Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
SAEN are asking Southend Council to support night flight ban
There is a full council meeting of Southend Borough Council on Thursday 17th June at which SAEN understand that a possible night flight ban may be discussed. However, this would most likely be for a short period of the night – probably 3 hours. This does no-one any good as it will simply push flights into the remaining part of the night when people will still want uninterrupted sleep. SAEN are encouraging people in the area to write to councillors before 17th.
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BA threatens to favour Madrid over Heathrow for expansion
Willie Walsh is saying BA will expand at Madrid rather than Heathrow after its planned Iberia merger "if the UK fails to address increased demand now that it has scrapped plans for a 3rd runway". Walsh says growth in aviation demand will continue and Madrid has excess capacity. Some in the industry are unsure how such plans will work, as Heathrow is the only true UK international hub airport.
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Daily Cardiff to New York City flight talks ‘end’
Discussions have been taking place between Cardiff airport and Delta, to establish a daily flight to JFK in New York. But there are now no plans to launch the service. Delta declined to comment on reports that it had asked for the assembly government to underwrite any losses made by the service. The Welsh assembly government said it is "committed" to an air link. Cardiff airport continue talking to airlines to expand their range of routes. (BBC)
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Belfast residents call for independent inquiry into yet another roof tiles incident
There has been another dangerous incident of roof damage and heavy roof tiles being dislodged by vortices from over-flying planes, at Belfast City Airport. Around 20 tiles were dislodged, though luckily none fell. The resident of the house was extremely upset. Belfast City Airport Watch are calling for an independent inquiry into aircraft safety, as there was another potentially dangerous episode last September. The wake vortex problem is widely recognised.
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“Queen’s Speech does NOT support Lydd Airport’s expansion”
The Lydd Area Action Group is delighted that the Queen's Speech confirmed that the new coalition government only supports airport development "within the constraints of the existing runway infrastructure." Lydd airport operates now at about 1% of its current capacity - it had less than 2,000 passengers in 2009, and made a loss of £2 million in 2009. Manston also operates at a tiny % of capacity and makes a huge loss - so Kent has huge excess capacity already.
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Heathrow expansion would give negative economic benefit (new NEF report)
A new report by the NEF (New Economics Foundation) on the costs/benefits of a 3rd Heathrow runway shows that when the full social and environmental costs (not merely tentative economic benefits) are taken into account, the costs of the runway would probably outweight benefits by at least £5 billion up to 2030. Their new analytical tool, SROI (Social Return on Investment) takes account of local impacts, effects of noise, air pollution, blight and uncertainty. (NEF)
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Glasgow Airport set for £200m revamp
Plans for improvements at Glasgow airport have been released. The first step in a £200 million project will be a revamp of the confusing and congested passenger pick-up and drop-off zones. The airport plans to make the system simpler and easier to use in a £12m reorganisation. It is on track to be finished for the summer rush of holiday makers on 2nd July.
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Belfast Residents’ fury at Minister’s nod on lifting airport passengers’ cap
Local residents say they’re furious that the Environment Minister, Edwin Poots, has said he’s likely to lift the official limit on passenger numbers at George Best Belfast City Airport. Belfast City Airport Watch, which represents residents in east and south Belfast, and in north Down, says that any such move would have grave implications for the tens of thousands of local people affected by aircraft noise - and cause a nightmare situation for thousands.
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BAA still making plans to resurrect dead Heathrow runway
BAA has been buying up properties in Sipson and Harmondsworth, under their Property Market Support Bond scheme. Local residents thought this scheme had now ended, as the 3rd runway plans have been scuppered, but BAA are again sending out letters offering to buy properties. The current deadline is 22nd June, but the scheme continues even after that. The letter demonstrates that BAA will continue to push for expansion at Heathrow till stopped by government.
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Farnborough Airport opponents check in for 28 days of public inquiry
The public inquiry into Farnborough's expansion plans started on 26th May. The airport wants to expand to 50,000 flights per year, from the current 28,000 limit. The airport is banking on policy in the Air Transport White Paper of 2003, which is out of date after the Heathrow and Stansted runway cancellations. The Heathrow judgement said the Climate Change Act must be taken account of, and it was not in the original Farnborough permission.