Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Doncaster Airport masterplan to be unveiled
Robin Hood Airport will reveal its blueprint for the future to councillors later this week. Owners Peel Holdings, who last week lost their appeal with Doncaster Council for a business rate exemption worth nearly £4million, are scheduled to present an update on their draft masterplan to the borough's economy and enterprise panel on Thursday. The master plan will set out business proposals for up to 2030 including future levels of investment. (Free Press)
Click here to view full story...
(Manchester) Jobs to go at airport
Around 180 baggage handlers, check-in staff and other workers look set to lose their jobs at Manchester Airport. Servisair Manchester, which provides ground handling services for airlines, has written to staff informing them of potential compulsory redundancies and is now in negotiations with union officials. The firm intend to cut up to 180 positions by 13th November. (Manchester Evening News)
Click here to view full story...
Belfast City Airport (George Best) sells for £132.5m
Belfast City Airport has been sold - by Ferrovial - for £132.5m to the ABN AMRO Global Infrastructure Fund. With the sale, the vendors have more than trebled their money in 5 years - they paid £35m for it. The new owner may want to extend the runway for bigger planes or push for extra flights. Completion of the sale is expected to take place towards the end of September 2008. This year, the airport is likely to be used by about 2.7m passengers. (BBC)
Click here to view full story...
Southend Airport almost ready for take-off
Southend airport staff are waiting to hear the result of a sealed bid auction by Regional Airports for its 99-year lease, which is expected to fetch £100 million. The airport has plans for a four-star hotel, extended runway and railway terminal, which could lead to a boom in leisure flights. Airport bosses are anxious to move ahead with extending the runway by diverting Eastwoodbury Lane, which could enable planes to fly as far as southern Spain. (Echo)
Click here to view full story...
Glasgow airport: Back our noise cash fight
People living under Glasgow Airport's flight path hope a sell-off of the airport could help them win compensation for their noise nightmare. West of Scotland MSP Gil Paterson wants Scots councils to buy a joint Golden Share' in the airport if it is put up for sale, so residents jointly buy a share in any new business that owns the airport. (Glasgow Evening News)
Click here to view full story...
(Glasgow) Bankies asked to film BAA being a ‘bad neighbour’
Bankies [residents of Clydebank] are being asked to submit video evidence of BAA being a "bad neighbour" in a bid to get the airport regulator served with an ASBO. The move is part of an action plan which campaign group AirportWatch Scotland has created to try and make the Glasgow Airport owner listen to residents’ grievances about noise levels from planes thundering over the town. An example would be video of a plane flying too low. (Clydebank Post)
Click here to view full story...
Heathrow Third runway will breach pollution limit, Stavros Dimas warns
The EU has waded into the debate over expanding Heathrow by warning that plans for a third runway will "significantly" breach air pollution guidelines. Stavros Dimas, the European commissioner for the environment, said he will contact the British government over this, putting further pressure on ministers. An expanded Heathrow will miss EU-imposed NOx targets after January 2015 - the latest possible date that it can meet the guidelines. (Guardian)
Click here to view full story...
(Heathrow) BAA talks on Crossrail in ‘final stages’
Talks aimed at pursuading BAA to put up an estimated £250m towards the new rail link between Heathrow and the City are in their "final stages". The news emerged as ministers were on Thursday forced to deny claims that Crossrail’s funding was in doubt. The government is under pressure to finalise a deal, with BAA to contribute towards the £16bn project. There are also questions over the ability of the City of London Corporation to raise its £350m share. (FT)
Click here to view full story...
(Cardiff) Outrage at plans for link road to airport
Options for a proposed link road to Cardiff International Airport, one of which cuts through a Barry Golf Course, has sparked a wave of opposition. The three options for the new road have been put forward by Consultants Ove Arup & Partners Ltd and staff from Transport Wales, on behalf of the the Welsh Assembly Government, in a bid to deal with growing levels of traffic to and from the airport. (Barry and District News)
Click here to view full story...
Bristol Airport aims to improve green credentials – with a wind turbine
Bristol International Airport is finalising plans for a wind turbine, which might produce 10% of its electricity. It also wants cooking oil to be recycled into fuel for its ground operations vehicles. Meanwhile in November, it will submit a planning application to increase passenger numbers from 6 million a year at present to 9 million a year by 2015. (This is Bristol)