Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
London City airport could be set for more flights
London City airport is expected this Wednesday to win planning permission for a 50% rise in the number of flights. Newham Borough Council is expected to rubber-stamp the [application] to raise maximum ATMs from 80,000 to 120,000 a year - and perhaps 3.9m passengers per year by 2010. This will leave London City on course to handle 3.9m passengers by 2010, though the move is only an interim step to raising capacity to 8m passengers a year. (Telegraph)
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Heathrow airport campaigners discuss tactics
Over 100 people opposed to expansion at Heathrow Airport gathered at a conference to discuss tactics should the government give it the go-ahead. Local residents, MPs and pressure groups, including the Camp for Climate Action, were among those attending the event at Harlington. The various groups met to explore their possible next step should the Government agree to expansion in a decision expected before the end of the year. (Metro)
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(Exeter) “Airport expansion is irresponsible”
Exeter Airport has recently released its master plan which states that it is planning to increase passenger numbers threefold — from just over 1m passengers a year to almost 3.4m passengers a year. The CO2 emissions from this increase would be enormous. But the master plan fails to address this. Even if the airport succeeds completely in its bid for carbon neutrality, then this will reduce its overall carbon footprint by a minuscule 0.35%. (This is Exeter)
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Heathrow East Project ’12-Month Delay’
Construction on the £1.5 billion Heathrow East project (the terminal to replace Terminals 1 and 2) could be subject to a 12-month delay. BAA briefed contractors on the project about possible hold-ups to the construction of the new £1.5 billion terminal building. BAA has blamed the delay on the knock-on effect presented by the chaotic opening of T5. (Airport International)
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MAG puts another £13m into Bournemouth Airport expansion
Manchester Airports Group is reported to have injected an additional £13m into a £45m project to expand Bournemouth Airport. The project had been delayed after New Forest National Park requested a judicial review into Christchurch Borough Council’s decision to allow the project to go ahead. Work on the new terminal is now expected to go ahead following an April decision by the High Court who heard the application from New Forest National Park. (Crain's)
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Heathrow doesn’t need third runway says top travel agent
A leading chain of travel agents - the Co-op - has come out firmly against the proposed third runway at Heathrow. Co-operative Travel, which has 400 high-street stores and sells more than £1billion of holidays every year, says instead of the extra runway the aviation industry must improve existing services and technology. This is the first time a travel agency has joined the protests and is likely to cause the PM discomfort. (Evening Standard)
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Economic case for Heathrow expansion is flawed, says new report for FoE
The economic case for expanding Heathrow is flawed because the argument relies on optimistic assumptions including a low oil price and escalating passenger demand for flights, a new report argues. The consultation on a 3rd runway ignores the potential impact of new railway lines on passenger demand, presumes that air fares will continue to fall and forecasts oil will cost $53 a barrel in 2030 - said the Stockholm Environment Institute. (Guardian and FoE)
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(Coventry) Airport in High Court challenge
Coventry Airport has taken its fight to build a new passenger terminal to the High Court. Lawyers for the airport's owners have begun a 5-day appeal against a 2007 government decision which blocked their bid for a permanent terminal. If the airport's challenge is successful, its planning application will be reconsidered by government ministers. (BBC)
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Uncertainty over BA flights between Aberdeen and London
A question mark still hangs over British Airways’ winter service between Aberdeen and Heathrow. The company would not confirm or deny yesterday that the route is part of its plans to cut capacity by up to 5%. This follows BA’s announcement at the end of last year that it was scrapping its Aberdeen-Gatwick flights for commercial reasons. (Press and Journal)
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Government will decide on Stansted’s second runway
A decision over whether to allow a 2nd runway at Stansted will be taken by the government after a public inquiry. Communities and Local Government (CLG) Secretary Hazel Blears has called in operator BAA's expansion plan, due to the scale of the proposal. The leader of Essex County Council, said the CO2 group of councils will now fight at this public inquiry on behalf of nearly 5 million people in the east of England, who say enough is enough. (BBC)