General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
Conservation charities recruit millions to fight reforms to planning system
MPs face a public backlash over proposals to tear up the UK's planning laws and allow much greater development as conservation groups mobilise millions of members to lobby against the strategy. This campaign against the planning shakeup is rapidly becoming the biggest environmental controversy since the coalition took office, with hundreds of thousands writing to their MPs or signing petitions. On of the key demands of environmental groups is that government provides a single, detailed definition of sustainable development to guide planners.
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Virgin accuses government of “ignoring” APD consultation
Virgin Atlantic is complaining that the government did not listen to the request of the aviation industry for no increase in air passenger duty, and for just two bands of APD by distance. They have managed to get, through Crawley MP - Henry Smith - details of the consultation responses (not released to the public) to see how many respondents wanted the current system to remain. "54 out of 70 respondents called for the reclassification of premium economy. Just 11 out of 70 supported retaining the existing double-rate on premium-economy fares".
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CAA (whose membership is airlines and travel companies) says London has good connectivity now, but will need more airport capacity in future
The CAA, whose membership is air travel companies and operators, has produced an "insight note" to add to its contribution to input into the government's work on developing a new aviation policy for the UK. There will be another major consultation on this next spring. The CAA says that whereas London has good connectivity now, "We conclude that choice, value and resilience are all likely to be affected in the absence of additional aviation capacity." ie. The airlines and the tour operators want more airport capacity, and the CAA is lobbying for them.
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Around 800 million air passengers in the EU in 2010. UK had 193 million – which is 3.1 passengers per inhabitant
Data collected by the EU shows that in 2010, the UK reported the highest number of air passengers for any EU country, with almost 193 million or 3.1 passengers per inhabitant (which was approximately double the EU-27 average). Just under 800 million passengers were carried by air in 2010 in the EU-27. The number of air passengers carried in the EU-27 had stagnated in 2008, fell by -5.9 % in 2009, and rebounded by +6.0 % in 2010. There is data for the top 15 European airports.
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Heathrow Resists Capacity Crunch as Noise Bar Favors Coastal Hub
Bloomberg says Heathrow is turning to bigger jets and glitzier shops to keep growing in the face of a campaign to build a rival hub on the Thames estuary. There will be more A380s - up to 35 per day. . Heathrow wants more transfer passengers. Colin Matthews said: " ...to give business people starting or ending their journey in London the frequencies and destinations they want you have to fill the rest of the plane.” BAA wants to convince lawmakers and officials that Heathrow can raise its capacity without disrupting people’s lives
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Virgin and BA owner IAG fight to buy BMI from Lufthansa
Lufthansa, which owns BMI, has said it has not yet decided on a buyer for the carrier. In November Lufthansa signed an agreement with International Airlines Group (IAG), to work towards a final deal. However, the agreement was not exclusive and Lufthansa has now said it also has a deal with Virgin. So both still have a chance of buying BMI, which has 8.5% of the landing slots at Heathrow - seen as the main attraction to buyers.
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Deutsche Flugsicherung plans bid for Nats stake
Germany's state-owned air traffic service Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS) is planning a bid for a stake in Nats, the part-privatized company that runs the U.K.'s air traffic control service. DFS has asked investment banks in London to tender for an advisory role in a potential bid. George Osborne said last year that the government would sell its 49% stake but little has happened since. GIP is also interested.
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Business Jets over 5.7 tonnes to be charged APD after April 2013
Business jets will be charged Air Passenger Duty from April 2013. The Treasury says the reason for not charging it from April 2012 is that "changes will bring a substantial number of new operators into the APD regime and will require the introduction of special rules tailored to business aviation." APD will be charged on any jet with more than around 6 - 8 seats, depending on the model. Many private jets in practice carry just 2 or 3 passengers. AEF figures on the CO2 emissions per private jet passenger, compared to premium class on a commercial airline, show them to be 3 - 8 times higher.
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Ryanair’s new fees: £1 for your ticket, £5 for your sandwich – £100 for your bag
The cost of flying with Ryanair will rise in 2012, as they struggle to continue making money out of cheap flights. A unchecked bag could cost £100, with £25 for one checked. (Compared to the much- whinged-about APD at a bargain £13). Ryanair’s cabin baggage limits are also tight on weight and passengers who breach […]
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Thomas Cook holiday flight in ‘serious’ incident at Manchester Airport after pilot underestimated take-off weight by 17 tonnes
On 29th April, a holiday flight taking off from Manchester airport nearly had serious problems when the pilot and co-pilot read the wrong reading, and therefore understimated the take off weight of the plane (not adding the weight of the 17 tonnes of fuel). This meant they wrongly calculated the thrust needed for take off, and tried to take off at too low a speed. This could have caused problems, including in control of the aircraft.