Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Airport protests about serious aircraft noise over residential areas near Shanghai Hongqiao
Local authorities in China are considering reducing the number of large airplanes used at Hongqiao Shanghai International Airport, to try to ease noise complaints from nearby residents. This is according to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Hongqiao airport is close to the city center, and there are many residential communities nearby. Complaints about noise levels began after the airport's new Terminal 2 was put into use ahead of the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. Earlier two CPPCC members advised that more large planes be detoured to Shanghai Pudong International Airport to reduce noise levels at Hongqiao. The government's slow reaction to the problem has caused fierce conflicts between official departments and the people. Some 7,000 others from two communities about 500 meters from the new airport terminal, have taken turns over the past year to protest against the noise at the airport daily.
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Spate of suspiciously pro-Heathrow articles that have appeared in the Evening Standard. Why?
Something odd is going on at the Standard. There is a new editor, Sarah Sands. And the paper has done three days on the trot of large articles giving the maximum publicity it dares to promoting the BAA line that Heathrow has to be expanded. Without any new facts or particularly strong arguments to back up the hype. With the aviation policy due to start some time in the next few months, the Standard appears to be putting all its effort into changing the climate of opinion in London, by this rather unsubtle publicity drive. Who is paying for it? Who is behind it? Why is no other point of view being put? All rather suspicious. Not a sign of a well edited newspaper. And some of the economic claims are pretty laughable. But the Standard got Boris re-elected, so they hope they can work their magic again on the runway issue ...
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Mark Reckless MP to talk to Cameron on environmental devastation of an estuary airport
David Cameron has finally agreed to face-to-face talks with MP Mark Reckless (Rochester and Strood) on the concept of a Thames estuary airport. It has taken 4 months for him to get this meeting. Mr Reckless said he would tell the PM an airport would bring “environmental devastation” and that the economics of it don’t stack up because of the cost. This is a view echoed by wildlife groups and Medway Council – an area which would bear the brunt of the effects of the massive project.
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John Stewart banned from USA – probably for life. For opposing Heathrow expansion.
A vote taking place in the European Parliament today is set to approve the Liese report on including aviation in the EU's ETS. Commenting on the likely outcome of the vote, Green MEP and shadow rapporteur Dr Caroline Lucas said the agreement will represent a small step in the right direction, but a truly missed opportunity compared to what should have been achieved. (Caroline Lucas)
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Passenger downturn prompts slump in Prestwick airport’s valuation
Passenger numbers at Prestwick in 2011 half the level of 2007. There were 1.2 million passengers in 2011. This fall in passengers has greatly reduced the price of the airport, which Infratil is trying to sell. Financial figures put the value of Prestwick and Kent Manston airports at £33 million ($64.7 million), down from £44m a year ago. Prestwick and Manston contributed an after-tax loss of $37.4 million (£17.9 million) in the year. Both airports were put on the market in March after Infratil said they were not performing. A buyer has yet to be identified for Prestwick. One reason for the slump of passenger numbers to the lowest level in a decade is the decision by Ryanair to focus growth at Edinburgh airport. Aviation analysts have questioned whether Prestwick would be able to recover from the decline that began late in 2008. It has long been reliant almost entirely on services offered by Ryanair.
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Berlin Brandenburg Airport opening date postponed – till March 2013
The new Berlin Brandenburg (Willie Brandt) airport will not now open till March 2013. It had been due to open in June 2012, and was postponed recently until August 2012. The problem appears be the fire safety system. The airport can only commence operations with a fully automated fire safety and control system as originally planned, and the interim solution of a partly automated system will not be allowed. This will take until December 2012. In addition, the risk would be too high to move the airport in winter due to adverse weather leading to operational restrictions. The Managing Director Operations, responsible for the construction of the airport, will have to leave the company. Keeping open the two older Berlin airports that this one will replace will cost about €15 million a month.
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Heathrow ‘Operational Freedoms’ trials to be extended by 6 months – with surprise change to night flights
Theresa Villiers has agreed to significant changes to the second phase of operational trials at Heathrow. As well as the 6 month extension, Air Traffic Control will be allowed to vary the routes some planes take on departure. And, in a surprise move, the trials will also allow some aircraft currently scheduled to arrive after 0600 to land between 0530 and 0600 provided that the same number of flights scheduled to arrive between 0430 and 0500 are rescheduled to after 0500. She stressed that the trials would result in no overall increase in the number of planes using Heathrow each day. HACAN is surprised by the extent of the changes which have been made to the second phase of the trial. "The big concern of local people is that they will lose their half day’s break from the noise. It is this which makes life bearable for so many people. There will also be a lot of anger that more flights are being allowed before six in the morning”.
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Here is a classic bit of BAA lobbying, spinning the standard “Heathrow must be expanded” line
This is an article in the Evening Standard, which seems to have just taken the BAA publicity, amplified it somewhat, and re-hashed it. There is a lot of this stuff about, all the proponents of massive London airport expansion working themselves up to fever pitch of self righteousness and pro-expansion propaganda. They capitalise on people’s fear of economic failure and recession, and exaggerate nervousness about Britain not having the biggest and best and failing to out-do all the financial competition. It contains statement after statement, with no offer to back these up with facts. As usual, the key logical fallacy is in confounding the self interest of the aviation industry, and BAA, with the interest of the nation. The two are separate. The government sometimes appears to realise this, but the aviation industry has succeeded for far too long with propaganda that peddles the misapprehension that economic growth depends on more air travel. It does not.
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Manston Airport night flights opposed by Thanet Council
Proposals for limited nighttime flying at Manston Airport in Kent are to be opposed by Thanet District Council. Members of the cabinet agreed the potential economic benefits had been over-estimated and noise disturbance under-estimated. Council leader Clive Hart said a public consultation had "clearly demonstrated" a large number of residents (73%) were against flights operating between 23:00 and 07:00 BST. The cabinet's recommendation will now go to full council to be debated on 24th May. Mr Hart said: "Encouraging regeneration in Thanet and supporting local businesses is vital to the success of the area, but this can't come at any cost." The airport claims night flights are needed so it can become a viable airport, which Infratil are currently trying to sell. The airport will take the views of TDC into account in their decision on night flights. The local MP, Roger Gale, is vehemently in favour of the night flights.
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Nantes airport building plans, set back by 2 years by the hunger strike
The hunger strike at Nantes, against the Projet d' aéroport du Grand Ouest, Notre-Dame-des-Landes, ended last week. Now the legal procedures continue, against compulsory purchase of land from farmers and others living in the site, some 30 km north of Nantes, where the airport would be sited and where work would have soon started. The Mayor of Nantes, Jean-Marc Ayrault, had been a keen supporter of the airport for years. He is still very much in favour of it. There is bitterness that he did not once visit the hunger strike over its 28 days, until pressure was put on him by Francoise Hollande's office to meet one of the campaign. The planned airport would be the main airport for Western France and have up to 9 million passengers per year eventually (current airport has 3 million passengers).