Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Newcastle gains another KLM Amsterdam daily flight – making 5 per day
From March, Newcastle will have 5 daily flights (80 minutes) to and from Amsterdam, and business hopes this will help forge export links abroad. KLM said it would improve North East passengers’ long haul opportunities to destinations such as Dubai and Hong Kong via its main hub at Amsterdam, and give seamless integration with their European network. KLM also flies from Durham Tees Valley.
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Theresa Villiers: government knew Heathrow was not prepared for snow and will fine airports unprepared in future
The aviation minister admitted that the government knew about Heathrow's inadequate preparations for winter as she confirmed that airports could face fines when passengers have their travel disrupted. The government is now pushing for legislation which would give the CAA the power to fine airport owners when they fail passengers, or do not prepare adequately for severe weather. Heathrow spent just £500,000 on snow clearing equipment this year
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Stories about jobs at airports in 2009 and 2010
in preparation
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Ryanair to Maintain Summer 2011 Capacity at Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Ryanair will reduce the number of destinations served from Liverpool, but increase the frequency of flights on the most popular summer bucket-and-spade routes. The overall level of traffic is expected to be about the same as in 2010. Destinations will mainly be Mediterranean sun and sand places. Ryanair are cutting back by as much as 20% of their operations elsewhere in the UK, as they can make more money elsewhere.
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Unprepared Heathrow refused to let airlines clear runways and had cut its snow defence budget
BAA has admitted that it was ill-prepared for the snow. Phillip Hammond revealed the government offered BAA troops to de-ice the runways but were told BAA could handle it by itself. One source says Heathrow had just 10 snow ploughs and 7 de-icing vehicles, while Gatwick, a smaller airport, has 14 snow ploughs. Another source says Heathrow has 69 vehicles allocated to keep the runways clear, including 28 snow ploughs - and Gatwick has 47 and 29.
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Donald Trump backs extended Aberdeen airport runway and opposed wind farm
Donald Trump is planning a huge 5 star golf, housing and hotel complex on the coast near Aberdeen. Its aim is to draw in a lot of rich people to play golf in a high-end golf course, and this means he supports extension of Aberdeen's runway. His plans are deeply unpopular with the local community. Trump is opposing an off-shore windfarm, as it would damage the view from his golf course. He is also evicting an 86 year old lady, to get her land. (TUT)
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BAA raises profit forecast on predictions of record-breaking year for Heathrow Airport
BAA has raised its profits expectations for this year and predicted that Heathrow will handle more than 70m passengers in 2011 – its highest ever. BAA expects full-year earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) exceed its most recent guidance of £972m. It expects 2011 ebitda to rise 15.2% £1.12bn, with revenues up 10.7% to £2.3bn. Heathrow passengers to be highest ever, at 66.3m for 2010 and 70.4 m for 2011. But Stansted down 5.1%.
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Newcastle: MP demands probe of secret £377m airport deal
An airport re-financing deal, which could leave North East taxpayers with a debt worth hundreds of millions of pounds, has been revealed. Two former executive directors at Newcastle airport, partly-owned by the region’s 7 local authorities, were each paid millions for securing a £377m mortgage as part of a refinancing deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2006. Up to £83m was shared between all 7 local authorities due to the refinancing deal. (Journal)
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Extra planes will land and take-off from Heathrow at night to clear the big freeze backlog
Heathrow has been given permission by the DfT to relax overnight restrictions, in order to clear the flight backlog. Planes will be allowed to take off and land betweem 11pm and 7am. BAA said it had cancelled about 840 out of a scheduled 1,300 flights today. This may last for 4 nights. Heathrow is allowed an average of 16 overnight flights within its quota. (local Guardian)
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Southend: “Fears town will be hit by legal bid to stop runway”
Anti-runway campaigners at Southend launched a legal bid to block the runway extension, and are waiting to hear if the JR will proceed. An member of SAEN applied for the JR of the decision and won legal aid. The application claims procedures followed by Southend Council, when it approved the extension, were flawed. A Conservative councillor is now saying Stobart might now abandon their runway plans, and this would have negative economic impacts on the town. (Echo)