Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Bristol Airport boss says campaigners flight cap argument ‘flawed’
At a meeting of North Somerset Council's central area planning committee on October 8, Stop Bristol Airport Expansion (SBAE), a group representing the regions residents, argued the number of passengers using the airport should be capped at 8 million a year. The planning application before North Somerset Council is for facilities to handle growth to 10 million passengers per annum over the next decade to 2019. (UK Airport News)
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Andy Judge from Luton takes over at Carlisle
Andy Judge, from Luton Airport, has become airport director at Carlisle airport. Stobart owns the airport and has planning permission for a £25m redevelopment which would provide an HQ and warehousing for its Eddie Stobart subsidiary and facilities for Stobart Rail.
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In depth: Heathrow third runway
A Sunday Times article reported 'senior BAA figures' claiming they would wait until the General election before submitting the plans. By Monday morning, BAA attempted to save face, with their press office issuing a statement suggesting they were continuing to work on the scheme. It will be virtually impossible for BAA to bring it back in 5 - 10 year’s time. It lacks public support. Climate change and rising oil prices are likely to knock new runways for six.
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Even with no new runway Heathrow is still far too big
Simon Jenkins asks: So is it victory? Sensational weekend reports that BAA has abandoned its bid for a 3rd runway at Heathrow remain unconfirmed, and indeed denied by the company. If green policy is to mean anything it must curb mobility, and that will mainly be by price. Heathrow is essentially an urban airport imposing severe external costs on its city. It should be made very expensive to use.
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BAA puts plans for 3rd Heathrow runway on hold after Tory opposition
BAA will not submit a planning application for a 3rd runway at Heathrow airport before the next general election, following Tory opposition to the expansion. It would not sign large contracts in order to 'bounce' a future Conservative government into accepting the project. They say the planning process was always going to take until after the general election, and they continue to work on the application and will take as long as is necessary to prepare it. (Mail)
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BAA may shut a Glasgow terminal in winter
BAA has confirmed it is considering the closure of a terminal for a few weeks in the winter to cut costs. A spokesman said the closure of Terminal 2 was one of "a range of options" being looked at. It has been used as a check-in for Easyjet after it opened 5 years ago to deal with the main terminal's overspill. BAA said Glasgow airport must control its costs - particularly during times of recession - so that it remains competitive. (BBC)
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GACC are calling for Gatwick terminal expansion enquiry
A planning application to extend Gatwick Airport's North Terminal may be called in by the Government and lead to a public inquiry, the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) has suggested. The group has written to Crawley Borough Council's head of planning objecting to a full application from the airport for the building of southern and eastern extensions to the North Terminal in Departures Road. (UK Airport News)
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BAA to give up on third Heathrow runway
BAA has bowed to opposition to a 3rd runway at Heathrow. It will not submit a planning application before the general election and will not sign large contracts to "bounce" a future Conservative government into accepting it. Senior BAA figures have also told the Tories the company will cease to fight for the runway if they form the next government. Publicly, BAA executives are urging the Tories not to "close the door" on expansion plans and say they are still working on the project. But they admitted they were surrendering.
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Stansted contiues to bear brunt of decline in airport traffic
The BAA figures for September show that Stansted continues to decline at a far faster rate than BAA’s other airports. Stansted carried 11.6% fewer passengers in September 2009 compared to the same month last year whilst the decline at both Heathrow and Gatwick was less than 1%. This is the 23rd month in a row that Stansted has posted a decline. SSE projects that Stansted will handle 155,000 flights this year, the lowest annual total for 7 years. (SSE)
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Southend Airport agreement is a scandal say Lib Dems
THE new deal between Southend Airport and local councils on the number of night flights and other operational details fails to answer many concerns, according to an opposition councillor. New measures have been agreed with the ruling Conservatives on Southend and Rochford District councils, without consulting others. The deal contains some restrictions on the airport's future operations, but they are not stringent, and do not satisfy opponents.