Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Plans to allow night flights from Manston Airport (Kent) received by Thanet council
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Southend gets award obtaining planning permission for a runway extension without a public enquiry
Just that. Amazing. Not a joke. "This achievement was deemed by the judges to have fundamental and long lasting effects on air transport in the region, which would greatly enhance the airport's business and result in increased services for the community when it is completed in 2011."
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Ed Miliband victory raises hopes of all-party agreement on runway ban
The election of Ed Miliband as the new leader of the Labour party has been welcomed by Stop Stansted Expansion in view of his strong environmental credentials and stated opposition to new runways at Heathrow and Stansted. SSE is actively pressing the Coalition Government for a moratorium on a second runway at Stansted and, in parallel, is seeking to persuade Labour politicians to abandon their previous policy of supporting airport expansion. (SSE)
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GIP eyes sale of stake in Gatwick airport
Global Infrastructure Partners is in talks to sell part of its shareholding in the airport to an unidentified investor. GIP is apparently holding negotiations to offload a minority stake to a global institutional investment group. The stake up for sale is similar in size to the 12% stake purchased by South Korea's national pension fund for just under £100m. The acquirer may be a sovereign wealth fund from Asia or the Middle East. (Telegraph)
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Stansted runway ramblers to highlight airport blight on Sunday 26th Sept 2010
SSE is organising the 9th runway ramble, to be held on Sunday 26th. It aims to highlight the blight which lingers over the countryside in the wake of the recently withdrawn plans to construct a 2nd runway at Stansted - and remind people that the battle for the community’s future needs to be enshrined in a lasting agreement by the main political parties so future generations do not have to go through yet another war with the airport to safeguard the area.
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Kent International Airport boss Charles Buchanan to release night-flight plans
Details of how many night flights bosses at Manston airport want will be available soon. He declined to reveal what Quota Count – the method by which planes are categorised by the noise they make – Infratil wanted. A 747 is equivalent to 4 QC. Steve Higgins, a member of the public who watched the meeting, claimed to have a document showing the airport's owners Infratil wanted 1,995 QC – equivalent to around 500 night flights.
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BA plans major transatlantic push at London City Airport
BA plans to expand its transatlantic flight routes from London City airport perhaps to to Boston, Washington or Chicago. Walsh said the BA direct route from London City to New York - launched Sept '09 - had been "hugely successful". BA wants to order more Airbus A318 planes, which have to be modified to cater for the short runway. Walsh said: "we can put more flights on at peak times which we couldn't do at Heathrow because of capacity". (Standard)
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Birmingham Airport runway extension scheme may get the funding it needs
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Bristol Airport £150m expansion plans given the go-ahead by government
The government has decided not to intervene in the planning process and not to call in the application for airport expansion. North Somerset Council approved the expansion scheme, subject to 70 conditions, in May. Eric Pickles had the right to a final say on the development, as some of the site is on green belt but it was announced on 17th that he would not exercise his option to call a public inquiry into the plans. Building work could begin next year.
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Heathrow powers down to win Carbon Trust award (!!?)
Heathrow has been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard after saving enough energy over the last 3 years to power more than 6,300 homes for a year. The airport apparently improved its carbon efficiency by nearly 12% despite turnover growth of 31%. It has done things like smart operation of lifts, escalators and baggage conveyors. "This is another good example of how Heathrow is striving to reduce its impact on the environment". (sic) Unbelievable drivel ...