General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
Thomas Cook and Co-operative Group create largest travel retail chain in UK
Thomas Cook and the Co-operative Group are to merge, resulting in the loss of hundreds of jobs. This will create the largest retail travel network of some 1204 stores and the UK’s 2nd largest foreign exchange business. The separate branding will remain, however, although 70 outlets of Thomas Cook subsidiary Going Places will be renamed under the Co-operative brand. The move followed a tough trading year for Thomas Cook. (TravelMole)
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Farmer forced to burn £8,000 worth of crops after ‘aeroplane scatters human waste across 25 acres of land’ near Kettering
A farmer was ordered to burn £8,000 worth of crops after human waste was found strewn across his land. He found faeces and sanitary towels dumped in his fields when he went to tend to his livestock. He believes it may have fallen from an aeroplane as the area in under flightpaths. An investigation by the CAA has now been launched using radar records, though it may be hard to identify which plane might be responsible. More info on otehr recent falls from planes.
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Leading UK country markets show significant changes this summer as overall international traffic shows no growth
While overall demand for air travel to, from and within the UK is still on a slight downward trend and likely to continue decreasing, UK airports still handle more passengers than any other country in Europe. Passenger numbers may have fallen 2 years running for the 1st time in over 30 years (and will probably fall for 2010) but UK airports still saw over 218 million passenger movements in 2009, more than in Spain (187 million), Germany (182 million), France (140 million) and Italy (130 million.
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Phillip Hammond says aviation has grown because it has been lightly taxed
Speaking at a fringe event at the Conservative party conference Hammond said aviation had grown because it had been "lightly taxed" and it had to be prepared to pay its environmental costs. Also "I want to see aviation come in from the cold and engage with the environmental agenda in the same way other transport sectors have done. I am not anti-aviation or anti-flying, but I do think aviation should pay its way." APD increases would go ahead.
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Passenger boost propels BA shares higher – September traffic very slightly up
Shares in BA rose 6% to their highest closing price in 2 years as it reported some of its strongest passenger numbers since 2008. Overall passenger traffic as measured by RPK (the number of fare-paying passengers multiplied by the distances they fly) rose 1.3% in September compared with a year earlier. There was a 4.3% increase in BA’s profitable 1st and business class traffic, which make up about 13% of all passengers but more than 40% of revenues.
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BAA sells Naples airport for £130m
BAA has sold its stake in Naples airport for €150m ( £130m) as part of its plan to focus investment on Heathrow and its other UK airports. BAA as struck the deal for its 65% holding with F2i SGR, an Italian infrastructure fund. The deal requires clearance from Italian regulators. BAA over the past 4 years has soldAustralian interests, Budapest airport, World Duty Free, the Airport Property Partnership, and Gatwick airport. And may have to sell Stansted.
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Aircraft fuel use to increase 3% a year for years to come – says ICAO – while they hope for 2% efficiency savings
Global aircraft fuel consumption is expected to increase at a rate of 3 - 3.5% annually in years to come, according to the latest annual environmental report of ICAO. Passenger traffic is expected to grow at an average rate of 4.8% per year through to 2036. The number of people exposed to a day-night average sound level of 55, currently 21 million, will increase between 0.7 - 1.6% per year. Aircraft emissions of NOx are predicted to rise 2.4 - 3.5% annually. (ENDS)
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IATA’s iFlex programme looks to reduce fuel burn by 2% on long-haul flights by shortening routes
IATA has launched its iFlex programme in a bid to overcome the constraints imposed by traditional fixed airspace structures by using flexible flight planning in low-density airspace. They are saying they hope to cut a few minutes off a flight and perhaps save 1 - 2% of CO2 emissions. They want to get away from fixed airways and utilize alternative plans that can adapt to the changing nature of upper wind patterns,
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UK emissions from shipping six times higher than thought
A study by Manchester university says that though currently UK shipping emissions are calculated by using international bunker fuel sales – or the amount of fuel purchased at UK ports - it would be more accurate to measure the CO2 actually released by commercial ships involved with UK trade. Doing this, the UK’s emissions from shipping would rise from around 7 megatonnes (Mt) of CO2 in 2006 to 31-42 MtCO2 on the basis of goods exported and imported.
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New analysis explodes myths about tourism, air travel and poor people
A new study by Airport Watch member, Jeremy Birch, shows just how much of our balance of payments deficit is due to well-off people holidaying abroad and how equalising aviation with other taxes would help both our economy and poorer people. The best off 10% of households account for 38% of the deficit on tourism. Socio-economic classes D/E account for 33% of the population but only 10% of air travel. Low air fares have not ‘democratised’ air travel.