Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
BAA set for legal fight if ordered to sell airports
Date added: 18 July, 2011
BAA could seek a judicial review against the Competition Commission if, as expected,
it is ordered to sell Stansted and one of its Scottish airports. The CC indicated
earlier this year in a preliminary review of a 2009 ruling that it was still minded
to order the forced divestments in order to increase competition in the airport
market in south-east England and Scotland. The final report on 19th is expected
to give BAA 18 months to arrange an auction.
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Blackpool Airport may lose homes block bid
Date added: 17 July, 2011
A plea to turn down housing estate plans amid fears it could halt Blackpool Airport’s
expansion plans looks to have failed. The airport want more time to prove the damaging impact the homes could have
on tourism after stepping in at the 11th hour last month to stop Fylde Council
approving the application. But plans for 73 homes on the former Pontins site is due before planners again
next week – and councillors likely to disregard the airport’s objections.
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Carlisle Airport planning decision postponed till August as plans appear unrealistic
Date added: 16 July, 2011
Carlisle Council has put off a decision until after 19th August on whether to
give Stobart Group permission to build a 394,000sq ft freight-distribution centre
and resurface the runway. Councillors had been expected to turn down the application on 15th. Failure
to get planning could significantly affect the valuation of Carlisle Airport, which Stobart bought 2
years ago. Aviation consultants working for the council advised that passenger flights would
not be “commercially viable” and there was “very little potential” for air freight.
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Bill Bryson presents Bristol anti-airport expansion campaigners with award
Date added: 14 July, 2011
SBAE has received national recognition for its work opposing the proposed plans
to increase airport traffic at Bristol Airport from 6 m passengers to 10 m passengers
by 2019. The group’s campaigning achievements were acknowledged by CPRE President Bill
Bryson who presented them the Marsh Award for the Benefit of Rural England + £450.
Bill said: "These extraordinary people finish their working week only to sit down
and do another week’s worth in their spare time.”
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Heathrow to be given more freedom to use both runways in emergencies
Date added: 14 July, 2011
Heathrow is to be given more freedom to land aircraft on both runways at the
same time to recover from periods of serious disruption. The plan is included in the report of the South East Airports Task Force, chaired
by aviation minister Theresa Villiers. It was set up by the current government
last year to look at ways of improving the efficiency of Heathrow and other south
east airports. The new practice will be trialled for a period. If it is decided to continue
with it, there would be public consultation.
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Lydd Airport Inquiry – local MP backs airport expansion, and there is noise concern for local schoolchildren
Date added: 13 July, 2011
Damian Collins gave his backing to the expansion plans of Lydd airport at the
public inquiry. His information was not entirely accurate. As usual, any expansion
will be backed locally if there is the prospect of jobs - Lydd is suggesting there
will be 200 new jobs. CPRE Kent has taken up the cause of the local primary school
which is within a third of a mile of the extended runway, and given evidence on
damage to cognitive skills in school from aircraft noise
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Nantes plans to build a new airport – could it become the French Heathrow?
Date added: 13 July, 2011
John Stewart reports from his recent visit to the Nantes campaign. 4,500 people
demonstrated against plans for a new airport on Sunday 12th July and 14,000 over
2 days. This could become the 'French Heathrow'. The site of a victory as iconic as the
struggle against the third runway. The campaigners have succeeded in making their
fight a national issue, and the biggest airport campaign in Europe. Nantes already
has an airport, but wants to build a huge new one instead.
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Infratil airport results for year ending March 2011 show £5 million loss – could be job losses
Date added: 11 July, 2011
Jobs could be lost at Kent International Airport after it launched a widescale
review of all staff on 23rd March. Charles Buchanan, chief executive of Infratil,
the company which owns Manston airport, said it was reviewing "working patterns and conditions of all staff". The consultation would last for at least 90 days. Nothing has been heard yet.
Infratil is making huge losses at its two UK airport, Manston and Prestwick, as
traffic weakens.
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SAEN letter to Daily Mail about proposed easyJet flights from Southend
Date added: 11 July, 2011
EasyJet’s recent announcement was a political move by both parties. Stobart want
to pressure the Government into bringing in the result of the Public Inquiry to
approve the closure of Eastwoodbury Lane, which runs across the current end of
the runway. While EasyJet want to lean on Stansted and Luton to lower their landing
charges. The extension to the runway is by no means a done deal, with vital decisions
not being made until October or later. (SAEN)
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Edinburgh Airport Master Plan released – barely changed from the draft
Date added: 11 July, 2011
The airport Master Plan goes up till 2040. They anticipate passenger numbers
will grow from 9 million per annum now, to 12.3 million (central forecast) by
2020. (The central forecast in the 2006 Master Plan was 17.6 million by 2020).
They anticipate 20.5 million passengers per year by 2040 (the central forecast
in the 2006 Master Plan was 23 million by 2030). They expect 141,300 aircraft
movements per year by 2020 and 200,600 per year by 2040. Cargo and mail might
grow to 56,300 tonnes by 2020 and 81,900 tonnes per year by 2040. They do not
anticipate "needing" a 2nd runway until 2040, but have plans to set aside land
before 2040 for such a runway.
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