Norwich Airport

Climate activists slam ‘shameful’ backing by Norwich City Council of Norwich Airport growth (and increased CO2) plans

October 18, 2019

Environmental campaigners have blasted the city council’s endorsement of a plan for the future of Norwich Airport as “shameful” and “a fantasy”. An aspiration to treble annual air passenger numbers at Norwich Airport to more than 1.4m by 2045 was backed by Norwich city council’s cabinet at a meeting on 17th October. [Norwich airport had 538,578 passengers in 2018]. The plans were met with scepticism from Green Party councillors and people aware of the climate emergency, who attended the debate. The committee voted against a full council debate on the issue, which led Extinction Rebellion Norwich (XR) members criticise councillors for a lack of action. One XR member commented: “They won’t allow a democratic debate – it’s shameful.” Another said: “They’re living in a fantasy.” The decision was called in, to the Scrutiny Committee, which which questioned why the environmental impact of the plan was deemed neutral, when it was obvious it would increase the carbon footprint of the airport. Regarding the expansion as providing economic benefit, but no environmental impact, was a “fundamental misunderstanding”. The airport has been asked to provide evidence at the next masterplan review of what steps they will take to reduce the airport’s carbon impact.

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Norwich Airport – some basic information:

Airport Owner: Used to be Omniport Holdings Ltd. http://www.omniport.co.uk until June 2014. Now Rigby Group’s airport division Regional & City Airports (RCA),

“Omniport is the majority owner (80.1%) of Norwich International Airport in the
UK which it acquired in March 2004 from Norwich City Council and Norfolk County
Council who retain a minority share. Omniport is also the full owner of Maastricht Aachen Airport in the Netherlands, which it acquired in July 2004 from the Dutch State and other regional public interests. Omniport previously held a minority shareholding in Glasgow Prestwick International Airport which it sold in December 2003.”

Airport Operator: Regional & City Airports (RCA),

Airport website: www.norwichairport.co.uk

Airport Master Plan: There isn’t yet one.

Airport Consultative Committee:

http://www.norwichairport.co.uk/content.asp?pid=72

Download the Committee minutes

CAA figures: CAA aviation statisticsTerminal Passengers:

CAA – Terminal Passengers 1999 – 2009

(annual figures, table 10.3)

2009 430 (down – 26% on 2008)

2008 583 (down – 17% on 2007)

2007 699 (down -6% on 2006)

2006 7452005 5452000 365

1996 253

Air Traffic Movements (approx – thousands):

CAA ATM statistics 1999 – 2009

(annual figures, table 4.2)

2009 20 (down – 4% on 2008)

2008 21 (down – 8% on 2007)2007 23 (up 6%)

2006 212005 172000 16

1996 12

Air Freight (tonnes):

CAA Air Freight statistics 1999 – 2009

(annual figures, table 13.2)

2009 339 (up + 42% on 2008)

2008 239 (up +27% on 2007)

2007 188 (up 9%)

2006 1262005 762000 145

1996 163

Airport Contact Details:

Norwich Airport,

Terminal Building

Amsterday Wy,

Norwich, NR6 6JA

Tel: 01603 411923

Multimap: NR6 6JA

Runway: 09/27 6,040 feet 1,841 metres Asphalt / Concrete

Wikipedia page on Norwich Airport: Norwich Airport

Airlines and Destinations:

Air Europa (Palma de Mallorca [seasonal])
Air Malta (Luqa [seasonal])
bmi operated by bmi Regional (Aberdeen)
Eastern Airways (Aberdeen)
Eurocypria Airlines (Paphos [seasonal])
First Choice Airways (Mahon [seasonal])
Flybe (Chambery [seasonal], Dublin, Edinburgh, Geneva [seasonal], Guernsey [seasonal],
Jersey [seasonal], Manchester, Paris-Charles de Gaulle [seasonal])
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines operated by KLM Cityhopper (Amsterdam)
Pegasus Airlines (Dalaman) [seasonal]
Thomsonfly (Corfu, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca) [all seasonal]

Airport destinations: http://www.norwichairport.co.uk/holidays-direct-from-Norwich.asp

Local community group: –

Proportion of domestic passengers, out of total passengers

CAA statistics, annual figures -comparing Tables 9 and 10.2

2006 32.5%

2007 32.5%

2008 32.9%

Business Aviation: Number of business flights (= private jets)

CAA statistics, annual figures – Table 3.1

2007 67 (plus 4,757 air taxis)

2008 53 (plus 5,266 air taxis)

Some recent news about Norwich airport:

News stories about the airport can be found at the UK Airport News website :

Norwich airport sold by Omniport to regional airport owner Rigby Group

June 11, 2014Norwich International Airport has been sold by majority stakeholders Omniport to the Rigby Group. It facility will now be managed by Rigby Group’s airport division Regional & City Airports (RCA), which also already owns and operates Coventry and Exeter Airports – which it acquired in 2010 and 2013 respectively. Chairman and Chief Executive Sir Peter Rigby said: “We have continually reiterated our belief in the importance of regional airports to local and regional communities and their economies. We are intent on developing our aviation business within the Rigby Group, and have made another significant acquisition here. I am delighted to welcome Norwich’s staff to a workforce that now safeguards approximately 650 aviation jobs, and look forward to working with them as we plot out a secure, sustainable and positive future for the facility.”

Andrew Bell, Norwich International Airport chief executive, said: “This is a significant and very positive day for the Airport. As a highly respected and stable organisation, Rigby Group’s involvement will enable us to build on the many achievements of recent years, safeguarding the future of the business and providing us with a platform from which to build an even more prosperous future for the Airport itself and the region.”

George Nobbs, leader of Norfolk County Council, said: “I’ve had a meeting with Sir Peter today and liked what I saw and heard. I am confident that he shares our aims and ambitions for the airport in particular and Norfolk and Norwich in general. Both Brenda Arthur, Sir Peter and I are happy to confirm that Norfolk’s and Norwich’s shareholdings in the airport remain unaffected and all three of us are deeply committed and enthusiastic about working together.”

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/norwich_airport_sold_by_omniport_to_regional_airport_owner_rigby_group_1_3638330

New engine test plan for Norwich Airport

12.6.2014

Plans for a new engine testing facility at Norwich International Airport, which will help secure the future of 341 jobs, have been submitted. A planning application for a building on the eastern part of the airfield has been put forward by the airport. It has been working with KLM UK Engineering, which has been based at the airport repairing and overhauling engines for 35 years. The plans have been submitted to Norwich City Council. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-18403379

2010

Norwich Airport gets new chief exective

Norwich International airport has appointed a new chief executive, who has pledged
to build on progress made during the past year. Andrew Bell has taken the role
after two months acting in an interim capacity, during which time he has already
delivered an agreement with KLM to re-establish the fourth daily flight to Amsterdam. Details …..

New Norwich Airport flights revealed for winter 2010

19th January 2010 From November 2010, Thomson will be operating 189-seater flights from Norwich
Airport to Tenerife and Alicante and Sharm el Sheikh. The flights will operate
every week for 26 weeks. The Tenerife and Alicante routes have been reinstated
after the airport received more than 500 requests for the 2 destinations within
the last 6 months, and the Sharm el Sheikh is new. Many other flights had been
axed in 2009. (EDP)

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2009

06.12.09 Norwich Airport charter flight growth

30.10.09 Flybe to operate summer Norwich – Guernsey flights

05.10.09 easyJet maintenance deal for Norwich Airport company

28.08.09 Norwich Airport gets Christmas Tenerife flights

13.08.09 Thomson add Norwich – Turkey flights

04.08.09 Madeira flights for Norwich Airport

23.06.09 Norwich – Geneva flights announced

04.06.09 Norwich Airport want 25 mile exclusion zone

20.03.09 Norwich Airport boss targets new routes

20.01.09 Norwich Airport tours scrapped

2008

05.12.08 Flybe pull planes out for Norwich Airport

Airline to axe route

6th December 2008 Budget airline Flybe is to close its ground base at Norwich International Airport
and axe flights to Dublin next year, putting 45 jobs at risk.

Staff will be encouraged to apply for vacancies elsewhere on the network, and
will be offered relocation costs to move to another Flybe base. The firm says
it remains committed to flights in and out of Norwich. (Peterborough Today
article)

28.11.08 Norwich Airport boss to leave

11.11.08 Norwich Airport launch tours

08.11.08 LTE Norwich flights suspended until late March

27.10.08 New development at Norwich Airport26.10.08 Norwich Airport seeks new investors19.10.08 Thomsonfly cut Norwich – Majorca flights

18.10.08 Spanish budget airline fails

14.10.08 Drop in passengers at Norwich Airport

10.10.2008 SaxonAir to build £1m business aviation centre

27.09.08 Flybe axe Norwich – Channel Islands flights

14.09.08 Stansted holds back Flybe Norwich Airport growth

19.07.08 Flybe scrap Norwich – Exeter flights12.07.08 Ambitious growth plans for Norwich Airport09.07.08 Norwich Airport hotel receptionist finds bat in bra

07.07.08 Norwich Airport fee raises £1m

04.07.08 Three new Spanish flights to take off from Norwich Airport