised the potential impact of the decision, saying: "There are mounting uncertainties for airports both about when passenger demand will return and about the conclusions that decision-makers will reach about the measures necessary to deliver net zero aviation. This is an important victory for local campaigners. While the airport claims it can still grow using its existing permissions, the reality – as the airport itself previously argued - is that it will struggle to launch new routes without the change it was seeking to its operating hours." New Economic Foundation senior researcher Alex Chapman said that to prevent "climate breakdown", society needs to "start making different choices and the era of corporate greenwash needs to end".
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Leeds Bradford Airport has scrapped plans to build a huge new terminal
Leeds Bradford Airport has scrapped plans to build a new £150m terminal, saying they had withdrawn proposals because of "excessive delays" and the decision to hold a public inquiry into the development." That may be because they realise there are very strong reasons, especially on climate, why the terminal should not be built, and they realises there is a likelihood they might lose, wasting money. The expansion plans were first announced in 2020, with a planning application approved by the council in March 2021, despite objections by campaigners and local MPs. There was going to be a public inquiry. The overall impact of the new terminal would have been more planes, more passengers, more carbon emissions. The airport says it will now turn its attention to extending the existing terminal, plans for which were approved by Leeds City Council in 2019. Local opponents, GALBA (Goup for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport) are delighted; they have fought a remarkable, dogged and now successful campaign against the expansion for several years. They said it was a "victory for climate and communities". The higher aviation CO2 emissions would have made it "impossible" for Leeds city to meet its carbon target.
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Gatwick hopes for a better 2022 – it lost £370.6 million in 2021 and £465.5 million in 2020
Gatwick lost just over £1m per day on average - £370.6 million - during 2021. In 2020 it lost about £1.275m per day - about £465.5 million. It had about 10.2 million passengers in 2020, and about 6.3 million in 2021 (mainly in the summer months), compared to 46.6 million in 2019. EasyJet has taken up more Gatwick take-off and landing slots. Cost savings were achieved by moving all airlines and travellers to the smaller North Terminal during months with the tightest Covid travel restrictions. The airport will reopen its South Terminal on March 27 as airlines ramp up their schedules with more passengers. British Airways is restarting its short-haul programme with 18 aircraft on 35 routes. Wizz Air and Vueling are setting up smaller bases. The biggest airline at Gatwick, easyJet, will provide even more capacity than before the coronavirus pandemic, with 79 aircraft covering 120 routes. The airport's CEO Stewart Wingate, hoped 2022 would see a big rise in passengers "providing bureaucracy is reduced."
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SNP accused of ‘greenwashing backroom deal’ over higher Scottish aviation CO2 if Heathrow expands
Documents have shown that the Scottish Government has adopted aviation industry claims that expanding Heathrow would not lead to increased CO2 emissions from Scotland. Logically, if there are many more flights between Scottish airports and Heathrow, that would increase Scotland's aviation carbon emissions. A memo prepared for Scotland's First Minister last October, obtained by The Ferret, claims that “there is nothing to suggest that LHR [Heathrow] expansion will have a negative impact on emissions attributable to Scotland”. Environmental groups say it is “worrying to see how closely aligned the Scottish Government appears to be with the aviation lobby,” and argue that the document “casts doubt on how serious the Scottish Government is about reaching its climate targets”. Claims that emissions would not rise are based on the aviation sector's over-optimistic hopes that remarkable novel fuels will soon be produced (or electric planes will fly using zero-carbon electricity ....) that will mean flying will no longer emit so much carbon. The AEF said the claim that Scotland’s emissions wouldn’t increase as a result of a third runway “suggest[s] some very odd carbon accounting somewhere along the line”.
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UK airport expansion plans mean higher aviation emissions – making a mockery of “net zero” targets
The carbon emissions from UK aviation according to the Climate Change Committee (CCC), were 39.3 MtCO2 in 2018. They were a little higher in 2019, making up 8% of total UK emissions. The CCC advised the government that for its Sixth Carbon Budget (2033 - 37) the carbon emissions of the UK should fall by 63% from their 2019 level. And "net zero" by 2050. The CCC has advised the government that there should be "no net airport expansion". But the government has ignored this advice, and recently government inspectors have allowed expansion plans at Stansted and Bristol. Southampton and Leeds Bradford airports are trying to get expansion approval. So instead of making every effort to cut UK aviation emissions, things are going in the opposite direction. Stansted Airport Watch says that, taken together, the airport expansion proposals that have been approved in the past year, and those in the pipeline, will increase UK airport capacity to over 500 million passengers per annum. This compares to 297 million passengers in 2019, before Covid, and 292 million in 2018. "With so much extra airport capacity in the pipeline, there will be no prospect of aviation achieving the Government's objective of net zero emissions by 2050."
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Ending “ghost flights” would be one of the simplest ways to cut UK aviation CO2 – government not keen to help
The UK government has produced a (predictably bland, uninformative, unhelpful) response to the petition asking for an end to the slot use rules that encourage airlines to fly "ghost flights." ie. empty planes or those with under 10% full. During the worst periods of Covid, the 80:20 slot use rule was removed. Now the rule is 70% use. That still has the effect of making airlines fly more planes than necessary, with a low load factor, just to hang onto the slot. Data has now revealed that 15,000 ghost flights flew from UK airports between March 2020 and September 2021. Shockingly, in 2019, aviation accounted for 8% of all UK emissions, and it shows no sign of slowing soon. The global industry may be slowly improving its efficiency, by about 2% a year, but passenger growth still surges ahead. There is an urgent need to cut the CO2 from air travel, and that can only mean fewer flights. There are no amazing tech solutions that will reduce aviation emissions to any significant extent, for decades (if ever). The really "low hanging fruit" of cutting aviation emissions is not encouraging unnecessary flights that are almost empty. Ghost flights need to be ended. Fast.
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“Greenwash Earth” gives Luton airport its “Greenwasher of the Month” award for its expansion carbon claims
There are a lot of contenders for a "greenwashing" award, with many in the aviation sector. Now the group, Greenwash Earth has awarded its gong of "Greenwasher of the Month" to Luton airport for its crazy claims. They won the award for claiming they can develop a "sustainable" airport. The term "sustainable" used to mean something, when first introduced 20 or so years ago - but has now been debased into meaninglessness. Luton claims increasing the capacity of the airport to 32 million passengers per year, by building a new terminal and making the best use of the existing runway, will somehow be "sustainable" and not emit any more carbon. It is nonsensical to pretend that more flights will not raise carbon emissions, and make it harder for the UK to meet climate targets, or for the earth not to heat more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. Greenwash Earth say there is similar nonsense being promoted by other airports, such as Bristol and Heathrow.
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Airbus hoping to have a “green” hydrogen-fuelled test flight “in a few years”
There are huge technical problems for the aviation industry, in trying to fly commercial airliners on hydrogen. Some are that hydrogen is a tiny molecule, and needs very strong, heavy tanks to keep it in; it has to be compressed and kept cold, and needs large tanks. But now Airbus says it has signed a partnership agreement with CFM International, to try to produce a hydrogen demonstration programme, hoping to manage a test flights "in the new few years." The demonstration will use an A380 flying testbed. It is hoped that the technology can be used "to assist with zero-emission flights by 2035." Airbus first produced futuristic concept designs for a hydrogen- fuelled plane in 2020. At the time, Airbus hoped they could operate commercial hydrogen-powered flights by 2035. Of course, Airbus wants a lot of government investment (ie. taxpayer money) to increase the production of hydrogen and create hydrogen transport and refuelling systems. Hydrogen could only be a low-carbon jet fuel if it is produced entirely using low-carbon electricity. There are many other more important demands on renewably generated electricity. Under 1% of the hydrogen produced in 2019 was made using 100% renewably-powered processes.
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Reply to a Parliamentary Question shows during 18 months of Covid, around 15,000 “ghost flights” flew from UK airports
It has been difficult to obtain the data, from airlines, of the number of flights they operate that have no passengers, or are under 10% capacity. These are termed ghost flights, and are a terrible unnecessary source of carbon emissions. Now MP Alex Sobel has asked a parliamentary question, replied to by Robert Courts (Aviation Minister), giving some recent date for the UK. The responses, through the DfT and CAA, was that almost 15,000 “ghost flights” took off from the 32 UK airports between March 2020 and September 2021. Heathrow was top, with 4,910 ghost flights in that 18 month period. Manchester and Gatwick were the next highest. There were an average of 760 ghost flights a month over the period, although the data covered only international departure and not domestic flights. During the pandemic the slot use rules that had required 80% of slots to be used were completely suspended. Airlines did not have to operate flights to retain the slots, but nonetheless flew about 14,470 ghost flights. This was partly as demand for flying was so low, planes flew with just a handful of passengers.
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Car and airline adverts helped produce something like 200-600 million tonnes CO2 per year due to increased sales
New research by Greenpeace and the New Weather Institute reveals the extent of the climate impacts from cars and airline adverts. Of course, advertising increases demand and therefore carries a climate and ecological impact associated with the greater purchase and use of the advertised products. The research has tried to work out the amount of money companies make from the higher sales, against the extra carbon produced. A report by the Purpose Disruptors group, ‘Advertised Emissions: the carbon emissions generated by UK advertising’, used a similar reasoning to measure the CO2 emissions (estimated at 186 million tonnes CO2 equivalent for 2019) associated with the increased spend driven by advertising activities in the UK. They say at a global level, car advertising could be responsible for some 570 million tonnes of CO2 (ie. 27 million tonnes higher than Australia’s entire GHG emissions in 2019). Airline advertising globally, which has a lower climate impact than car ads, may be associated with about 34 million tonnes of CO2 - a bit less than all UK annual aviation emissions, pre-Covid.
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Holland-Kaye quits civil service recruitment panel for new DfT aviation lead, after backlash from airlines
Recently it was learned that John Holland-Kaye, CEO of Heathrow airport, had been included in the 6-person panel to select the next incumbent of the role of most senior DfT aviation official. There had been outcry, fury and condemnation from the airlines, due to the fear of bias and the threat to impartiality if Holland-Kaye was involved. Now he has stepped down from the panel, following a backlash from airlines. Nigel Wicking, chief executive of the Heathrow Airline Operating Committee, a body that represents the carriers serving the airport, said: “We note and support the Civil Service values of ‘impartiality, objectivity, integrity and honesty’ and would question how the panel can be impartial when it contains the chief executive of Heathrow Airport, the regulated monopoly that the new director general will oversee..... Whether any bias is real or just perceived, it will cast shade on any future Government decisions involving Heathrow."
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ICAO contemplates tougher emissions standards on CO2 and noise for aircraft
UN aviation experts at ICAO are again discussing toughening emissions standards for commercial aircraft, less than six years before a previously agreed standard takes effect. Support for a new emissions standard could put pressure on plane-makers, which need years to adapt to rule changes due to long production cycles, to cease producing their least efficient models. Some ICAO member countries back the introduction of more stringent standards. One source said ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) agreed to draft new standards. However, it is not clear when these might come into force - it is hoped before 2025 - nor how tough the standards would be. ICAO is seeking broad agreement this year on a long-term aviation carbon reduction goal, but there are differences with countries such as China (with a young, growing aviation sector) not enthusiastic. ICAO's governing council has already backed emissions rules for new planes, with a cut-off date of 2028 for planes that do not comply with the standard, unless exempted.
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Swapping plane travel for low-carbon travel and staycations would create many more jobs – says new report
There is a real interest in how to provide good jobs, in lower carbon sectors, for people who currently work in high-carbon industries, such as aviation. This just transition is something society needs to achieve, quite fast. A new report by the organisation, Possible, and thinktank Autonomy, has crunched the numbers and found that there could be many more jobs, in local tourism and associated activities, such as rail and ferries, than in the aviation sector. Possible says job losses in the aviation sector would be far outweighed by those created elsewhere. The number of flights and passengers will have to reduce, in order to keep the CO2 emissions from aviation low enough, as there are no realistic low-carbon alternatives at scale for many decades, if ever. In the scenario which reduced aviation demand by half, around 139,000 jobs were lost and 422,000 jobs were created, generating a net increase in employment of around 283,000. In the scenario which reduced aviation by two thirds, 187,000 jobs were lost and 521,000 created, providing a net increase in jobs of around 337,000. This would help with the transition to a low-carbon economy.
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Wandsworth to help support the coalition against Heathrow’s 3rd runway
Wandsworth Council has provided the No Third Runway Coalition with much needed funds , £5,781, to help continue to campaign and provide effective and influential opposition to the Heathrow's 3rd runway plan and the airport's negative impact on local communities. Wandsworth has long argued against the case for a third runway and the huge impact it would have on the local environment, noise levels and residents' overall health and well-being. It joined forces with five local councils, Greenpeace and others to legally challenge the Government’s decision to allow the runway and in 2020 the Court of Appeal ruled that this decision was unlawful, as it was at odds with commitments to limit rises in global temperatures. However this ruling has since been overturned by the Supreme Court meaning the campaign to stop the runway continues. As well as the noise impacts of Heathrow, Wandsworth also has significant concerns about the air quality and climate impacts of allowing any expansion. Council leader, Ravi Govindia said "Wandsworth will work with the No Third Runway Coalition to do everything we can as a council to stop this happening."
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MAG warns the 10 councils that own it that they may not get any dividends till 2027
The Manchester Airports Group (MAG) owns Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports. MAG is owned by Greater Manchester's 10 councils, which used to make huge profits from their airports, before Covid. Several other UK airports, such as Birmingham, are owned by councils. Since the start of the pandemic, many airports have had to be given loans by the councils that own them. Now the MAG councils have been warned they might not receive any dividend from their ownership of MAG airports, until 2027. Several councils have become dependent on the airport money - which is a problem, if they aim to cut carbon emissions, but need as much (high carbon) flying as possible, to pay their bills and provide council services. MAG last paid dividends in 2019, sharing £110m amongst its shareholders. Manchester City Council owns 35.5% of MAG; 9 authorities, the Metropolitan Boroughs of Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, together with Salford City Council, collectively own 29%. Australian investment fund Industry Funds Management owns 35.5%.
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Virgin hoping to work with Agilyx to try to make jet fuel from plastic waste, by pyrolysis
Virgin Group has announced it is forming a strategic partnership with Agilyx (a chemical conversion technology company) "to research and develop lower carbon fuel facilities to help address plastic pollution and the global transition to net zero." They want to produce synthetic crude oil from plastic waste that will then be refined into a fuel, through pyrolysis. Waste plastic would be diverted from landfill or incineration. There are few ways to produce jet fuels that are genuinely low carbon, feasible and do not create other environmental problems. Their production, for example trying to make liquid fuels from domestic refuse, is expensive and technically difficult. Most attempts have not been commercially viable. Virgin Group intends to work with Agilyx, one of its venture capital investments, and its first waste-to-fuel location is planned to be in the US, with an aspiration to roll-out similar plants in other countries, including the UK. Agilyx said it sees plastic waste as a valuable above ground resource that is not widely tapped into.
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Campaigners label Heathrow’s new “Sustainability” strategy as “patently underwhelming” in its ambitions, or plans for action
Heathrow has announced its updated environmental "sustainability" strategy, called "Heathrow 2.0: Connecting People and Planet". It wants to do a bit to encourage wildlife near the airport (not birds of course, as they get killed or deterred for safety ...) and get airlines to use allegedly "sustainable aviation fuel" (SAF). Lots of hope .... The "elephant in the room" of their rising carbon emissions from flights, is not properly addressed. Local campaign, the No 3rd Runway Coalition, consider the strategy to be "patently underwhelming" and the "goals to reduce emissions are pifflingly small..." Heathrow has unrealistic hopes of "decarbonising" flights, and also "improving the area around the airport for those who live and work in it’. Heathrow wants to cut "at least 45% of on the ground emissions" which make up about 5% of the total. The increased use of SAF, which is only available in tiny amounts, would need government assistance, says Heathrow. Stop Heathrow Expansion says the plan ‘does not deliver for communities around the airport’ and does not offer any real commitments to end ‘highly disruptive night flights’ , instead of better restrictions on flights between 11pm and 7am.
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Ultrafine particles from aircraft engines can spread miles downwind of airports and can endanger lives
There is growing evidence that suggests tiny particles - ultrafine - of air pollution can affect the heart, lungs, blood pressure and risk foetal growth. These tiny particles, as well as larger ones, are emitted from vehicle engines and from plane engines. The tinier the particle, the further it can get into the lung, and thus into the blood circulation - and hence the widespread effects. Now research by Dr Gary Fuller at Gatwick has shown that the number of ultrafine particles 500 metres downwind of the airport was greater than those at the kerb of London’s busiest roads. They mostly came from aircraft during takeoff and landing, but traffic, car parks and a large catering facility used to cook airline food all added to the problem. Ultrafine particles can travel a long way downwind of an airport, eg. miles from the airport in Los Angeles, and also miles into London from Heathrow. Although known to be a health hazard, ultrafine particles are not included in the environmental assessments for planning applications, putting us at risk of increased air pollution for decades to come.
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DfT post of Director General for Aviation advertised – panel of 6 to select, includes John Holland-Kaye
The role of Director General for Aviation, Maritime and Security at the DfT is currently being advertised, at a salary of about £130,000. Applications can be submitted until 28th February. The previous incumbent was Gareth Davis, who was replaced by an interim director, Dr Rannia Leontaridi, in January 2022. There will be a panel of 6 people to select the new director; 5 of the 6 are civil servants. But the Telegraph has reported that the 6th person is John Holland-Kaye, the CEO of Heathrow airport. Details of the panel, how John Holland-Kaye could be on it, and the proper process of selecting the applicant for one of the most influential roles in aviation in the UK, are still unclear. It is hoped that this will be clarified soon. Airlines are reported to be unhappy about John's choice to be on the panel, and the possibility of undue influence.
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GALBA are raising money now, for the first stages of their challenge at the public inquiry
In January the government announced a public inquiry into the expansion plans of Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA). It will take place in September. The airport wants to increase passenger numbers by 75%. Despite thousands of objections, including all of Leeds’ Labour MPs, Leeds City Council approved LBA’s planning application on 11 February 2021. LBA is owned by an Australian private equity company and is not short of cash. GALBA will be David to the airport’s Goliath at the public inquiry, so the campaign has launched a crowdfunding appeal and is asking supporters to make donations as soon as possible. The first stage is to submit an opening ‘statement of case’, setting out the key legal reasons why LBA should not be allowed to expand, which GALBA will present to the inquiry. So raising funds to meet the legal costs is an urgent priority for the next few weeks. The second challenge is to find expert witnesses who will present evidence to the inquiry about the consequences of expansion, including climate damage, socio-economic issues, planning law, noise and more. GALBA hopes that some experts will donate their time for free or at a reduced rate.
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Gatwick Airport to reopen South Terminal on 27th March, as it hopes many millions more will fly this year
Gatwick plans to open its South Terminal on March 27th, after it being closed since June 15th 2020. Gatwick made the announcement on the day that travel restrictions for people arriving in the UK were eased, meaning fully vaccinated passengers no longer need to test on arrival. Airlines are hoping to get large numbers of people flying again, soon. British Airways says it will restart its short-haul flights at Gatwick from Mar 29th. Its related airline, Vueling, is adding 5 new routes and will have 3 aircraft based at the airport. Hungarian airline Wizz Air is also significantly increasing its Gatwick operations with 18 new routes. EasyJet has taken up more take-off and landing slots, as it plans to run its busiest flying schedule from Gatwick. IATA is hoping, globally, that in 2022 the number of passengers flying globally will be 88% of its 2019 level (that was about 4 billion), and that by 2023 the number will be 5% above the 2019 number.
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Leeds Bradford airport public inquiry to start 13th September – GALBA crowdfunding for £100,000 for the fight
On 19th January 2022, Michael Gove (Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) granted GALBA's request to hold a public inquiry into Leeds Bradford airport's expansion plans. It will start on 13th September 2022. GALBA has gone into full-on preparation mode for fundraising. They hope to raise £100,000 through a crowdfunder, to pay for legal advice and experts to give evidence to the public inquiry. The planning inspectors will make a recommendation to the Secretary of State whether or not to allow the airport to expand. GALBA has described the public inquiry into LBA's expansion plans as a 'real life David vs Goliath battle'. Chris Foren, chair of GALBA, said: "The airport is owned by an Australian based multinational corporation which can literally spend millions on lawyers if it wants to. GALBA is just a group of concerned citizens - no one is paid, everyone involved does it because they care deeply about our communities and our climate. So it will be a real life David vs Goliath battle at the inquiry. ... the future of our planet depends on struggles like this - people power really can make a difference! If we all work together, we can build a better future for our children and grandchildren."
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Luton Airport consultation about expansion plans, to increase to 32 million annual passengers
Luton airport has started another public consultation (ends 4th April) on further expansion plans. It now wants to increase its annual number of passengers (from 18.2 million in 2019) to 32 million (mppa). The proposals by the airport owner Luton Rising [the new name the company that owns Luton airport has started using] involve expanding the existing terminal, building a 2nd terminal and making "best use" [ie. more use] of the existing runway. At the start of December 2021, Luton council, which conveniently owns the airport, gave it permission to increase from 18 to 19 mppa. If approved, the Phase 1 would be expansion of Terminal 1 and associated facilities to increase capacity to approximately 21.5 mppa. Phase 2 would involve construction of new Terminal 2 and associated facilities to increase airport capacity to 27 mppa. Then a later further phase would be more expansion of Terminal 2, to increase to 32 mppa. Opponents of the airport's growth say the latest consultation is "a huge waste of public money". The level of aircraft noise in 2019 was severe, and residents are horrified of it becoming even worse - as well as the local congestion etc. It makes no sense to encourage aviation expansion, when the UK must cut its carbon emissions, fast.
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From the end of 2022, Brits will need to pay a €7 ETIAS authorisation fee every 3 years, to travel to Europe
From some time around the end of the year, Brits travelling to European countries will have to have paid a fee of €7 (about £5.80) for three years, to register with the he European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), to be allowed to enter. It is not a high charge, and is not due to Brexit. It is the fee charged to all non-EU country citizens. The registration has to be done online. Many other countries also have charges for non-residents to enter. One reason for the charge is to ensure that criminals etc do not get entry and are screened out.
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In 2020 the UK, despite Covid travel restrictions, still had a £7.6 billion tourism deficit
Data from the ONS (the Office for National Statistics) has the numbers of trips - in 2020 - made by British people abroad, and the number of trips made by overseas visitors to the UK. It also has the amount they spent. The difference between the amount overseas visitors spend here, and how much British people spent on their trips abroad - called the tourism deficit. Even though the number of visit, in both directions, was about 73-74% lower than in 2019, and the spending in both directions was about 78% lower than in 2019, there was still a tourism deficit of £7.6 billion. ie. £13.8 minus £6.2 billion. The tourism deficit in 2019 was £33.9 billion, and in 2018 it was £31.5. This indicates how much money is taken out of the country, largely on leisure trips, with the majority by air travel (only a small % due to ferries, Eurostar etc). During Covid, much of the money saved, from not travelling abroad, was spent on home improvements and leisure or holidays spent in the UK.
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Speculation that the days of the very cheapest air fares may be ending …?
There is speculation that air fares may rise this year, and the really horrifically low fares, of under £20 per ticket, may be a thing of the past. Airlines are hoping for a huge resurgence in air travel this year. But there have been increases in the price of jet fuel. There are higher costs to pay staff; also higher airport costs and air traffic control costs. Airports and air traffic control want to claw back money they lost when there was little flying. However, if air ticket prices rise by a few %, it is unlikely to have much negative impact on demand, especially when people have the money they did not spend on foreign trips in the past two years.
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NEF analysis suggests huge future costs to taxpayer of Southampton airport and its flights
New analysis by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) has calculated the cost to society of the carbon emissions generated by UK aviation, and UK airports. These are the costs of the impacts of an altered climate, on infrastructure, extremes of weather, water and energy etc. NEF has used the new carbon values, set out by the government in September 2021. Instead of costing the societal damage done by 1 tonne of carbon at a bit of £70, the price has been put at between a low of £124 to £240 as a medium price, for 2022. Those numbers rise steeply up to 2050 (prices after that have not been considered). That means most airport expansion schemes, including Southampton's, are likely not to be viable, and the economics need to be re-calculated. For Southampton, NEF says that just looking at the 2021 prices, the carbon cost to society would not be £421 million (2025 - 2050) by more like £921. And of the £921 only £212 million would be paid in traded emissions. That leaves £742 which would be the cost to the taxpayer - as the cost of an expanded Southampton airport, with more flights and more passengers.
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Bristol local campaigners feel betrayed by Bristol Airport approval by the Planning Inspectorate
Despite huge opposition to the plans to expand Bristol airport, from a cap of 10 million annual passengers to 12 million, the plan was approved by the Planning Inspectorate on 2nd February, after an appeal by the airport to refusal by North Somerset Council. Residents and campaigners say that this decision flies in the face of the evidence that was presented to the inquiry by climate experts and local residents. It means about 20,000 more annual flights. It also makes a mockery of the planning decision taken locally by North Somerset Council and the expressed opinions of the local MPs and surrounding councils. The voices of some 8,900 people who objected in writing to the proposals and the many thousands more who marched in solidarity against the plans has also been ignored in what is a terrible blow to local democracy and accountability. The expansion would result in hugely more CO2 (at a time of climate crisis), more noise, more car journeys and road congestion. Stephen Clarke from Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN) said: " It means that the airport and the planning inspectorate have totally ignored the climate crisis we are currently in."
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Bristol Airport expansion allowed by Planning Inspectorate, on appeal – called “devastating” by opponents
The 36-day public inquiry into Bristol Airport’s proposal to expand from 10 to 12 mppa, and add thousands more car parking spaces, took place in September and October 2021. Now the Planning Inspectorate have announced their decision to allow the appeal by the airport against refusal by North Somerset Council. This has been condemned as devastating by opponents and extremely disappointing by local councillors. North Somerset Council leader Don Davies said the decision “flies in the face of local democracy”. His authority had given sound planning grounds for refusing permission in February 2020, and warned that the detrimental effect of the airport expansion of the airport locally - as well as the wider climate impacts - outweighed the narrower benefits, which would be almost entirely the commercial interests of the owners, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan.. The plan to expand the airport was opposed by thousands of residents, as well as Bristol City Council, Bath and North East Somerset Council and the West of England Combined Authority. Don Davies said the council is seeing if there are any grounds for challenging the PI ruling.
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“Airlines must show progress on sustainability to avoid becoming next tobacco industry”
Airlines have an immense problem in trying to convince enough people that they are genuinely trying to reduce their sector's climate impact. Though they are doing a few small things to cut the carbon, those measures are dwarfed by the intention of the sector to keep growing. There is more overall climate impact of more flights, even if each one is a tiny % lower carbon. The sector wants to be seen to be genuinely being "green" (terrible word that has been so abused as to now mean virtually nothing - in the same way as "sustainable"). But they have the problem of many of the measures they may have taken, to be a bit more fuel efficient, have higher load factors, lighter planes, newer planes) have already been taken - not for climate reasons, but for increased profitability. They are not additional measures, aimed at cutting climate impact. And airlines also try to out-do competitors in terms of claiming their flights and fleets are better than those of a competitor. So it is "dog eat dog" and that makes it easier for the public to understand that much of the hype is greenwash. Airlines, after 2 Covid years, fear arguments against more flying like: “Do you want to go through all that again?” and “Was it so bad when you couldn’t fly as many times a year?”
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NEF analysis indicates the CO2 from Gatwick expansion could cost taxpayers £8.5 billion up to 2050.
New analysis from the New Economics Foundation has calculated the costs to society of the carbon emissions that airport expansion plans would cause. The "carbon value" used to be a bit over £70 per tonne, but in September 2021 this was increased to £124 per tonne, and it will keep rising. So the figures airports have put forward, for the positive economic impact of their expansion are now entirely out of date. Almost the only carbon costs the aviation industry pays is for carbon through the UK ETS, which only covers flights within the EU. Not flights anywhere else in the world. The Gatwick cost of emissions from departing flights is calculated by NEF to be £9.196 billion, rather than £4.502 billion at the lower, out of date, price - for the period between 2025 – 2050. They put the forecast price paid for traded emissions at £634m. So the proportion of climate cost paid would only be 6.9% which implied cost to wider society and taxpayer at £8.562 billion. That is the cost to society of the climate impact of the higher carbon emissions caused by more Gatwick flights.
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Heathrow’s financial problems deepen, especially if it has 15% less passengers in 2022 than forecast
Heathrow has been allowed, by its regulator the CAA, to increase its passenger charge from £19.36 to £30.19 this year until the summer. After that the CAA will probably rule on charges for the next 5 years. Heathrow wanted a larger increase, to £43 per passenger, and based some of its profit forecasts on that - and is peeved with the CAA for limiting its charges. Heathrow has net debts of £15.4 billion. It says that if its number of passengers in 2022 is more than 15% below its forecast of 45.5 million, it will have financial problems - though “no covenant breaches are forecast in 2022” but that is possible. Its forecast aeronautical revenue for 2022 has been revised down to £2.19 billion, and its underlying earnings down to £1.04 billion. If Heathrow has to breach its covenant terms with its lenders, it becomes a less attractive (aka lucrative) investment, and its credit rating eg. by Standard & Poor’s and Fitch. The airlines using Heathrow are, predictably, deeply opposed to yet higher Heathrow charges.
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Realistic cost of carbon emissions likely to make airport expansion plans unviable
The government's new higher, more realistic, carbon values - putting a cost on carbon emissions from aviation - are likely to make many airport expansion schemes non-viable. The carbon value was increased, in an attempt to move towards "net zero" by 2050. The anticipated economic benefits will be drastically cut, if carbon emissions (and their negative impact on society and the planet) are costed properly. The planning law is currently inadequate and ambiguous, but campaigners hope planning authorities will take greater account of the impact of emissions on the economic case of proposed projects. The New Economics Foundation has found that the economic cases for 6 of the 7 major airport expansion proposals — including London’s Heathrow and Gatwick — use either the old carbon value, or none at all. As yet, planning law in England does not explicitly require carbon values to be used. But the relevant planning authority can demand they are included in applications. If the anticipated outcome of Bristol’s appeal gave a “clear line” on carbon values, it is very likely to inform other airport expansion decisions.
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Public to foot £62bn bill for climate damage from airport expansions – which the aviation sector should pay for
Analysis by Alex Chapman, working for the New Economics Foundation (NEF) has found that in allowing airports around the country to expand, the government is letting the aviation industry off the hook for £62bn of damage to the climate. The amount of carbon that airports, and mainly aircraft, emit has a negative impact on the global climate - and thus to society. Governments can put a figure on this cost, for each tonne of emitted carbon. In September 2021 the government increased the carbon value figure from around £70 per tonne to £245 per tonne (central value) for 2021 rising to £378 per tonne by 2050. The new NEF analysis found the aviation industry will only pay for 16% of the emissions clean-up costs (through the UK ETS) of the 8 airport expansions currently moving through UK planning processes (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Bristol, Southampton, Leeds Bradford and Manston). The higher, more realistic, price for carbon makes these expansion schemes uneconomic, if the carbon is properly paid for. The government does not have a comprehensive mechanism for recouping these costs from the aviation industry.
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Liverpool Airport expansion plans to be reviewed, as contrary to council climate aims – Oglet shore reprieved
Liverpool Airport had been hoping to expand by extending its runway by 314 metres, to attract direct transatlantic flights, to try to more than double its passenger numbers. This has been fiercely opposed, especially as it would take land to the south of the airport, where there is the Oglet shore - a natural section of coast, valued by walkers and important for wildlife, including some Red List species. Now Liverpool City councillors have agreed to review policies relating to any future extensions. Councillors from all parties expressed concerns over the proposals to extend the runway. At a full council meeting, they also agreed to consider - after investigating the evidence - selling the council's 10% stake in the airport, as it is incompatible its efforts to fight climate change. The airport put forward the plans before the council declared a climate emergency, in 2018. Campaigners fighting to save the Oglet shore are delighted, as the airport masterplan ear marked it to be covered in concrete for new hangers, maintenance services, cargo facilities and warehouses.
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EIB survey finds about 40% of Europeans say they would find flying less one of the easier ways to cut their CO2
The second release of the 2020-2021 European Investment Bank (EIB) climate survey focused on how people intended to fight climate change in 2021, what they were willing to give up to tackle the climate crisis, and how the COVID pandemic affected their travel habits.The data is now at least a year old, so things may have changed. The survey asked respondents how likely they were to do various things to cut their carbon emissions. These were giving up flying, giving up meat, giving up new clothes, giving up video streaming, and giving up having a car. Some 40% of Europeans [not including Brits after Brexit] said they would find it easiest to give up flying (it was 38% of Americans and 43% of Chinese respondents). The % varied between European countries. About 39% of Europeans and 38% of Americans say that giving up their car would be the most difficult option. The survey found that even when travel restrictions related to COVID are lifted, 37% of Chinese people, 22% of Europeans and 22% of Americans said they will avoid flying because of climate change concerns.
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DfT reinstates 70% slot use rule from end of March – with some flexibility for future Covid impacts
The Department for Transport has announced that airlines will have to hand back airport take-off and landing slots if they were not used 70% of the time from March 27th, for the summer period, up from the current threshold of 50%. Before Covid, airlines had to use 80% of their slots, or risk losing them. This limit was removed entirely for the first part of the pandemic, but reverted to 50% use. Airlines have warned they will be forced to run empty or half-empty and polluting “ghost flights” in order to meet the 70% limit, even if there is not enough demand for flights. This makes no sense, in terms of trying to reduce carbon emissions from the sector. However, the DfT has said there will be more flexibility, so airlines will be allowed to miss the 70% limit if there are real Covid travel restrictions in future, limiting travel. Airports like Gatwick are keen to have a high slot use requirement, so airlines that can not meet the quota have to relinquish slots to others - thus new airlines can start up routes. But for the airlines, high slot use requirements mean losing money - and higher CO2 emissions. They are against the re-imposition of high slot use requirements.
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Stansted had lowest number of passengers for 23 years in 2021
Stansted Airport handled just 7.1 million passengers in 2021, which is just 25% of the number in 2019. The 2021 number is the lowest since 1998, reflecting the dramatic reduction in air travel caused by Covid. In 2020 it handled 7.54 million passengers (73% lower than the 28.12 million in 2019). Stansted Airport Watch says both outbound and inbound tourism declined, due to Covid. But this decline in outward-bound tourism has had the effect of increasing the amount spent in the UK - not taken abroad on leisure trips. There was a favourable impact on the balance of payments of £26 billion in 2020, and a similar figure is expected in 2021. As well as online purchases, people swapped home improvements and furnishings, as well as staycations, for trips abroad. This helps explain why UK GDP is now even higher than before the pandemic, and employment levels are also at a record high. It is also reported that VAT receipts are well ahead of expectations. This may be because there is no VAT on air travel but spending on home improvements, furnishings and staycations are all subject to VAT. While leisure demand will largely return, it is likely business air travel will never recover to 2019 levels.
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CAA to have an Environmental Sustainability Panel, to advise it, from April
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is creating a new Environmental Sustainability Panel, from April 2022. It will act as an expert 'critical friend' of the organisation and will provide technical advice. The intention is that it will ensure that environmental and "sustainability" interests are properly considered by CAA when it makes decisions. This will be an internal body, not public facing. The CAA is recruiting members for the panel, which will help the CAA to take proper account of the "environmental interests and impacts in its regulatory policy and framework." As the government decided in September 2021 to close the ICCAN (Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise) the CAA will have more duties relating to aircraft noise and the impact it has on people overflown. In the vain attempt to reduce the negative environmental impact of air travel, the CAA hopes to "balance" the need to reduce carbon emissions (ie. fuel burn) with the amount of aircraft noise. The panel will follow the model of the CAA's existing Consumer Panel.
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Motion to Liverpool City Council says its funding of the airport is not consistent with its climate aims
In a motion to the Labour-led Liverpool City Council, Green member Anna Key said supporting Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) was not in line with the authority's climate emergency declaration in 2019. For the Liverpool council to keep funding the city's airport is "incompatible" with its effort to fight climate change, and become "carbon neutral" by 2030. The motion will go before a full council meeting on 26 January. Liverpool City Council has a 10% stake in the airport. Anna also called for opposition to LJLA's "potential future expansion" plans. The plans for expansion would mean an increased number of flights, as well as destruction of valuable green space adjacent to the airport. There would also be more passenger and freight road traffic, causing air pollution and carbon emissions. Anna Kay said the council should stop supporting the airport financially. Her motion also calls on the council to get planners to undertake an urgent evidence-based review of all policies relating to green space, environment and green belt. There is a 38 Degrees petition to two councils, to protect the Oglet shore area from airport development.
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DfT non-public “information gathering” on Airport Consultative Committees
The Department for Transport is seeking views on Airport Consultative Committees (ACCs), but it is not a public consultation - just for members of the committees. These bodies are generally managed and paid for by the airport, and usually have one environmental representative, compared with many from councils, the airlines, business and the industry. Many airport groups have for years felt that the consultative committees do not give affected communities, or environmental issues, the proper consideration they deserve. Instead airport community groups say most consultative committees are just an extension of the airport’s PR machine. It would be better if the committees were funded independently, rather than having the airport pay the Chair and Secretary - which currently creates an underlying sense of obligation to the airport and its interests. Airport groups are suggesting that there needs to be a better, more independent process, and more democratic choice of chairs. With the recent abolition of ICCAN, there is even less independent oversight of airport operations. Providing greater independence for ACCs could help to redress this.
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City Airport hopes it can get business travellers back, in their droves, in 2022
Like every airport in the UK, London City airport had few passengers in 2021 and 2020, compared to the number before 2019. The number in 2021 was just 15% of the 2019 level. In 2020 it was just 19%. Now its chief executive, Robert Sinclair, is talking up its prospects for 2022. The airport had to have financial help from its investors, to survive the decline in travellers. But Sinclair is hopeful that business travellers will return, in high numbers - though it is widely believed that there will be less business air travel after Covid, as so many companies have adapted to internet meetings and videoconferencing, and changed their working patterns. London City airport had been increasing its proportion of leisure air travellers, though they are less lucrative than business travellers. But with the problems in getting bums back on plane seats, the airport will be hoping to tempt more leisure passengers. They intend to add purely holiday routes to Thessaloniki and Barcelona. But there may be a higher level of awareness of the climate impacts of aviation, meaning a proportion of people choose to fly less for leisure than they did in the past.
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Leeds Bradford Airport development plans at last to go to public inquiry – date unknown
Leeds Bradford airport Leeds Bradford submitted plans for new terminal building & more passengers (4m to 7m a year) in May 2020. There has been intense opposition to the plan, led by local opposition group, GALBA. In March 2021 the terminal plan was approved by Leeds City Council, but in April 2021 the government issued a direction to the Council, preventing councillors from granting the planning permission without special authorisation. There have been numerous requests for the application to be called in. Now it has been announced by the DLUHC - headed by Michael Gove - that the application will indeed go to a public inquiry - though the date is not yet decided. It is a triumph for the persistent pressure by opponents, managing to achieve this significant delay. The inquiry means the arguments against the expansion will be properly and fully heard. Some of the matters that Mr Gove "particularly wishes to be informed about" included the extent to which the proposed development is consistent with government policies for "protecting green belt land" and "meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change". Airport expansion can only increase carbon emissions.
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Appeal judges free XR protestor who glued himself to London City Airport plane – sentence cut to 4 months
A former Paralympic athlete, James Brown, who superglued himself to the roof of a British Airways plane at London City Airport to draw attention to the climate crisis has had his sentence cut from one year to four months by appeal judges. Extinction Rebellion activist James Brown from Exeter, was in September jailed by a judge at Southwark Crown Court after being convicted of causing a public nuisance. Lawyers representing Brown said there had been no reason to charge him with causing a public nuisance. They argued that the 12-month term was 'manifestly disproportionate' and said Brown suffered 'unique hardship' in prison because of his disability. The lawyers also questioned the proportionality of the decision to bring the charge, saying he could have been charged with aggravated trespass and told appeal judges that custody was not justified on the facts of the case. The double-gold medallist climbed onto the Amsterdam-bound plane before gluing his right hand to it and wedging his mobile phone in the door to prevent it from closing. He live-streamed the protest until he was removed after an hour.
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UK government sued by ClientEarth and Friends of the Earth over ‘pie-in-the-sky’ net-zero climate strategy
ClientEarth and Friends of the Earth say the UK government's "net zero climate strategy" (published in October 2021) fails to include policies needed to ensure the necessary emissions cuts. Court papers filed on 12th January by the two organisations also say the failure to meet legal carbon budgets would contravene the Human Rights Act by impacting on young people’s right to life and family life. The strategy pushes the risks and duty to take action onto young people and future generations, who stand to be hit far harder than people today by the climate crisis. Instead of realistic, effective means of cutting the carbon emissions, the strategy relies on speculative technologies such as zero-carbon aviation fuels and extracting CO2 directly from the air and burying it. Both CE and FoE argue that the Climate Change Act requires ministers to set out policies to meet carbon budgets “as soon as reasonably practicable” after they have been set. There are no practical plans to cut aviation demand, or to effectively reduce the emissions from aviation, for decades. After the submission of the government’s defence, the high court will decide whether to grant full hearings of the cases.
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Heathrow will not return to “normal” (ie. 2019 levels) of passengers for several years (if ever)
Due to restrictions to try to avoid Omicron spreading, or more being introduced into the UK (it initially probably arrived due to air travel, from Africa) many people who had booked flights over Christmas cancelled. Heathrow said about 600,000 passengers due to use the airport had cancelled. This continued a bad year for the airport. It had only about 19.4 million passengers in 2021 compared to around 80 million in 2019 - ie. 24% of the 2019 number. It had a bit over 22 million in 2020 (so 2021 was 12.3% below 2020). CEO John Holland-Kaye did not expect a return to the level of passengers in 2019 for many years, perhaps by 2026. Even that is very uncertain.
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Natural England renews licences for airports to kill birds up to 13km away
Natural England has renewed its guidance allowing airports/aerodromes to kill a range of birds, up to 13km (called the safeguarding zone) from the airport, if they are deemed a "danger" to aircraft safety. The licences permit, in relation to the species listed below, "killing or taking birds, taking or destroying their eggs, and taking, damaging or destroying their nests while that nest is in use or being built." Anyone wishing to use this licence must first apply to Natural England to be registered. Natural England are meant to keep records of all the killing and measures taken against birds. The species included in the licences are varieties of geese, crows, gulls and ducks. Also pigeons, woodpigeons, starlings, parakeets, magpies, jackdaws, rooks and lapwings (a Red list endangered bird). Means of killing allowed include shooting with a firearm/ ammunition combination (including a semiautomatic weapon*) appropriate for the species concerned; pricking of eggs; oiling of eggs using paraffin oil; d. destruction of eggs and nests; cage trap; a pen or corral used as a trap; falconry. Airports and their surroundings are NOT safe places for birds.
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