General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
New academic paper shows how “Technology myths” are unduly influencing aviation climate policy
A new research study by a group of academics from a range of countries has looked at claims made by the aviation industry that it will achieve substantial carbon savings in future. They conclude that many of these claims could be described as "myths" as they have often just been used to give favourable publicity to the industry, before rapidly being proven to be over-hyped. Some of these technologies are alternative fuels, such as animal fats or jatropha; also solar power planes; or new forms of aircraft. None of these hoped-for technologies have any likelihood of making more than small contributions to future fuel efficiency. At best, they will be small improvements per plane - set against far larger growth of the industry - resulting in a large overall increase in carbon emissions. The authors make the point that the hype and the positive media coverage that the "myth" technologies permit are damaging. The unrealistic hopes for low carbon flying in future convinces politicians (who maybe happy to be so persuaded) to give the industry the benefit of the doubt, and permit its continuing growth - ever hoping for a marvellous new technology, just around the corner, which will lead to "sustainable" flying. The unjustifiably optimistic PR of the industry has implications for decisions such as that of a new runway in the south east.
Click here to view full story...
Top Gatwick bosses stand to make personal fortunes if airport price raised by 2nd runway
The Sunday Times has found that several of Gatwick's senior bosses are signed up to a bonus scheme that should pay out handsomely if the airport is sold. In small print in Gatwick’s 2011 accounts the bonuses of “certain members” of its board are directly linked to the amount GIP gets from sale of the airport. It has long been suspected that Stewart Wingate, Nick Dunn (and others?) would stand to gain significantly, themselves, if they could raise the value of the airport by getting a 2nd runway. Now the disclosure has proved it. The cap on how much they could make is not revealed. Gatwick lent the executives £2.8m to buy into the share scheme, with the interest-free loans repayable once they sell their shares. GIP owns 42% of the airport, with much of the rest held by investors from Abu Dhabi, California, Korea and Australia. Gatwick have been doing all they can to block a Heathrow runway, to get their own. They are also doing all they can to increase the maximum number of flights per hour through flight path changes - again to raise the airport's price. GIP bought Gatwick for £1.5 billion in 2009, and has just sold London City airport for almost x3 what they paid for it - and almost x32 its annual underlying profits.
Click here to view full story...
Anger at revelation that Gatwick bosses to personally profit (millions of £s) if 2nd runway allowed
The Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) has expressed anger at the revelation in the Sunday Times that Gatwick bosses are set to benefit personally by several million pounds if permission is given for a 2nd runway. GACC says a 2nd runway would bring misery to tens of thousands of people. There would be three times as many people affected by serious amounts of aircraft noise, and new flight paths over peaceful areas. About 50,000 people would suffer from worse air quality. A new runway would mean traffic jams on motorways and local roads, overcrowding on the trains and an influx of new workers with a need to build 40,000 new houses on green fields. But with all these negative impacts on ordinary people, Gatwick bosses would walk away with huge bonuses. GACC chairman, Brendon Sewill, commented: "Until now Gatwick Airport Ltd have tried to persuade the public that a 2nd runway would be in the national interest. Now the cat is out of the bag! There is no real need for a new runway at Gatwick." GACC will be investigating how far these new bonus payments will be subject to the normal full 45% rate of income tax. Despite making large profits, Gatwick Airport has paid no corporation tax since being bought by GIP due to tax fiddles similar to those operated by Starbucks or Google.
Click here to view full story...
With referendum awaited, 10 – 15,000 attend another massive protest against new Nantes airport
On the 9th January, there were estimated to have been 20,000 people at huge protests against the planned new airport for Nantes in countryside at Notre-Dame-des-Landes. Then on 26th January, the local court confirmed that 11 families would be evicted from their homes on the ZAD (zone à défendre) within about two months. On 13th February, President Hollande declared there would be a referendum on whether the airport should be built. This has caused local concerns. But neither the date nor the exact questions, nor the scope of the consultation's geographical area, have been settled. In response to the referendum proposal, the local campaign organised another massive demonstration (manifestation), to show the authorities the strength of feeling against the airport. Around 10,000 to 15,000 people came, from all across France. There are over 100 support committees across the country. They filled all 4 lanes of two local dual-carriageways, for many hours - in a peaceful protest, with a festival atmosphere. Two of the Heathrow 13 (spared prison on 24th February, with suspended 6 week sentences for their Heathrow runway occupation) attended the protest, showing solidarity from the London campaign. Campaigners in Turkey, against the new Istanbul airport, also sent messages of support.
Click here to view full story...
Heartfelt blog about the likelihood of increased depression and mental health impacts of relentless aircraft noise exposure
Many people have found the burden of aircraft noise, to which they have been recently and unexpectedly exposed, to be highly stressful. The stress is made worse by the apparent absence of any means to reduce or put an end to the problem. In a recent blog, someone who suffers both from depression and exposure to intense aircraft noise, has set out the necessity of taking mental health seriously. The blog says the effect of the relatively new phenomenon of concentrated flight paths appears to be worryingly under-researched. It is not know what levels of noise are safe. Research suggests that existing sufferers of mental illness are generally more sensitive to noise than others. The impact of narrow, concentrated flight paths overhead, with a plane as often as every 60 - 90 seconds can have particularly negative impacts on these people. Some research suggests higher rates of depression. For those with clinically recognised depression, the feeling that those who manage airspace will not act to reduce the problem, and will not take their complaints and pleas for change seriously, only exacerbate the mental anguish. The writer asks that mental health impacts are given much more attention. Intense exposure to aircraft noise - with no realistic prospect of it being improved - may come at high cost to vulnerable groups in society.
Click here to view full story...
Surface transport to airports report published by Transport Committee
The Commons Select Committee on Transport has published its report on "Surface Transport to Airports." This says Government failure to take a clear lead on integrated transport planning is a major obstacle to better surface access to the UK's airports. They urge Government to set out an integrated transport plan which connects airports across the country, "boosting regional access and economic development." The Committee looked at UK airports with over one million passengers per year. They believe that poor surface access restricts growth, adversely affects the passenger experience and forces airport users, local commuters and airport employees to choose to use cars to get to the airport, exacerbating local environmental concerns. [Heathrow and Gatwick were not the key focus of the inquiry.] The report says a lack of leadership on strategic planning, and a lack of co-ordination. They say the lack of a decision over airport capacity in the south east means that it is difficult to see how regional airports fit into the national picture. [Deciding once and for all not to build a new runway would make the situation clearer? AW] The report recommends that the forthcoming draft National Policy Statement on airports should contain policy on the surface access implications of long-term airport capacity, and this should include measures for improving access to airports that have existing spare capacity.
Click here to view full story...
London City airport sold to Canadian Pension funds, for £2 billion (bought by GIP in 2006 for £760 million)
A Canadian-led consortium of pension funds has beaten rivals to buy London City airport, from GIP, which paid £760 million for it. So that is a hefty profit. The valuation has proved controversial because the largest airline at City airport, BA, threatened to pull most of its aircraft out of the airport if the new owner raised airline charges to cover the high sale price. Willie Walsh, CEO of BA's owner IAG, considers £2 billion a foolish price. GIP owns 75% of the airport, and Oaktree Capital own 25%. The consortium that has bought the airport is led by the Ontario Teachers’ pension fund. It includes Borealis Infrastructure, which manages funds for one of Canada's largest pension funds, and also Japanese pension funds. The consortium is made up of AIMCo (Alberta Investment Management Corporation), OMERS (Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System), Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Wren House Infrastructure Management. Kuwait’s Wren House Infrastructure Management is an investment vehicle owned by the Kuwait Investment Authority. The Canadian Teachers’ pension fund has $160bn in assets, and already owns 4 airports (share of Birmingham, Bristol, Brussels and Copenhagen). HS1 Ltd is jointly owned by Borealis Infrastructure and Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, both Canadian pension funds. GIP bought the airport for an estimated £750m in 2006 from Dermot Desmond, the Irish financier, who paid just £23.5m for it in 1995 from Mowlem.
Click here to view full story...
Willie Walsh says Brexit will not have ‘material impact’ on IAG’s business
A Brexit vote would not have a material impact on the airline business, according to Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group (IAG). Last year, he said he was “pro-Europe”, adding that he believed the UK is better off within the EU from a business point of view. On Radio 4's Today programme he said IAG had taken advice from a number of sources, looked at it within the company and done a risk analysis. Though there is a lot of uncertainty, the view of IAG is that leaving the EU would not have much impact on them. The low cost airlines fear Brexit could mean higher air fares. Ryanair apparently plans a poster campaign on his own planes, encouraging customers to vote to stay in the EU. Heathrow and Gatwick airports are in favour of Britain staying in the EU, for their businesses. Willie Walsh had previously spoken out about the impact of a possible Brexit on Ireland’s economy, but urged fellow Irish chief executives to stay out of the debate. IAG has announced profits of €2.34bn for the year ending 31 December 2015 – a year-on-year increase of 125%. Helped by the low price of jet fuel, (and savings not passed on to passengers?)
Click here to view full story...
Wingate and Holland-Kaye among signatories of letter saying Britain should stay in EU
Heathrow and Gatwick bosses John Holland-Kaye and Stewart Wingate have signed a letter by about 200 of UK businesses, saying Britain should remain in the EU. John Holland-Kaye said: "A vote to remain offers the best of both worlds – it secures our place as a powerhouse in the global economy, while remaining in the world’s largest free trade zone. Heathrow believes that the UK will be better off remaining in a reformed EU. We are the UK’s only hub airport, connecting Britain to over 80 long haul destinations, and handling over a quarter of UK exports – but we recognise that for business to thrive we also need to be part of the single European market. Membership of the EU has made air travel affordable and convenient, with regular flights to the continent from all parts of Britain - fuelling jobs, exports and economic growth." Comments have already been made by EasyJet boss Carolyn McCall and TUI's former chief Peter Long, warning that the cost of flights would rise if Britain leaves the European Union. People in the aviation industry believe there would be potential "uncertainty" if Brexit meant the UK has to renegotiate crucial trade deals with international partners.
Click here to view full story...
Airport noise community groups write to David Cameron calling for review of airspace policy
In an open letter to David Cameron, which was co-ordinated through the Aviation Environment Federation (AEF), community groups concerned about the impacts of flight path changes have called on the Government to bring forward a review, both of airspace policy and the process for consultation and engagement. The letter describes the current approach for making airspace changes as “not fit for purpose” and demands that a moratorium on flight path trials and airspace decisions is introduced until a new policy is put in place. Flight path trials over the last few years have led to significant community disturbance around major airports across the UK, especially where communities have been overflown for the first time. In many cases, flight path trials were cancelled early following vociferous reactions from the public. The Government and the CAA were expected to consult on proposals to change the policy and process for making changes to flight paths early this year. However, this has been delayed until at least the summer, when the Government will make a statement on a possible new runway. The letter’s 24 signatories stress that the airspace policy review is required urgently to address existing problems and should be independent of any future decisions on airport capacity.