General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
Government response rejects petition asking for no APD during school summer holidays
A petition to the Treasury has been created, asking that the government suspend or reduce Air Passenger Duty (APD)during the school summer holidays. The petition says British families need quality time together at a time they legally can (parents are not meant to take children out of school in term time). Quite why the families have to get on a plane in order to have quality time together is not explained. As the number signing is now around 38,000 there has been a response from the government. They say "APD exists to provide revenues for the public services. Revenue from APD plays an important part in supporting this Government’s stabilisation of the UK’s public finances." They add that APD is charged by the airlines, and they have the option of not passing the cost on to the passengers. They also say that APD for the majority of flights, which are to Europe, is only £13 for a return trip. "The duty makes up a relatively small proportion of the total ticket cost. For example, it is less than 9% of the cost of an early booking for return flights for a family of four to Málaga in July 2014. Other charges imposed by airlines, such as fuel or luggage surcharges, can make up a much higher proportion of the total ticket price." The industry ramps up the price of flights and holidays during July and August, by far more than the price of APD. For instance, holiday price £2,015.59 in August and £1,214 for the same trip in late September.
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“Independent Transport Commission” produces yet another report advocating a 3rd Heathrow runway
A small think tank on transport, called the "Independent Transport Commission" (many of whose members are backers are from the aviation industry) has commissioned another report, reiterating their claim that the UK needs a hub and so a 3rd runway at Heathrow is needed. The main reason they give is: "To protect and develop the UK’s global “direct” connectivity and to ensure new routes are launched from the UK before our European competitors." They produced a similar report in May 2013, calling for a large hub, though at that stage they also backed Stansted or the estuary for their mega airport. This new report does not mention climate or carbon emissions once, and suggests another runway might be added by mid century. It has looked at the hub-and-spoke model and its associated issues, and the long distance point-to-point model - and they advocate one large hub for most of the long haul traffic, at least "for the foreseeable future." The report highlights the role of transfer passengers in making long-haul routes viable and say only a hub with at least 3 runways (ie Heathrow) "would allow airlines to provide an extensive network of long-haul routes". The UK aviation lobby is terrified of being out-competed by European rivals, and Heathrow not being "top hub".
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European Commission to clarify state aid to airports – making ineligible those with over 3 million passengers per year
Across Europe, State aid to small regional airports has until now been ambiguously regulated by measures that date from 1994 and 2005. Much of the aid has probably been illegal, because it has been operational aid that is used to subsidise airport fees for airlines. These savings are then passed on to customers - subsidising their flights. Budget airlines such as Ryanair have taken advantage of this situation and made a lot of profit on it, as well as encouraging artificially cheap air travel. The European Commission is now to produce new guidelines on state aid to airports and airlines, to be publicised on 19th February. The Commission has 50 pending cases of suspected violations of state aid rules, but none has been acted upon for fear of forcing small airports to close. Large airports and airlines have complained that they are being put at a disadvantage by subsidies to their smaller competitors. It is likely that the new guidelines will only allow state aid for 10 years from now, and introduce a threshold so airports with over 3 million passengers per year are not eligible. Environmental campaigners are angry that the guidelines will legitimise a previously illegal practice. It will cause a growth in air travel, contrary to the aim stated by the EU's white paper on transport of moving passengers from air to rail.
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China’s CAAC has granted Sinopec a license allowing aviation biofuel to be made from rapeseed, palm oil & soybean oil
China's oil refiner, Sinopec, has been given a license allowing commercial use of its aviation biofuel by airlines. There was a biofuel test flight in 2013 using fuel made from from hydrotreated palm oil and recycled cooking oil. Sinopec said it can now produce bio-jet fuel from a wide range of raw material feedstock, including rapeseed oil, palm oil and soybean oil ( which competes with human and animal food). Sinopec started research on aviation biofuel in 2009, and its application for commercial use was accepted by CAAC in early 2012. Sinopec can produce 3,000 tonnes of the fuel per year, from rape seed, cotton seed and waste cooking oil. The company is considering joining with private enterprise in planting, collecting and processing these source oils, as well as getting waste cooking oil from McDonald's. Sinopec claims their biofuels generate 45% less CO2 than conventional fuels. China is the world's largest oil importer and 58.1% of its 2013 came from imports.China is now the 2nd largest consumer of aviation fuel, consuming nearly 20 million tonnes per year. Its jet fuel demand is estimated to be expanding by 10% every year, while the global average is less than 5%. The production costs of aviation biofuel remain at least 2 - 3 times those of crude oil.
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The guilty little high-carbon secrets of those lovely, innocent, romantic Valentine roses
Valentine's Day is traditionally the day, in the US, UK and much of Europe (banned in Saudi Arabia) when flowers, especially red roses, are given. Many of these are airfreighted thousands of miles. This year it is reported that IAG Cargo carried nearly 800 tons of flowers for Valentine’s Day. The most common varieties carried by IAG are roses and carnations coming from Ecuador, Colombia, Kenya, Costa Rica, Guatemala and South Africa. The main destinations for these flowers are Madrid and London, followed by other Spanish cities, along with Lisbon, Rome, Amsterdam, and Munich. Mothers' Day is another peak day, with other saints days in European countries. LAN Cargo and its affiliates said they transport over 15 million bouquets of flowers all over the world during the month before 14th February. They say between January 20 and February 9, around 200 LAN Cargo flights took off from Colombia, and Ecuador with an average of 2,100 tonnes of flowers daily. The main destinations of these flights are the USA and the Netherlands with the majority via Miami. Lufthansa Cargo said it flew around 1,000 tonnes of roses to Frankfurt this year, transporting up to 90 tonnes of roses on a single flight. The numbers are up on 2013. IATA says air freighting flowers is more "sustainable" than growing them in heated greenhouses in cold countries.
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Group of business people, led by London First, again lobby Transport Secretary for airport expansion
More lobbying by big business backers of aviation expansion continues, as the try to persuade the government that everything must be done to expand current capacity, even before the runway they want gets built. They claim this is important for the UK economy, and necessary for the UK to "stay internationally competitive." Some 52 business people have signed a letter to the Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, published in the Telegraph (where else ?) putting their demands. They want ministers to act on interim recommendations made by the Airports Commission, such as more Heathrow flights, and improving rail access to Stansted and Gatwick. They want action quickly and presume that adding more runway capacity for more people to take more leisure flights will somehow boost "UK’s global competitiveness”.They also want an independent ombudsman to oversee changes to restrictions on the timing of flights at Heathrow, to try and get over opposition to more flights, and night flights, which is partly what prevents another Heathrow runway. They want more flights, regardless of the impacts on those overflown or living near airports.
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Full details of extent of Heathrow night flight plans ‘dug up’ by Leader of Wandsworth Council
The full extent of the Government’s plans to increase night flights into Heathrow has been “dug up” by anti-noise campaigners in the technical appendix of an Airports Commission's interim report. The report was publicised on 17th December. The appendix shows that the number of planes allowed to land at Heathrow before 6am will increase from 16 to 35 from next year. Leader of the anti-Heathrow nights flights opposition, Ravi Govindia (also Leader of Wandsworth Council) said: “We shouldn’t have to dig deep into a technical document to find out what is in store for us.” Heathrow wants the amount of "stacking" to be reduced before the morning rush-hour. They say residents would be given "respite" from the noise, by having more in alternate weeks, followed by a week without planes. Mr Govindia, who is also the leader of the 2M group of 20 councils opposed to expansion of Heathrow, said people on the final approach flight paths into Heathrow were “deeply opposed” to the early-morning arrivals, which affect their sleep and are linked to serious health issues. The Airports Commission said: “We have recommended a trial of early-morning smoothing. A trial provides the opportunity for communities around Heathrow to experience and comment on the impacts.”
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The environmental implications of the Airports Commission’s backing for a new south-east runway
In a recent blog, Tim Johnson (Director of the Aviation Environment Federation) says of the current pressure to build another south east runway, that the environmental implications need to be assessed very carefully indeed, before any consent is considered. Aircraft noise remains the principal source of community conflict with airports. Noise does not merely cause annoyance, but there is also growing evidence supporting a correlation between aviation noise and ill health. There is also an established relationship between air quality and health and the EU’s legal limits mean that any expansion plans must guarantee the limits will not be breached. Aviation’s contribution to climate change remains one of the fasting growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions. UK aviation emissions already contribute around 6% of our total emissions with that proportion set to grow to 25% by 2050 (even if aviation emissions are maintained at 2005 levels). Unfortunately the Airports Commission has reached a decision on the need for a new runway before it has made an appraisal of the local issues. It is unfortunate that the Commission has made the mistake of viewing climate change, as well as local impacts of noise and air pollution as mere afterthoughts to their interim conclusions.
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Opponents of expanding Billy Bishop lakeside airport in Toronto say they will not compromise in fighting the damaging plans
The fight by Toronto citizens against permission for much noisier jets to use Billy Bishop lakeside airport continues. There has been the suggestion that there could be “compromise” to resolve the dispute. Opponents do not accept this, as the impact of effectively doubling the size of the lakeside airport - with jets not turboprops; with greatly lengthened runway and rows of light approach towers extending up to 700 metres beyond the runways; and planes landing and taking off every two minutes. There would also need to be high and obtrusive walls lining the runways to shield small boats using the lake from jet thrust. And on the land side, doubled volumes of traffic carrying passengers, jet fuel, services and etc creating bad road congestion. That is on top of noise concerns, impacts on air quality and habitat. Concerned residents fear the expansion means not a change in degree, but a different kind of airport. The justifications for the rush to judgement to approve this massive shift are convenience for some business travellers and a purported economic advantage. Campaigners against say both are specious. Much more important is what would be sacrificed. Toronto people love their waterfront, which has been improved by adding new and improved places for the public to enjoy. The airport would destroy much of that.
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Fears in Heathrow area that a 3rd runway with associated infrastructure could add to local flood risk
The western end of Heathrow is within 3 miles of the River Thames. The western end of the airport is within 3 - 4 miles of Datchet, Old Windsor and Wraysbury, as well as Staines. These areas are currently experiencing unprecedented flooding, due to some of the wettest weather and more continuous storms and rainfall for several hundred years (which is consistent with predictions of climate change from rising global CO2 emissions). Heathrow airport itself covers a huge area in impermeable surfaces, and its storm drainage is on a vast scale. There were already fears from previous years of its impact on the drainage of the area. It has the River Colne running along its western edge, and the River Crane along its eastern edge. A report in 2003 for Hacan recommended that a full EIA should be carried out on the impact of a 3rd runway on the Heathrow flood plain; and that as expansion of Heathrow would have a significant impact on water levels in an area much wider than just the Heathrow flood plain a detailed analysis is carried out in the impact a 3rd runway would have on rivers across a wider area. In addition that no decision should be made on a 3rd runway until full analysis has been done and has been put out to wide public consultation.