Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Third Heathrow runway would scupper Stansted and Glasgow expansion
A new runway at Heathrow would result in every other British airport having to abandon expansion plans to meet the Government’s climate change target, a study has suggested. The increase in CO2 emissions would mean other airports might be forced to cut thousands of flights a year, and need to scrap new runways at Stansted and in Scotland. More than 20 Labour MPs are expected to rebel against the Government today by voting against Heathrow expansion. (Times)
Click here to view full story...
Battle of the email campaigns on third runway at Heathrow
Greenpeace are asking opponents of the third runway to email the 57 Labour MPs who have opposed it, before the debate and vote in Parliament on 28th January. Greenpeace want to persuade the MPs to vote against. Meanwhile, Unite are also asking all their members to email MPs to vote for the expansion. Mail boxes are filling up ......
Click here to view full story...
Bird Cull to Keep Jets Safe at Heathrow
10,000 Canada Geese will need to be culled near Heathrow to prevent a plane crash like the one on the Hudson River, a leading Government adviser has warned. John Allan, an expert in bird management at the Central Science Laboratory, said birds were large enough to "bring a plane down" if they hit an engine. Heathrow has a particular problem, he said, as 10,000 of the birds roost in lakes and quarries south of the airport and feed to its north. (London Paper)
Click here to view full story...
Runway opponents unveil Heathrow ‘rail hub’
The coalition of councils opposing the 3rd runway will launch plans for a new rail network around Heathrow. The 2M Group claim 40 trains an hour could pass through the airport. Their blueprint, Getting to Heathrow, to be launched on Thursday, shows that the airport could become a rail hub serving large areas of London and the South-East. The new local network would provide links to mainline services and a London-to-Scotland high-speed rail line.(Standard)
Click here to view full story...
Balfour Beatty wins Heathrow East contract
Engineering firm Balfour Beatty said it won a 750 million pound contract for construction work on the eastern development at London's Heathrow Airport. The work to realign taxiways and build new aircraft stands to the east of Terminals 1 and 2 is scheduled for completion in late 2009. (Reuters)
Click here to view full story...
Watchdog casts doubt on Heathrow third runway
The head of Britain's environmental watchdog has branded the 3rd runway a "mistake", saying it is unlikely to be built because of the huge political uncertainty surrounding the project. Lord Smith of Finsbury, chairman of the Environment Agency, said there was "a very big chance" that the project would stall given the threat of legal action from campaigners and resistance from the Tories and Liberal Democrats. (FT)
Click here to view full story...
Hochtief drops Gatwick bid as first round ends
German construction company Hochtief has pulled out of the bidding for London's Gatwick airport, leaving five suitors to enter a second round, a person familiar with the process said. Analysts have said bids could be up to about £2 billion, but may be nearer £1.7 billion. The remaining bidders are listed. (IHT)
Click here to view full story...
Boris Johnson unveils £40bn Heathrow-on-Sea
Boris has unveiled detailed proposals for a £40 billion airport spanning the Thames estuary in a move aimed at presenting a credible alternative to the government’s plans for expanding Heathrow. Early findings from a study by the engineer behind Hong Kong’s island airport suggest that a 4-runway airport is both technically feasible and would serve Britain better. It could be built in 8 years, and entails runways on two separate islands in the Thames. (Times)
Click here to view full story...
Tories at odds over plans for third runway at Heathrow
David Cameron faces a backbench rebellion over the Conservative Party's opposition to a third runway at Heathrow airport, as a number of senior opposition figures voice support for the £9bn expansion plan. The Conservatives have called a Commons vote, which will not be binding on the Government, for next Wednesday. Several Tory frontbenchers also have misgivings - Alan Duncan, Chris Grayling, and Philip Hammond are mentioned. (Independent)
Click here to view full story...
Initiatives will help Manchester through recession, Sir Howard says
Manchester Airport and the surrounding area will be at the centre of several initiatives designed to protect the city from the recession, according to the chief executive of Manchester City Council. He saw "big opportunities in and around Manchester Airport. Its success is absolutely fundamental to Manchester and the North of England and it is important ...... it drives the economic performance of the whole city region. " (Crains)