Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Possible Go-ahead to Farnborough to double number of flights
Rushmoor Borough Council is apparently minded to approve a doubling of flights at Farnborough Airport. Local residents and objectors got a letter from Rushmoor to tell them the Council was minded to double the number of movements at Farnborough Airport. The upper limit on movements will go up from 28,000 movements to 50,000 movements. The planning meeting takes place on Weds 11 November and campaigners are encouraged to attend. (Indymedia)
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Many more A380s expected to be using Heathrow in coming decades
London Heathrow has said it is expecting the number of A380s to be using the airport to triple to 30 by 2020 as slot constraints impact on the fleet choices being made by its resident airlines. More airlines will use the A380 on existing routes to maximise capacity. Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas and Singapore currently operate the A380 from Heathrow, with Thai rumoured to be considering a daily Bangkok service in 2013 and BA and Virgin Atlantic receiving their first A380s next year. There are currently the nine A380s operating from Heathrow making over 15,000 flights to and from the airport. Heathrow has the capacity to deal with the 80 metre wingspan. However, though theoretically the A380 can carry about 850 passengers, all in economy class, in effect they are only configured by the airlines to take 407 - 538 depending on the airline. Planes tend to have 8 - 10 first class seats, and 70 - 80 business class or equivalent. So they are not as fuel efficient per passenger as the industry make out. Heathrow has a lot of spare terminal capacity. It could accommodate at least another 20 million passengers a year.
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Farmer taking Carlisle Airport fight to appeal court
A farmer hoping to scupper plans for a passenger airport on the edge of Carlisle is to take his fight to the Court of Appeal. Mr Brown objected to the city council’s 2008 decision to grant planning consent to Stobart Group for warehousing and offices, as there had been no adequate environmental impact assessment, but the case thrown out by a High Court judge. Now, Mr Brown intends to seek leave to take the case to the court of appeal. (News & Star)
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Controversy Over Stobart’s Southend Airport Truck and Rail Freight Plans
Stobart's plans for the redevelopment of Southend airport have come under fresh criticism as new questions were raised by local residents on whether the company’s proposed plans are actually their true intention. Some residents feel Stobart has little interest in using Southend for flight operations, freight or otherwise, but as a new hub for its multi modal business. The airport is cheap land on which to build a road and rail depot.
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Manchester Air freight expansion rejected by Wythenshawe Councillors
On 22nd the Wythenshawe Area Committee rejected plans by Manchester Airport for a freight depot, doubling the airport's freight capacity. Over the past 2 years, the amount of air cargo handled by the airport has halved. The plans - which would require the demolition of Rose Cottage and habitat damage - will now go to the main Manchester Planning committee which will have the final say in November.
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GIP faces pressure to prove itself at Gatwick
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BAA sells Gatwick Airport to GIP for £1.5bn
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Gatwick sold by BAA for £1.5 billion as new owner plans expansion
As part of the deal, BAA said £55 million of the sale price was conditional on the airport's traffic performance and Global Infrastructure Partners' future capital structure. The sale is expected to prompt a series of developments at Gatwick. GIP is understood to want to attract holidaymakers rather than businessmen as part of its strategy, and get business from international airlines offering packages in far-flung locations, and also Europe. (Times)
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Campaigners warn Gatwick’s new owner
The new owner of Gatwick airport, GIP, must not "ride roughshod" over the local community, the head of the area's conservation group has said. Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) says there are now concerns that "a faceless international consortium will squeeze every pound it can out of the airport rather than addressing local worries". GACC hopes the new owners will continue the relationship between the airport and the local community. (Independent)
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Switch in Heathrow take-offs ‘will cause more aircraft noise’
Residents living near Heathrow face longer periods of noise disruption under plans to change landing and take-off arrangements. Local people fear BAA is looking to widen special procedures that allow planes to land and take off from the same runway - so compromising the half-day "peace and quiet" - and going for mixed mode. This might happen without a 3rd runway. This could mean thousands of homes in Ealing and Brent would be disrupted. (Standard)