Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Highlands airports report more passengers
The numbers of passengers passing through Highlands and Islands airports reached a record 1.2m for the year up to March. Publicly owned Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) - which recieves government subsidies - said the figure represented a 3% increase on last year. However, its annual report shows a trading loss for the period of £724,000 after tax. (BBC)
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Boris thwarts City Airport plans
A decision on London City Airport's bid to increase flight numbers has been delayed by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson. About 50 people turned up at Newham Council's planning meeting in Stratford, held to debate the airport's application, but were told the Mayor had intervened at the last minute. Outside the meeting, those against the airport's plans were happy with the delay, as it should give more people time to find out about the plans.(Wharf)
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City flights decision is delayed
A decision that could allow thousands more planes to fly from London City Airport has been deferred. Flights would increase from 80,000 to 120,000 a year if Newham Council's planning committee had given the go-ahead. The delay follows a request by London's mayor that the decision be delayed until after a study by NATS is published, looking at how the proposed expansion might impact the Thames Gateway Bridge proposals. (BBC)
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East Midland Airport claims airport complaints down
One person complained 2,000 times about airport noise in a year, it has emerged. The person contacted East Midlands Airport an average of 5 times a day during 2007. They were among 13 residents responsible for more than 6,300 complaints about the Castle Donington airport last year. Last year, nearly 20,000 planes flew over the area between the hours of 11pm and 7am - an increase of 2,000 on the previous 12 months. (This is Leicestershire) Complaints about noise were made about flights during the daytime and night. The leader of a campaign group calling for an end to night flights at the airport said he was not among the most persistent callers - but said people were right to complain.
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East and south east London residents are prepared for a battle over London City Airport
London City Airport's application to expand flights by 50% to 120,000 flights per year is to be considered by the London Borough of Newhamn on 30th July. Fight the Flights, campaigners and local residents will be present to voice their concerns and request a public inquiry into the application. The Case Officer has recommended approval, despite an unprecedented amount of objections. (Fight the Flights)
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Plan for third Heathrow runway is white elephant, Professor Sir David King warns
Government plans for a third runway at Heathrow airport were branded a white elephant yesterday by the former chief scientific adviser Professor Sir David King. He suggested that government plans to expand British airport capacity were both short-sighted and economically unsound. He said that pricing CO2 will "drive people toward land-based travel rather than air, and investments in new runways will turn out to be white elephants." (Guardian)
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‘Plane Speaking’- Scottish communities respond to Government airport expansion plans
AirportWatch Scotland will be holding a series of public meetings in Edinburgh and Glasgow next month. The meetings are expected to attract local residents and environmentalists concerned about the plans to expand Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. The purpose of the meetings is to enable local residents affected by the airports to influence the National Planning Framework. (AirportWatch Scotland)
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Switch flights to City Airport ‘to ease pressure’ – says report
The "Aviation Services and The City" report said more short-haul carriers should fly out of London City Airport, if the capital wanted to retain its status as one of the world's financial centres. The report by York Aviation said that while a third runway at Heathrow is the "obvious" solution to airport congestion, it suggested thatv City Airport could schedule more short-haul and business flights to relieve the pressures on Heathrow. (Standard)
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Heathrow expansion protestors may disrupt airport
'Direct Action' training camps are being set up as protestors belonging to an array of groups prepare to intensify their campaign against moves to increase the number of flights at Heathrow. These camps will be held over the next few months in readiness for a series of demonstrations and flash mobs targetted directly at Heathrow over the Autumn. The hardening of the tactics was agreed at a meeting of anti-Heathrow activists over the weekend. (Telegraph)
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Heathrow: report says a third runway is ‘obvious’ solution
Building a 3rd runway at Heathrow airport is the "obvious" solution to airport congestion, despite the environmental impact, a report has concluded. The detailed study by York Aviation, commissioned by the City of London Authority, rejects an expansion of Stansted and says building an airport in the Thames Estuary is not a credible option. The report admits building the third runway comes with a "significant" environmental costs. (Telegraph)