General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
Atmosfair comparison of carbon efficiency of airlines (excluding low cost airlines)
Date added: 8 March, 2011
Atmosfair (a German organisation) has put together a ranking of the fuel efficiency
of airlines. It does not include the budget airlines, for various technical reasons. The
airline index produced by Atmosfair shows you the efficiency points of an airline
broken down by short, medium and long distance flights. No full fair airlines
come into their top efficiency category.
Click here to view full story...
EU asked to press for bunker fuels to be pushed up the European and UN agenda
Date added: 8 March, 2011
A coalition of environmental organisations, including the AEF, concerned about
the failure of international progress of bunker fuels (aviation and shipping fuel),
have written to Hungarian EU Ministers - who now have the presidency of the EU.
They urge the EU to press for bunker fuels be reinstated on the EU agenda and
engage with like-minded Parties to the UNFCCC, particularly developing country
parties, to ensure that this happens.
Click here to view full story...
Airlines to spend estimated €1.4bn on carbon permits in 2012
Date added: 8 March, 2011
European airlines will have to buy about a third of stocks they require when
new EU ruling comes in next year. This would mean they are likely to pay about €1.4bn next year for carbon permits. The shortfall – the number of permits they will have to buy on the open market
– is likely to stand at about 88.5 million allowances, each representing one tonne
of CO2. This might rise to about €7bn by 2020. Airlines can buy cheap credits
from overseas.
Click here to view full story...
Transport & Environment reaction to EC statement on inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS
Date added: 7 March, 2011
T&E calculates that the cost to the aviation sector will be the equivalent
of a one-cent per litre tax on aviation fuel - untaxed in the EU. The effect
on ticket prices, if not inflated by airlines, should be less than 1% on average.
T&E says as aviation is by far the most polluting transport sector, its inclusion
of the sector in the EU-ETS is no more than a minor first step and is no excuse
for prolonging the industry's massive subsidy of fuel tax and VAT exemptions.
Click here to view full story...
Inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS: Commission publishes historical emissions data on which allocations will be based
Date added: 7 March, 2011
The EC has published the historical aviation emissions on which future aviation
emissions allowances will be based, from 2012 onwards. They have chosen emissions of 219,476,343 tonnes of CO2, represents the average of the estimated annual emissions for the years 2004 -2006.
So the allowance for 2012 is 212,892,052 tonnes CO2 (97% of the baseline)and the number of aviation allowances to be created each year from 2013 onwards
amounts to 208,502,525 tonnes CO2 (95%).
Click here to view full story...
Osborne rips up planning rules to make getting planning consent easier
Date added: 5 March, 2011
George Osborne is pushing for sweeping changes to Britain’s planning regime as
part of a package of low-cost measures designed to kick-start growth. He wants to make it much easier for companies to obtain planning consent for
new projects – even if they go against the wishes of local residents – allowing
them to expand their businesses. The changes would also enable ministers to fast-track large scale infrastructure.
Click here to view full story...
Gatwick’s new owners take £330m dividend just 15 months after buying airport
Date added: 5 March, 2011
The 5 owners, led by 42% controlling shareholder GIP, are pocketing the payout
as part of a quicker-than-expected £1.2bn refinancing. The size of the dividend has infuriated BAA and Ferrovial, which had to sell
Gatwick. Taking more than £300m out of the business so soon highlights the degree to which
regulators have assisted a transfer of value from BAA's shareholders to Gatwick's
new owners. Since the sale GIP has sold down its equity.
Click here to view full story...
Scottish Transport Minister says Air Passenger Duty must be devolved now
Date added: 5 March, 2011
Transport Minister, Keith Brown, has called for APDto be devolved now. He awaits a potential announcement on this as part of the UK budget on 23rd March,
and says Scotland needs APD to be devolved in order to give its aviation industry
"the competitive edge that it needs for the benefit of the industry, passengers
and the wider Scottish economy." However, the DfT is unlikely to be keen to
have differential APD rates across the UK.
Click here to view full story...
Flybe plane’s wheel falls off sparking emergency landing drama at Exeter
Date added: 4 March, 2011
A Flybe aircraft lost a wheel during take-off, forcing the pilot to make an emergency
landing. The Flybe Bombardier Q 400 was forced to turn back to Exeter when a wheel underneath
the wing came off during “retraction”. Terrified passengers reported seeing a "large piece of metal" protruding from
the undercarriage. The 39 passengers and 4 crew on board the BE 703 flight, bound
for Newcastle all escaped serious injury.
Click here to view full story...
Why flying less means more for business – new WWF business flying report
Date added: 3 March, 2011
New research published by WWF suggests that businesses are making a permanent
commitment to fly less. Nearly half of UK businesses said they had cut business
flights over the past 2 years and, of these, 85% said they don’t intend to return
to ‘business as usual’ flying. Most companies who have reduced their flying say
it’s possible to stay profitable and competitive while flying less. These findings
suggest future business flying will not return to pre-recessionary levels.
Click here to view full story...
