Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
GACC finds Gatwick Master Plan contains serious misrepresentations and is deeply flawed
The GACC committee finds the master plan contains several serious misrepresentations. It conceals the increase in noise that will occur from a rise in number of flights by 60%. It says the aviation industry contributes £53 billion to UK's economy per year, while the DfT gave the figure of £9 billion. They have committed the elementary economic error of using gross turnover rather than net output. It omits mention of jobs exported due to outward-bound tourism and makes over optimistic jobs claims.
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Hacan Clearskies says membership has risen ahead of controversial trials at Heathrow
HACAN has seen a sharp surge in the number of residents wanting to join after BAA revealed plans for it to use both runways simultaneously if planes are running just 10 minutes late. The 4 month trial starts on November 1st and a second next summer from July 1st. Hacan and the Richmond Heathrow Campaign descended on stations during rush hour on October 18th, handing out leaflets to commuters across the borough. People are urged to complain if concerned.
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Frankfurt airport temporary ban on night flights between 11pm and 5am
A court in Germany has ruled that Frankfurt airport cannot have any night flights, after 30th October, between 11pm and 5am. The total ban will stay in effect until the German Federal Administrative High Court in Leipzig can weigh in on the decision. Lufthansa Cargo says the ban will kill off its business, which has 11 of the total 17 night slots, and uses 8 - 10 of them. They want 23 night movements by 2020. A new Frankfurt runway is due to open on 21st October.
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Heathrow now has 12 airside bedrooms so transit passengers can sleep comfortably
Now passengers at Heathrow can enjoy their hours in transit in comfort under a duvet and away from the crowds in a soundproof cabin - complete with bed, shower, television and even a mini-bar. The rooms, which also have free wi-fi, are the first airside bedrooms in Britain. Airports like Schiphol have airside hotels available to passengers. But nothing before at Heathrow despite about three million transfer passengers passing through Terminal 3 alone every year.
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Gatwick master plan consultation launched, with runway in prospect after 2020
The new Gatwick master plan, published today, contains plans for a possible new runway some time after 2020. “If that were ever to become a serious threat it would be fought tooth and nail by GACC, with support from hundreds of thousands of people throughout Surrey, Sussex and Kent, said Brendon Sewill, GACC chairman. “But we believe it will never happen. It is Government policy that no new runways should be built in the South East. The official forecasts show that the London airports will not be full until 2030, and it would make no commercial or environmental sense to build a new runway while there is still unused capacity. If oil prices rise the date may well be much later."
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Willie Walsh attacks ‘Heathwick’ plan – high speed rail linking Heathrow and Gatwick
The head of IAG has dismissed plans for a new super-airport covering Heathrow and Gatwick as lacking credibility. The DfT has revealed that they are looking at plans to create a linked hub, bringing Heathrow & Gatwick together. The airport's Whitehall code name is Heathwick. Walsh says this would be difficult to deliver and more expensive than a 3rd runway at Heathrow. As part of an aviation review, the DfT is also considering joining Northolt with Heathrow.
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BAA ordered to sell Glasgow or Edinburgh airport before selling Stansted
BAA has been told by the Competition Commission that it must sell either Edinburgh or Glasgow before it sells Stansted. Earlier this year it had said BAA should sell Stansted first, but BAA appealed which has caused delay. So now the sale of one of the Scottish airports must be brought forward, and will begin soon, as it will take longer for Stansted to be sorted out. BAA says it is now clearer than ever "that Heathrow & Stansted serve different markets."
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Heathrow and Gatwick airports: Ministers mull rail link to form a single hub from the two combined
The DfT confirmed ministers will be studying the idea of a 180 mph rail link between Heathrow & Gatwick, while government reviews its aviation policy. BAA is opposed, saying it faced "seemingly insurmountable technical, operational, political financial challenges, and would take many years to deliver". The aim would be to improve connectivity between the two, so both Heathrow could focus on profitable long haul, and low budget carriers would choose cheaper Stansted. BAA, British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair are opposed. Gatwick in favour.
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Official opening for new 124 metre extension of Aberdeen Airport runway
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Residents around Luton fear airport development plans will increase noise
Luton Borough Council, the main shareholder of London Luton Airport , is considering the airport’s future. At an Executive meeting, it said it wants to increase the annual passengers to 18 million - almost double the current number, with a view to increasing up to 30 million passengers a year in due course. This would cause more road congestion and more noise across flight paths in the area, including Stevenage, Hitchin and Baldock.