Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Mayor Boris Johnson to review support for London City Airport expansion
At the London Assembly Mayors' Question Time Boris Johnson stated that 'in retrospect he realises that his decision to support the flight expansion at London City Airport needs reviewing'. He went on to say he felt very anxious about the impact of extra flights over London and that the 'consequences of the expansion had been unexpected and we need to look at the impact of aviation over huge areas of East London'. (Fight the Flights)
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Aviation industry clutches at straws in London Plan hearing
AEF was represented at the ‘Examination in Public’ of the London Plan at City Hall on 10th September. The London Plan includes opposition to the a new runway at Heathrow.. AEF and others want reasons for opposing Heathrow expansion – particularly noise and air pollution – to be retained as explicit statements in the Plan, so it is policy even after the life of the current parliament. They want it made clear that the Plan opposes any new runways around London. (AEF)
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Lydd: LAAG welcomes Extension to European Habitat Network at Dungeness
Lydd Airport Action Group has welcomed the decision by Natural England to recommend an extension to the existing Dungeness to Pett Level SPA and to designate a new Ramsar site to protect wetland habitats and species. There will now be 3 European designations in the immediate vicinity of London Ashford Airport (Lydd Airport). The sites are immediately adjacent to the airport, make airport expansion even more undesirable and mean the plans should be rejected.
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More noise for residents during Heathrow runway repairs
Residents living under the Heathrow flight path have been warned by the BAA to expect prolonged aircraft noise for 6 weeks due to "critical" repairs. Most planes land from the east and take off facing west, but the arrival and departure runways are swapped daily at 3pm (runway alternation). From 13 September only the southern runway will be used for arrivals, so there will be no respite for those in areas like Wandsworth, Putney,Richmond and Hounslow.
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Ryanair to pull out of Belfast City Airport at end of October
Ryanair is pulling out of Belfast City Airport, saying the reason is the public inquiry delaying a planned runway extension. Ryanair has been operating from George Best Belfast City Airport since 2007, and flies around 800,00 passengers per year from there to 5 UK airports - Bristol, East Midlands, Prestwick, Liverpool and London. from November, Ryanair will switch its one Belfast City-based aircraft to another European airport, with the loss of 50 Ryanair jobs.
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Heathrow Airport food waste to be turned into fertiliser
Heathrow's 5 terminals manage currently to throw away massive amounts of food daily. The airport has plans to get all this composted by a firm in Mitcham - which is miles away. Why was this food not being recycled already? Heathrow claims "In the first year, Heathrow will save CO2 equal to around half a million air miles." The airport says it currently recycles 50% of its waste, and aims for 70%. The airport will use this to offset carbon.
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Belfast City Airport to hold residents meeting
Belfast City Airport is holding two open days, at which local residents can raise issues with the airport's management. The airport wants to extend the north east end of the runway by 590m. There were 1,486 letters of objection sent to the authorities over the extension plans. But Belfast City Airport Watch said the event won't make life any better for the tens of thousands of people who suffer from aircraft noise. Further expansion must be stopped.
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Protesters joint demo against expansion at London City and Manchester airports
Members of Stop Expansion at Manchester Airport are teaming up with the Fight the Flights at London City Airport group to stage a joint demonstration at both airports. They plan to hold a morning protest outside City Airport, London, before boarding an open-top double-decker red bus to raise awareness of their anti-expansion message. The protesters will call for an end to domestic flights and instead will urge commuters to ‘take the train, not plane’.
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“Victory Against All The Odds” – new book from HACAN on the successful Heathrow Campaign
A new book, written by HACAN Chair, John Stewart, has been launched to tie in with, and mark, the celebration in Sipson of the 28th August of the victory. The book outlines how the campaign to stop expansion at Heathrow, including a 3rd runway, was won. It tells the tale of how a group of people took on the might of the aviation industry, international business and the UK Government and won. It outlines the strategy and the tactics used. It's an inspiring and a very human story. But it also contains valuable lessons for campaigners wherever they live and whatever their cause.
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Manchester airport is now officially ‘A380 READY’ and also Stansted
The CAA has said Manchester is "A380 ready". The first A380 at the airport is due to be an Emirates plane, in 2 weeks. Only 17 airports globally (4 in England) are certified for the A380, as it is so large. Manchester has spent more than £10 million upgrading to the standards needed for the Emirates super-jumbo, including reconstructing a new aircraft stand with state of the art equipment including an advance docking system. Stansted now also approved.