Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Stobart Group gets go-ahead for Carlisle airport redevelopment scheme but with many conditions
Carlisle City Council have granted planning permission for the Stobart scheme to develop Carlisle airport. They plan to build a 394,000sq ft freight-distribution centre and to resurface the runway for passenger flights and air freight. However, permissionis only agreed in principle and is subject to a string of legal conditions being met. The council decision is subject to an Appropriate Assessment by Natural England and a Section 106 agreement including obligation on Stobart to keep the airport open and the runway maintained, various travel plan obligations, and the payment of £100,000 in order to enable the undertaking of a habitat enhancement scheme to benefit breeding waders. Objectors could yet seek a judicial review of the council’s decision.
Click here to view full story...
Sign the Avaaz petition against Nantes airport
The petition says the Nantes airport project is an economic, social and environmental aberration. Located 18 km from the center of Nantes, it would not solve the problems in the city's current airport. It would only move them. It would inflict serious nuisance on over 80 000 inhabitants of the municipalities in the northern suburbs of Nantes. Connecting the various structures that it needs (roads, railways, bridge on Loire) would also cause problems (expropriations - compulsory purchase) and nuisance to thousands of others. The colossal cost of this infrastructure would weigh on the taxes of people across the department and result in budget cuts in other areas such as education and health. With traffic of up to 9 million passengers, this airport would significantly increase emissions of greenhouse gases. So we say NO to the airport project of Notre Dame des Landes!
Click here to view full story...
Free Enterprise Group hopes paying Londoners enough compensation would allow 3rd Heathrow runway
The FT reports that BAA expects to have to compensate residents affected by noise and air pollution, if it is allowed to build a 3rd runway. The Free Market group of Tory MPs have suggested that this compensation is the way BAA could go ahead the runway. They hope this money will change the balance of opinion among those overflown, if people get a large payout. The French take the approach of giving compensation, in order to get large infrastructure projects approved quickly. George Osborne is understood to be in favour of a 3rd Heathrow runway, as the cheapest and quickest way to satisfy the airlines. The other option is just noise insulation for more homes - which, of course, has no effect if the windows are open, or if people want to be outside, or in their gardens under a flight path. BAA pays the current costs of insulation, but "is interested in exploring whether the government should also contribute. "
Click here to view full story...
Redhill Aerodrome applies yet again for a hard runway to replace 3 grass runways
Owners of Redhill airfield, RAVL, have submitted a revised application for a hard runway after their first bid failed. They want to replace the 3 grass runways with a one concrete one, giving it potential to increase flights from 60,000 to 85,000 a year and for larger planes. Tandridge and Reigate councils turned down the original bid last year. The airfield think their new application "addressed the reasons for refusal in 2011". As usual, they exaggerate the number of possible jobs that might be created - alleging it will increase the 450 jobs it supports today to some 590 in future - and attract investment to the area etc. Over 1,000 people opposed the original plans which were rejected last year, realising the plans would create an unacceptable level of noise and pollution, breach green belt restrictions, and destroy the landscape.
Click here to view full story...
Ryanair Seeking 25% Stake in London Stansted Airport Bid Group
Ryanair is keen to take a 25 % equity stake in Stansted by participating in one of a number of groups that may bid for the airport. Ryanair, Stansted’s biggest customer, is prepared to make “a modest commitment” as “anchor tenant” at the airport and has been examining proposals from five or six groups, from which one or two serious bids are likely to emerge. Ryanair's Chief Financial Officer said “Stansted is the only place in London where another runway can be built. It makes more sense to have it at Heathrow, but Stansted is the only place with capacity and we want a 25% stake.” Stansted has to be sold soon, as BAA lost it latest stage in its appeal to avoid the sale last week, though it is possible it will go to the Supreme Court. South Korea’s Incheon International Airport Corp. may also bid for Stansted, as well as Manchester Airports Group.
Click here to view full story...
Building of a new, large airport at Viterbo (near Rome) will not happen
The Viterbo Air Force Base, some 40 miles north west of Rome, near the small town of Viterbo, was chosen, by the Italian Transport Ministry, in 2007 to be a new, huge airport, to relieve pressure on the two Rome Airports, Ciampino and Fiumicino. It now appears that the Italian Director General for Airports, and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport have said, in recent public statements, that this airport project will now not happen. There have been strong arguments against the building of this airport, by distinguished scientists, judges, academics from several universities, many social movements and environmental and human rights groups. The government officials now agree it would be harmful and destructive, misguided and illegal.
Click here to view full story...
BAA says Stansted airport will rebound when UK economy recovers
BAA says it believes struggling Stansted will rebound strongly when the UK economy recovers. Stansted passenger numbers have continued to decline this year and Colin Matthews said Stansted would struggle "as long as the UK consumer is not confident". But "It's the only London airport with significant capacity to grow so when the UK consumer is confident again, we'll see growth quicker there than anywhere else." Stansted passengers have been down each month this year by between -2.5% and - 6.6% compared to the same month last year. Passenger numbers were down 24% in 2011, compared to the peak in 2007.
Click here to view full story...
BAA finally runs out of runway at Stansted and loses Appeal Court legal challenge
BAA lost its latest challenge today against a decision forcing it to sell Stansted. The appeal by the Spanish-owned company was rejected by three Court of Appeal judges in London. In 2009 the Competition Commission ruled that BAA must sell Stansted and two of its other UK airports, and BAA has since mounted a series of unsuccessful legal challenges against the decision. Earlier this year BAA lost an appeal before the Competition Appeal Tribunal. A BAA spokesperson said: "We are disappointed that the Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of the Competition Commission. We will now consider its judgement carefully and we intend to submit an appeal to the Supreme Court."
Click here to view full story...
Lydd Airport: Nuclear regulator forced to review aircraft crash risk
The nuclear regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation, acknowledges that if a large aircraft were to accidentally crash onto the Dungeness nuclear site it has the potential to cause its most severe 'Target 9' accident, killing more than 100 people. Over the last 5 years its rationale for not objecting to the proposed expansion of nearby Lydd Airport is an assertion that the probability of such an accident is low enough to be ignored. This is despite the development introducing larger, heavier planes than the small aircraft which operate from Lydd today. Finally, the ONR now admits that it may have “got it wrong”. As a result it has decided to set up a technical advisory panel to take a grass roots review of the model as well as consider a proposal to introduce a minimum separation policy as the only robust way of managing this large scale accident risk.
Click here to view full story...
GACC welcomes the low priority given to a new runway in the Gatwick master plan
GACC, the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign, has commented on the Gatwick Airport Master Plan that was published last week. They welcome the assurance given by the Gatwick CEO, Stewart Wingate, that "Gatwick Airport is not actively pursuing, promoting or lobbying for a 2nd runway". However, GIP, the major shareholder in Gatwick, wants to sell its shares in around 2018 and the prospect of a new runway would improve the price. GACC reiterates that there is no space for an efficient new runway (as the master plan admits) and it is doubtful if a new runway would prove profitable. GACC chairman, Brendon Sewill, said: "If any new runway ever became a serious possibility, there would be massive opposition from across Surrey, Sussex and Kent." GACC have also rubbished the economic figures in the master plan, with its hugely exaggerated jobs claims, and inaccurate and inflated figures of alleged economic benefit.