Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Heathrow expansion "not going to happen" – Vince Cable
Vince Cable spoke out against Heathrow’s 3rd runway, at a debate in London. Addressing an audience at the Royal Geographical Society, he said: "The business case is weak and overstated, and politically, in any case, it is not going to happen." He highlighted political opposition to the plans within Labour itself as well as the two main UK opposition parties, making the likelihood of expansion slim after the next general election. (ABTN)
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Green light for City airport flights 50% expansion
London City airport has won planning permission to increase the number of take-offs and landings by around 50%. The airport has grown rapidly in recent years with passenger volumes rising by more than 20% a year in both 2006 and 2007. Growth of both commercial passenger numbers and corporate jet movements has been hit hard by the turmoil in global financial markets, however. The airport hopes passenger numbers could rise to more than 3.9m a year. (FT)
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Job losses at Blackpool Airport
Staff at Blackpool Airport fear for their jobs as bosses take action to cope with the effects of the global credit crunch, the Gazette reports. Temporary staff will not have their contracts renewed and many full-time workers are to be asked to re-apply for roles in other departments at the airport. (UK Airport News)
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Heathrow third runway will ‘damage health’
A 3rd runway at Heathrow would be "very detrimental" to Londoners' health, according to the new head of the Environment Agency. Lord Smith of Finsbury said the government had lost track of the green issues and said a new runway would fail EU air pollution limits. He said "All the studies we've done in the Environment Agency of the likely impact of air quality on west London are very detrimental" and NOx levels would be higher than is healthy. (BBC)
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Joint letter from Green NGOs in the Guardian about Conservative policy on Heathrow
A joint letter from the Directors of HACAN and six major environmental NGOs says that evidence is now clear that the prosperity of the entire UK economy does not hinge on the expansion of one airport in South East England - and that the Conservatives are right believe there is no need for a third runway.
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Fight over Newcastle airport boss’s £6m bonus
THE former boss of Newcastle Airport is set for a High Court battle with his old employers over a multi-million-pound bonus row. John Parkin was paid a £6m bonus package before he resigned from his post as chief executive last May. The case will be at London's High Court on October 20th. It's expected to last between 12 and 15 days. Mr Parkin, who went on to take charge of Leeds Bradford Airport, was suspended from his post in March. (Shields Gazette)
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Residents oppose Cardiff airport access road
Angry residents campaigning against plans to build an access road to Cardiff Airport mounted a protest in Barry yesterday. The Welsh Assembly Government has asked for the public’s view on 3 options for a road to the airport. Many Vale residents do not want a new road at all. An anti-access road action group - NEVAR (No Ely Valley Airport Road) - held a demonstration outside the Civic Offices, saying there was no need for an access road. (Wales online and BBC)
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Manchester Airport plan threatens 400-year-old cottage
Plans to bulldoze a 400-year-old cottage and build two cargo warehouses at Manchester airport have been described as `cultural barbarism'. The airport wants to build a £20m extension to the freight terminal on land off Runger Lane, Wythenshawe. They have applied for permission to demolish Grade II-listed Rose Cottage and three other historic properties nearby, as well as a natural pond and dozens of mature trees. (Manchester Evening News)
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East Midlands – No realistic controls over environmental blighting by airport’s activities
Members of a coalition of residents' and environmental organisations met this week with officers of North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC). Grievances are principally concerned with noise due to night-time flying. The implications inherent in the proposal by East Midlands Airport to extend the runway to just over 3 kilometres are a major concern, additional to the existing chronic night time noise disturbance. (residents' coalition)
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‘Island airport’ idea criticised by Kent County Council
A suggestion by London's Mayor that a 24-hour, 4-runway airport could be built on an artificial island in the Thames estuary - near the Isle of Sheppey - has been branded a "big bad idea". Paul Carter the Tory leader of Kent County Council said the estuary was an "unsuitable" location. The Thames estuary has a lot of mist and fog in winter. However Kent Reliance Building Society welcomed Boris Johnson's idea. (BBC)