Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Why Heathrow does not need to be expanded and the UK does not need a new hub airport
There have been a great many speculative articles over the past few days, since the Chancellor announced the consultation on the draft white paper on aviation policy was suddenly, and unexpectedly, delayed till summer. A likely cause of the speculation is that the DfT is probably having to include Heathrow in the consultation, or risk legal challenge. GACC (the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign) has set out some of the key reasons why Heathrow does not need to be expanded, and why a new hub airport is not needed in the UK. Gatwick and Stansted have space and are well under capacity. There is nothing stopping airlines putting on flights to the Far East from London airports, it if is their choice to do so. If these flights could be run at a profit, they would be provided. Geographically, for travellers from Europe heading east, the UK is in the wrong place, so is not well situated as a hub for them. In another informative article, Murad Qureshi also set out why Heathrow does not need to be physically expanded, as its passenger numbers are already growing, it has more than enough space for business travellers, and large numbers of convenient flights via hubs like Dubai to anywhere further east. The problem with the growing number of passengers using Heathrow is the noise and local air pollution.
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Sunday papers speculate on Tories’ change of mind on Heathrow runway
There has been a rash of very similar stories in the Observer, the Independent on Sunday and other papers today. The story seems to be somewhat flimsy, and based on no new evidence, on rather a slow news day. There appears to be nothing new other than David Cameron’s vague comment, comment by the Chancellor, and a statement from Tim Yeo earlier. Nothing else is new, other than journalist speculation. The Independent talks of the rifts in the government, between the Chancellor, Nick Clegg and Justine Greening. It also talks of "Secret plans being drawn up in Whitehall include the possibility of transforming the runway at RAF Northolt." The Independent also says: ".. flights from Chongqing, China's biggest city, do not go direct to any of London's four airports. Mr Osborne has privately admitted it was a "mistake" to rule out Heathrow expansion." Zac Goldsmith has threatened to resign as an MP if Heathrow expansion went ahead.
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Observer: “Top Tories admit: we got it wrong on third runway at Heathrow”
The Observer says that according to senior sources, both David Cameron and George Osborne have been persuaded by pressure from industry to re-examine a 3rd Heathrow runway. Apparently they have been lobbied that otherwise trade will move elsewhere in the EU. The Liberal Democrats remain deeply opposed to a 3rd runway. MPs such as Vince Cable, Justine Greening and Zac Goldsmith would be deeply opposed. However, many senior Tories want to back the runway, and have this in their next general election manifesto. The possibility of using Northolt has been put forward again. The government is afraid that without a huge hub, even larger than Heathrow, the UK will be left behind economically. Those in favour of the 3rd runway are claiming the hugely increased carbon emissions from expanding UK aviation would be taken care of through the EU ETS
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Belfast City Airport withdraws runway extension plan
The management of Belfast City Airport have withdrawn their plans for a 590 metre runway extension. It had first submitted its plan in 2008. The airport's Chief Executive said it was being withdrawn as some of the information in the application was out of date. The airport had hoped that having an extended runway would mean it could attract a number of new airlines that could not use the existing runway to fly to European destinations. There was huge local opposition to the proposed runway extension, as there is a real problem with noise and a great many Belfast residents are overflown. Belfast City Airport Watch, a group which opposed the runway extension, said they were still worried about noise nuisance and that more - and noisier - international flights are still likely. Congratulations to Belfast City Airport Watch for their perseverance and hard work on this over many years
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IAG offers more Heathrow slots – 14 pairs – in bid for BMI
IAG has offered extra concessions to try to get regulatory approval to buy BMI, currently making a loss, and owned by Lufthansa. IAG has now offered to increase the number of take off and landing slots at Heathrow that it will relinquish from 10 to 14. Losing more than the 14 pairs of slots IAG is now proposing risked undermining the case for buying BMI, bearing in mind that BMI is loss-making (made a loss of €199m in 2011). Joaquín Almunia, EU competition commissioner, must decide by March 30 whether to approve IAG’s purchase under Brussels’ phase one inquiry process. Virgin Atlantic, which failed with its bid for BMI, wants the EU to prevent the IAG deal. If IAG bought BMI, it would increase its share of Heathrow slots from about 45% to about 53%.
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Protect Kent: Manston airport sale “a chance to introduce proper planning”
The Kent branch of CPRE, Protect Kent, has said that Manston has been unable to become a commercial success for many reasons, not least its lack of infrastructure. They notice the undeniable fact that Manston airport has consistently struggled to attract passengers and airline operators despite the massive amount of investment into it. They hope, along with thousands of local residents in Thanet, that Thanet District Council will take the sale of Manston as an opportunity to bring the operation under the proper control of a robust planning agreement to protect the interests of all of Thanet's residents. "The prospect of intensification of night flights, while Manston airport has been unable to exploit its daytime capacity, has hung over the county for far too long."
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Transport secretary pledges to ‘remove barriers’ to Birmingham Airport expansion
Justine Greening has said she wanted to “remove barriers” which prevented Birmingham airport growing. The airport has been lobbying ministers to be allowed to expand, and has argued that in the long term regional airports such as Birmingham should be considered as an alternative to a new airport in the Thames Estuary. Ms Greening said the planned high speed rail line, which will include a new station close to Birmingham Airport, would make it far more accessible to people from across the country. On the Aviation Policy Framework (consultation on which is now delayed till summer from March) she said "... we are quite keen to see what we can do to allow regional airports like Birmingham to flourish. They have a key role to play and we want to look at how we can take away some of the barriers that stop them doing that and look at how we can really put them in the best possible position to do well."
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Thames estuary airport fears as full National Planning Policy Framework to be published next week,
In his Budget, George Osborne said: ”Next week my right hon. Friend the Communities Secretary and the Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark), the Minister with responsibility for planning, will publish the results of our overhaul of planning regulation. We are replacing 1,000 pages of guidance with just 50 pages. We are introducing a presumption in favour of sustainable development, while protecting our most precious environments. The new policy comes into effect when the national planning policy framework is published next Tuesday. This is the biggest reduction in business red tape ever undertaken.” This does not bode well for the Thames estuary.
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Saturday 24th March: Tens of Thousands expected at Nationwide Protests against Airport Expansion in Germany
UK airport campaigners have sent messages of support to their fellow campaigners in Germany and France who will be staging major demonstrations against airport expansion on Saturday 24th March. In Germany tens of thousands of people are expected to turn out in at least five cities. In Frankfurt as many as 20,000 people could occupy the terminal. And, in Munich the campaigners against the proposed 3rd runway will hold as picnic in the terminal. In Nantes the demonstrators will occupy the centre of the city. There will also be protests in Berlin, Cologne and Leipzig. This gives the lie to the impression always given by the UK aviation industry that airports in Europe will continue to expand. They will not do so without immense and powerful opposition.
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Birmingham Airport contractors selected for road improvement and runway extension
A £65 million project to improve the roads around Birmingham Airport was unveiled today, laying the ground for a runway extension. It was announced today that contractors VolkerFitzpatrick and Colas have been jointly appointed for both the A45 Transport Corridor Improvement and the runway extension. Work will start on the £32m road scheme in July, and it is expected to be completed by next summer, with work on the runway extension starting in June 2013. The £33m runway project is expected to be in operation by the spring of 2014.