Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Network Rail does feasibility studies on Heathrow to Waterloo rail link
A new rail link between Heathrow and London Waterloo has moved a step closer after a Network Rail study suggested there was a strong case for the project. The Southern Rail Access proposals would connect Heathrow to Waterloo, Guildford and Basingstoke, possibly via Feltham and Hounslow. This is part of the long-awaited Southern Rail Access proposals. A Network Rail feasibility study suggests the work would cost between £700m and £1.8bn, depending on which route is chosen. There are three route options, and all are considered to be good or very good value irrespective of whether a third runway is built at Heathrow. Of the three, a semi-fast Heathrow to Waterloo service, via Richmond, was the best value London link. However further appraisal is needed. Heathrow airport is enthusiastic about the rail link, as it would connect more passengers and "treble our rail capacity by 2040." Heathrow also hopes it would help reduce local rail traffic, if passengers get to and from the airport using the rail link. Hounslow Council earlier this year recommended a new southern link to Heathrow via Feltham, with trains running on an elevated track via a new station in Bedfont. The separate consultation on the proposed Western Rail Link to Heathrow, from Reading, ends on 4th April.
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HACAN welcomes plan to build Adobe huts on playing fields of Eton
1st April. This story is, sadly, not true. But it is a lovely thought ..... Campaign group HACAN has welcomed today’s announcement from the Government that it will fund deluxe Adobe huts for Eton College if it gives the green light to a third runway at Heathrow. Eton will be directly under the flight path of a new runway. There have been concerns expressed of the noise impact on Eton’s famous playing fields. HACAN chair John Stewart said, “Parents will undoubtedly welcome this announcement that Adobe huts will be built on the playing fields of Eton”. The huts will be an upmarket version of those already seen the playgrounds of a number of schools in Hounslow in west London. The Government had said that it will fund three in the first year after the opening of any new runway. They will be named after two of the school’s most famous old boys: Dave and Boris. And also George (not at Eton, but at St Paul's). It was reported in April 2013 that four adobe domes had been put up in the grounds of Hounslow Primary school, which is under the southern runway flight path at Heathrow, in order to enable the children to use the playground despite the plane noise. In April 2013 Heathrow said it would spend £1.8 million to extend the scheme to 21 schools that are badly affected by aircraft noise. Heathrow is desperate to try and persuade London residents that aircraft noise is being dealt with. Including at Eton.
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Gatwick publishes its response to the Arrivals Review – accepting all 23 recommendations
At the end of January, an Independent Arrivals Review was completed by Bo Redeborn. Gatwick was required to publish details comments on this, by 31st March, which they have done. Gatwick says it accepts all the 23 recommendations, though under some of the recommendations there is a long Benefits/Issues section, with various caveats. Some of the recommendations were relatively uncontroversial. Perhaps the most controversial was Recommendation 10, "for aircraft to be vectored to be established on the ILS at a minimum of 8nm (nautical miles)from touchdown outside of night hours, rather than the current 10nm." Also that "the arrival swathe would normally extend from a minimum of 8nm to 14nm, with aircraft joining on a straight in approach when traffic permits.” This would mean less noise for some areas, but perhaps more for those living around 8nm from the runway. Gatwick says: "GAL is minded to accept this recommendation. But its implementation is a complex matter and GAL will therefore seek to ensure that its impact is fully understood before a final decision is taken." Gatwick agrees to improve its dreadful complaints system, and set up in Independent Noise Monitoring Board, though this would probably include only 2 community and 2 local council representatives. There will now be a 6 week public consultation until 16th May.
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New study on effect of low ambient noise level on plane noise perception undermines Gatwick 2nd runway case
It is accepted that there is a difference in the way aircraft noise is perceived, depending on the level of background (ambient) noise. At its most obvious, someone standing near a noisy urban road will not notice the noise of a plane flying overhead as much as someone in a quiet location. GACC has commissioned work by Dutch noise experts, looking at the effect of ambient noise. The authors conclude that the % of annoyed residents is likely to be higher in areas with low ambient noise than in high ambient noise areas. The authors suggest that the number of people annoyed is likely to be higher than shown by Leq or Lden metrics, where local factors that influence annoyance are not taken into account. Gatwick is surrounded on 3 sides by designated tranquil areas such as the AONBs. GACC says that, with a 2nd runway, not only would three times as many people be affected by serious aircraft noise as now, but also - due to the effect of noise on quiet rural areas being under-estimated by the Airports Commission and by Gatwick - the usual comparisons between a large number of people annoyed by a new Heathrow runway and a smaller number at Gatwick are not valid. GACC say that, as well as a 3rd Heathrow runway, a 2nd Gatwick runway would also annoy a very large number of people. "Neither runway should be built."
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Virgin and Flybe make code-share deal to feed more passengers for US and Caribbean leisure routes
Virgin Atlantic has signed an accord with Flybe, aimed at feeding passengers from smaller European cities onto its flights to the US and Caribbean. From April 2nd passengers can book tickets to travel from one of 18 UK or European airports, and connect onto a Virgin Atlantic flight at Manchester, Glasgow or Gatwick. The deal will encourage people travelling to and from 14 Flybe destinations to use Virgin’s Manchester-based flights. It will also provide through ticketing between 4 cities and its Glasgow flights. Newquay will link with operations at Gatwick. Virgin Atlantic will also introduce routes from Manchester to San Francisco and Boston in summer 2017, with San Francisco getting its first-direct flights from Manchester. Flight frequencies to Barbados will increase. The Flybe agreement comes after Ryanair said Virgin is among airlines with which it is discussing possible feeder services. spokesman said: “We look forward to offering easy connections to some of our most popular destinations including the US cities of Orlando and Las Vegas.” A Manchester spokesman said these new long haul destinations would "prove popular with leisure travellers.
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Residents in Calgary, Canada, suffering unacceptable noise due to new 4th runway
In June 2014, Calgary airport in Canada opened a new 4th runway. It was the longest in Canada, at 14,000 feet, and 200 feet wide "able to land the world’s largest aircraft." Being parallel to an existing runway, planes taking off need to diverge by 10 degrees from the other take off route. Planes heading east often make their turns over homes in the Marlborough area. There has been a lot of anger and upset there, about the noise burden. Hundreds from the Marlborough area attended a recent meeting, to try to get the Calgary Airport Authority to improve the noise situation. People are finding the noise from planes overhead every few minutes intolerable, and a local Airplane Noise Committee was formed in October 2015. One affected resident said: “I’m suffering severely now from headaches, migraines. I can’t sleep at night…. My beds vibrate. Everything,” An earlier meeting in January, attended by about 500 residents, was very heated and residents did not find it productive. The Calgary Airport Authority (CAA) said they’re "listening to concerns and trying to come up with solutions but there’s no easy fix." The CAA said it asks pilots to reach 1,000 feet before turning, but suggests it’s up to individual airlines to enforce. They want planes to fly a bit higher, and avoid turns at low altitude. CAA wants dialogue (residents want less noise).
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Welsh Assembly members say Cardiff airport lacks a long-term enough plan for expansion
The Welsh Public Accounts Committee has said Cardiff Airport is missing its passenger targets and lacks a long-term plan to expand. The airport was bought by the Welsh Government for £52 million in 2013. The decision to buy and the price paid caused controversy, but the Public Accounts Committee said ministers had had "a clear rationale" for going ahead with the deal. The transport minister said swift action saved the airport from closure. After the airport was taken into public ownership, passenger numbers rose from 995,000 to 1.079m in 2013-14, but in 2014-15 the numbers declined to 1.005m. The airport now expects numbers to rise to 1.4m by 2017-18, although the business plan produced at the time it was bought projected passenger figures of around 2 million by that date. Some consider the airport was only worth £20 - £30 million and the Welsh government paid too much. Flybe announced it would operate flights between Cardiff and London City Airport during the six week closure of the Severn rail tunnel from 12 September to 21 October. "Aviation Wales" hopes Air Passenger Duty will be devolved, so they can cut it. Bristol airport is very anxious about this, and launched a “A Fair Flight for the South West” campaign, fearing a loss of passengers to Cardiff.
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Public referendum on Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport likely to be in June, and only for Loire-Atlantique département
Manuel Valls, Prime Minister of France, confirmed this week that the referendum on whether the new Nantes airport should go ahead, will only for the voters in the département of Loire-Atlantique. It would also be before the summer, in June. Two key issues about the referendum have been key: the date and the area covered. Keeping it only to Loire-Atlantique suits the government, backing the new airport plan, as it is believed there is more support for the airport there. One poll showed 51% support for the plan, 39% against and 10% undecided. Another poll showed 58% opposition across France as a whole. Opponents of the plan, and others involved, believe areas other than just Loire-Atlantique should be consulted, as they would be affected by environmental, economic and social impacts of the possible airport. The leaders of neighbouring departments such as Mayenne, Morbihan and the Maine-et-Loire have recently criticised the prospect of the consultation's scope being limited to only the Loire-Atlantique. The Minister of Ecology, Ségolène Royal, defended the idea of the area being extended to the whole of the region Pays de la Loire. The government wants the poll early, so building work and evictions from the ZAD can be started by October. Work needs to start by then as there is a "declaration of public utility" lasting till October. It is likely that the referendum will be either on Sunday 19th or Sunday 26th June.
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Heathrow produces some unconvincing attempts to persuade that its air pollution from freight will be reduced
Heathrow knows it has real problems worsening local air quality, with vehicles associated with the airport adding a great deal of pollution. The Airports Commission report was particularly weak on NO2 air pollution, and ignored the emissions from Heathrow's air cargo. Heathrow has now put out a short document attempting to convince that it is making serious improvements to local air quality. On air freight, it says it will be getting shippers to share lorry journeys. Heathrow says in 2016 it will: "• Keep pushing for greater consolidation of vehicle loads at Heathrow and aim to provide an online venue for freight operators to buy and sell empty space on their trucks by July. • Establish a sustainable freight partnership with operators by September with the objective of reducing emissions [No clue what that actually means ?] • Develop and publish our plans for building a call-forward cargo facility to reduce congestion, idling, and emissions of vehicles coming to Heathrow by the end of the year." So that does not look like much. But Heathrow is trying to persuade the government soon. The reality is that Heathrow hopes to double its volume of air freight, with a new runway - and that freight is carried in diesel vehicles, and lorries are not producing less air pollution.
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Heathrow expansion would exacerbate London’s housing challenge, with up to 70,000 more homes needed by 2030
A 3rd Heathrow runway would exacerbate London's housing challenge. The Airports Commission considered between about 30,000 and 70,000 extra homes needed in the area, for the extra employees attracted to the area, by 2030. In the recent report by the Mayor of London, he considers that there might demand for around 80,000 extra new homes by 2050, due to Heathrow with new direct, indirect and induced jobs Most will need to be accommodated in the region. The Airports Commission said: "...an average of some 500 homes per year in each of 14 local authorities – may be challenging to deliver, ..." The Mayor says: "By 2030 the number of people living in the city will grow by 1.4 million to 10 million. By 2050 this number is forecast to be about 11.3 million ... .West London and the areas surrounding the airport are, however, already struggling to keep up with background growth, in the face of overheated property markets and increasingly limited land supply. ...The Airports Commission believes that expansion can be accommodated without placing additional pressure on housing. Primarily, it claims this by drawing on local unemployment to fill the new jobs; however, this is not borne out by experience of similar schemes; expansion will require a variety of skills levels and will attract employees from across the London area."