Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Extra runways at both Gatwick and Heathrow not viable without ‘illegal’ state aid
Gatwick has complained that “massive” and potentially illegal public subsidies would be needed to support the construction of additional runways at more than one airport in the South East. They say there will be insufficient demand from passengers to support building a second runway at Gatwick and a third at Heathrow at the same time. An injection of taxpayer funds would, therefore, be required to justify the costs, the airport said, although that could potentially breach state aid rules. Gatwick has published a report listing 10 reasons why Heathrow expansion would be bad for Britain in a last ditch attempt to persuade the Airports Commission that its own proposals should be included on a short-list to be published on Tuesday 17th. Rival airports have been growing increasingly concerned after leaks that Sir Howard is likely to short-list only 3 potential options for new runways, all including at least one at Heathrow. Charlie Cornish, chief executive of MAG, said: “We firmly believe all credible options should be considered and taken forward for more detailed assessment during the next phase of the process. This is not, and should not be a two horse race."
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Report by Hounslow, Ealing and Slough councils says Heathrow closure would create 70,000 job losses
A new report commissioned by the London boroughs of Hounslow, Ealing and Slough Borough Council into the economic effect of Heathrow on the area, and the likely repercussions if it was to close. The report concludes that if Heathrow was to close, "up to 70,000 jobs across 3 boroughs neighbouring Heathrow would vanish, with devastating economic consequences, if the airport were to close in favour of a new hub airport elsewhere." The three local authorities, all of which have differing positions on the future of Heathrow, were concerned that the local impact of any decision was not being given sufficient weight in the deliberations into how to increase airport capacity in the south east. The report, by Parsons Brinkerhof and Berkeley Hanover Consulting, sets out 6 possible scenarios for the airport - but it came out just before the Airports Commission leak indicating that it proposes one - or even two - Heathrow runways, with no suggestion whatsoever of it closing. The report contains estimates of the number of direct and catalysed jobs, caused by Heathrow, or proximity to it. The Leader of Ealing Council, said: “Thousands of local families depend on Heathrow for their livelihoods and the airport plays a critical role in the local economy. Closing it should not be contemplated." It would appear that its closure is, indeed, not being contemplated. At all.
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Labour denies Heathrow third runway U-turn – but there has been a shift away from opposition
Labour has played down reports that Ed Miliband is set to abandon his opposition to a 3rd Heathrow runway. But he is under pressure from the shadow chancellor Ed Balls to be more supportive when the Airports Commission reports next week (though the report has been leaked already). A parliamentary row has been brewing over claims that No 10 has pressured the Commission into keeping a broader shortlist to avoid an early row focused on Heathrow - though Heathrow appears to be the main focus. Ed Balls in a recent speech to the CBI said he would like to see the Airports Commission make recommendations before the general election. The party's previous shadow transport secretary, Maria Eagle, was shifted in the recent shadow cabinet reshuffle partly due to disagreements with Balls over HS2 and Heathrow. Eagle's replacement as shadow transport secretary, Mary Creagh, has tried to be non-committal towards the Airports Commission, saying: "No party can say now that it will implement its recommendations when we simply don't know what the costs of any proposals will be. Obviously the Conservatives and Lib Dems haven't made any such commitments." She said Labour would not rule any runway options in or out while the Commission was still deliberating.
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Boris Johnson’s warfare threat if Airports Commission report pushes “catastrophic mistake” of Heathrow expansion
Boris has threatened open warfare against the Airports Commission if it makes the “catastrophic mistake” of pushing for Heathrow expansion, in its interim report. He launched a pre-emptive strike after it emerged that commission head Sir Howard Davies has briefed senior Government figures (including Osborne) a few days ago, a week in advance of the report's launch, that it opposes every runway option other than Heathrow. The leaks indicate that Sir Howard indicated he planned a shortlist of three options, all of which involved expanding Heathrow. The first was to revive a 3rd runway, which David Cameron originally pledged to stop, only to change his mind in the face of business pressure. Option two was to approve Heathrow’s latest expansion blueprint, for 2 extra runways. Option three was one extra runway at Heathrow plus one extra runway at Gatwick. Speaking from Doha where he is on a trade mission, Boris said: “I cannot conceivably believe that Howard Davies would inflict the misery of a 3rd runway at Heathrow, let alone a 4th, on a million people or more in west London." Mind you, Boris still wants his mega airport in the Thames estuary. The Standard says: Mr Johnson’s mood was said to be of shock and incredulity — but also a “steely resolve” to fight the plan.
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Easyjet’s Manchester to Moscow direct flights to be cut next summer – more sunny tourist destinations instead
In March, EasyJet launched the Moswow route with the expectation of carrying around 60,000 passengers during the first year, with 4 flights every week. But from May to September there will be just 2. There isn't the demand. Instead EasyJet (what a surprise) will put on extra flights to Mediterranean holiday destinations - to meet their "customers' needs". The Moscow flights were heralded as critical to the strategy to see North West firms increase their presence in emerging markets and away from its current reliance on the EU. A Manchester Airport spokesman said: “We’re disappointed to lose frequency on Moscow but pleased to see that the capacity will be used on increased flights to popular destinations such as Athens and Thessaloniki....The Moscow route remains important for businesses based in the North West which are looking to serve new markets such as Russia and is helping to increase trade between the two regions.” It is claimed "Manchester’s exports to Russia have grown by 27% in the last two years." The airport says it has 190 direct destinations.Manchester had 24% of its passengers travelling on business in 2012.
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Heathrow campaigners furious over leak that Sir Howard Davies is backing 2 new runways at Heathrow
Heathrow campaigners have reacted with anger and disbelief to the leaked news that the Airports Commission Interim Report, which is due to be published on 17th December, favours 2 more runways at Heathrow. From the leaks, the Commission is expected to go for a 3rd runway at Heathrow followed by a 4th Heathrow runway or a second runway at Gatwick. The draft of the report, presented to Chancellor George Osborne, ruled out new runways at Stansted or an Estuary Airport. It is thought, however, that Tuesday’s report may formally retain more options in an attempt to give it some balance. This news will cause fury across whole swathes of London and the Home Counties. with the Airports Commission's work over the next two years in selecting from its "short list" seen as a "busted flush” with its decision already taken. John Stewart, Chair of HACAN - which represents residents under the Heathrow flight paths, said: “It is astonishing that Davies has put so much faith in an option he must know is politically the hardest to deliver. The one good thing is that he will force political parties to come out for or against a 3rd runway before the 2015 General Election.” Another Heathrow runway means thousands of people stand to lose their homes. They are not going to stand by and let that happen. The campaign against a 3rd runway starts today.
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Heathrow 3rd runway being pushed ahead by government, says Goldsmith
Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith - on Twitter - has claimed the government was trying to push through a 3rd runway at Heathrow by hiding behind initial recommendations made by the independent Airports Commission,chaired by Sir Howard Davies, whose interim report is due out next week. Zac has accused George Osborne of "yearning for a China-style government", saying on Twitter: "Osborne has spent public money on a review whose only purpose is to make a 3rd runway decision look like it was reached independently." This comes after "sources close to the inquiry," which will recommend where a new runway for London should be built, claimed Davies would set out 3 options for extra airport capacity in the south-east in the interim report - which is due to be revealed on the morning of 17th December. The 3 are thought to be: 1). A 3rd Heathrow runway. 2). A 3rd and 4th runway at Heathrow. 3). Another runway at both Heathrow and Gatwick. The Guardian says if the initial speculation is correct and Heathrow is the main focus, this is a potential source of embarrassment for the government. The Guardian adds that: " One source said Davies had been asked by No 10 to broaden the shortlist to avert any outcry about Heathrow. But this could not be verified."
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In Toronto expansion of lakeside Billy Bishop airport is strenuously opposed by thousands whose lives it would adversely affect
Pearson airport is the main airport for Toronto. It has several long runways, can take large jets, and had around 35 million passengers in the past year. By contrast, Billy Bishop waterfront airport is tiny, lying along the lake edge close to central Toronto. Its one runway, by the water, is only about 1,200 metres and it had 2 million passengers last year. There are plans to greatly expand Billy Bishop airport, with the runway extended by 200 metres at both ends, to take jets rather than the current turboprops. There are plans for greatly increased numbers of passengers. There has been very vocal opposition from the local group, NoJetsTO, who fear having this enlarged airport will have highly negative impacts on the city, creating noise, air pollution, water pollution, disruption to leisure activities that take place on the lake, traffic congestion, interference with childrens' learning in school, and lowering the quality of life of many living in the area. They say the large jets should stay at Pearson airport, which is well equipped to deal with them. Now the airport's plans, by Porter Airlines, will not be considered by the city until February. Toronto city’s executive committee voted to defer debate of the controversial proposal till February 4 or to a specially called meeting.
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Mayor’s adviser admits ‘Boris airport’ may be dumped by Airports Commission
Boris Johnson's aviation adviser, Daniel Moylan, has admitted that proposals for a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary are “at risk” of being ditched by Sir Howard Davies when he publishes a shortlist of options for additional runway capacity in the South East on 17th December. The mayor has also put forward suggestions to transform Stansted (an area he does not represent in any way) “out of all recognition” into a new four-runway hub and advocated closing Heathrow and transforming it into a new London borough with up to 80,000 new homes. This week a jobs report from three councils in the Heathrow area, Hounslow, Slough and Ealing, will spell out the dangers of shutting Heathrow. The airport claims that the 76,600 people it directly employs would be made redundant overnight if Heathrow was to be replaced by a massive estuary airport, but the 3 councils' report is likely to put the figure far higher. The councils say the closure of Heathrow would have a huge impact on thousands of families.” Curiously and inconsistently, Boris is not bothered about the harm his Stansted plans would inflict on people there, but Mr Moylan talks about Heathrow expansion inflicting misery on a million people, or developing Gatwick into a four-runway hub airport.
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Telegraph article discussing some of the issues for the Airports Commission’s interim statement, due on 17th December
The Airports Commission will make its interim announcement on 17th December, on short term measures, and its short-list of runway options for the long term. The Telegraph writes about this with great enthusiasm at the prospect of aviation capacity equivalent to the size of Gatwick today being added to the south east, (mainly to accommodate more leisure air travel). Some of the points they make are that, predictably, the Airport Operators Association (AOA), say after 2015 any Prime Minister "who rejects the findings of that commission in 2015 would look very weak.” Heathrow expansion would need at least £4 - 6 billion of public funding for the road and rail links. It appears that MAG is lukewarm on the idea of a mega-hub at Stansted. Even Boris' own advisers fear the tide may have turned against any of the Thames Estuary options, which have been fiercely attacked by critics for the associated costs. Stewart Wingate of Gatwick fears the commission could simply choose to drop the most whacky options, and just ask for more work to be done on the most ones - Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and an airport in the Thames Estuary. It is not yet clear if the commission will shortlist a location or a specific option there (they don't yet have enough detail on them to choose). Several groups, including Heathrow hedged their bets by submitting more than one option, which met the various "sift" criteria in different ways