Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
BAA Won’t Sell Gatwick If Bids Are Too Low – CEO
BAA is in talks with multiple interested parties over the sale of London's Gatwick Airport but won't sell the asset if bids are too low, its chief executive has said. Colin Matthews, said "Most people have an interest to talk down the company and say this is a forced sale so they can push down the price. We don't have to sell below a certain price," He declined to say what price the airport operator was seeking. (WSJ)
Click here to view full story...
Public health doctors argue the case against expanding Bristol’s Airport
Dr Angela E Raffle and the West of England Public Health Climate Change Group have concluded that expansion of Bristol airport will increase the amount of aircraft noise and the volume of traffic and congestion through local communities. This will damage health, wellbeing and education for a sizeable proportion of those living nearby. When balanced against any positive health effects, the negative effects are greater. (This is Bristol)
Click here to view full story...
Southend Airport expansion plan could be in jeopardy
Expansion plans for Southend Airport could be in jeopardy, as council bosses are set to abandon its support for the scheme. There have been thousands of objections to the Joint Area Action Plan consultation, which proposes a major expansion of the airport, together with the runway extension across Eastwoodbury Lane. There have been packed public meetings, and the councils now realise that it could be political suicide to support expansion. (Echo)
Click here to view full story...
Business leaders question 3rd runway plan for Heathrow Airport
In the last fortnight, however, he has found himself in the same camp as tree-huggers and the Conservative Party as an opponent of the proposed third runway at Heathrow. Mr Cheshire is one of the 13 heavyweight signatories of an open letter urging the Government to rethink its Heathrow expansion plans – debunking the myth that business is squarely behind the 3rd runway. They want a proper debate before deciding to double the concrete at Heathrow. (Telegraph)
Click here to view full story...
Airlines ask BAA to cut back on Gatwick improvements
With passenger numbers dwindling and a new owner due soon, Gatwick's carriers are concerned that they will be stuck with a £900m bill. BA, easyJet and Ryanair have urged BAA to cut back work on its £900m improvement scheme after warning that the project is futile in the face of dwindling passenger numbers. Airlines have demanded curbs in the programme because they will have to pass on the costs to recession-hit passengers through fare increases. (Guardian)
Click here to view full story...
Sipson is the new Chelsea – Flower Show plants moved to Heathrow
Residents and activists teamed up on Bank Holiday Monday to transplant hundreds of plants from this year’s Chelsea Flower show, under the expert eyes of a top Chelsea garden designer, and guerrilla gardeners. By the end of the day, Sipson, Harmondsworth and Harlington were all blooming, in colourful defiance of BAA's plans. There were even strawberries and nasturtiums to help fill the vegetable plots on the Airplot allotment as well. (Greenpeace)
Click here to view full story...
Heathrow third runway a mistake, says Lord Stern
The decision to allow a 3rd runway at Heathrow was a mistake, according to Lord Stern - one of the government's most senior advisers on the economics of climate change. He said if the decision had been properly considered in light of the UK's climate targets, he thought it would not have been granted and we cannot have an ambitious carbon policy and then take a decision like that on Heathrow, without a much tighter relationship with that policy. (Guardian)
Click here to view full story...
BAA seeks delay in 2nd Stansted runway inquiry
The government's airport expansion policy was dealt a further blow after BAA asked for the postponement of a planning inquiry into a 2nd Stansted runway. If the request is granted, there will be little chance of a new runway being built in south-east England before 2020, with planning inquiries into expanding Stansted and Heathrow unable to go ahead until after the general election. BAA said the Competition Commission has made life difficult for them. (Guardian)
Click here to view full story...
BAA seeks further delay on 2nd runway inquiry – SSE condemns as "outrageous and wholly unacceptable"
Stop Stansted Expansion has condemned as outrageous a request by BAA for the Public Inquiry into its plans for a 2nd runway to be put on hold for what could turn out to be a period of 3 years. The proposal was made by BAA in a letter on 20 May to the Sec of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears. BAA has asked that the inquiry be deferred pending the outcome of its appeal against the Competition Commission’s ruling that it must sell Stansted. (SSE)
Click here to view full story...
‘Risks’ to aircraft over Norfolk – Norwich
Air traffic controllers at Norwich airport are warning of "unacceptable risks" to aircraft flying in the skies over Norfolk. The airport, which handles half a million passengers each year, admits it's having difficulties delivering "safe" air traffic control. There have been 5 so called "near misses" in the past 3 years; and 68 incidents of conflict in the air - some involving military jets. The airport wants a 25-mile long controlled airspace. (BBC)