General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
Airlines Seek Bailout From EU For Ash Crisis, British Airways Losing $30 Million Per Day
Airline losses from the volcanic ash cloud climbed above $1 billion on 19th April, and the industry demanded compensation from the EU as officials agreed to let flights resume on a limited basis. Airlines are losing as much as $300 million per day, with some like BA suffering the most. Air France-KLM is losing $47 million a day. SAS is losing up to $12.5 million a day, while Alitalia is losing $6.7 million to $13.4 million. Also $500 million in lost freight revenue.
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British Airways calls for compensation on flight ban
BA has called for the EU and the UK government to compensate it for lost revenue from the ban on flights caused by the cloud of volcanic ash over Europe. It said it estimated its daily losses through the ban were £15m-20m, including lost revenue from passengers and cargo and the cost of supporting stranded and delayed passengers. At the start of the flying restrictions on April 14 it had more than £1.7bn of cash and more than £400m acredit lines.
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Volcano cloud pushes European airlines to the brink: analysts
Airlines and other travel industry sectors already face a huge bill from the closure of European airspace and there will be growing pressure for the European Union to give financial aid. "After the banks, we will now be expected to help the airlines." A crisis advisory company estimated the shutdown has so far cost the European travel industry more than £1.0 billion pounds in cancelled flights, lost hotel rooms and empty cruise liners. It has warned the disruption could go on for another two weeks.
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A world without planes: – Alain de Botton and Stuart Jeffries muse on how a slow life might be …
The philosopher, writer and recent writer-in-residence at Heathrow airport imagines a world without aircraft... In a future world without aeroplanes, children would gather at the feet of old men, and hear extraordinary tales of a mythic time when vast and complicated machines the size of several houses used to take to the skies ... The wise elders would explain that inside the aircraft, passengers, who had only paid the price of a few books ...
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Air chaos to last weeks as even more volcanic ash belches out
Britain is today bracing itself for what scientists warn could be weeks of disruption after experts predicted the volcanic dust cloud blanketing Europe will continue to cause chaos for the foreseeable future. With no sign of the eruption easing, volcanologists said ash, which is drifting in a cloud extending up from 8,000-30,000 feet and stretching across much of northern and central Europe, could disrupt flights off and on for up to 6 months. (Indy)
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Environmental Audit Committee report: UK air quality still not good
More evidence that poor air quality, with increased NOx, increased ozone and more particular matter (PM) damages health. London is not likely to cut nitrogen dioxide levels enough to meet EU levels, and an expanded Heathrow would ensure limit values are exceeded. A new report by the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee confirms the extent of the problem, and estimates that people in the UK dies 7 - 8 months early, due to air pollution.
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Iceland volcano: Airlines ‘to lose $200m a day’
Airlines will lose at least $200m ( £130m) per day in revenues as a result of the volcanic ash-linked disruption, according to IATA. Its members would also lose further money as a result of expensive contingency plans. KPMG said it expected UK flights alone to cost airlines in excess of £200m per day. UK airspace remains closed. Ryanair said none of its flights in northern Europe would operate until at least Monday afternoon. Airline shares are down. (BBC)
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EU issues ‘final warning’ on high costs of legal challenges in the UK
A 'final warning' to the UK over the prohibitive costs of launching legal challenges to planning decisions has been issued by the European Commission. Under European law, the public has a right to know about the impact of industrial pollution and to challenge decisions based on their potential environmental impact. The EC is concerned that the cost is preventing individuals and NGOs in the UK from launching challenges.
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Europe flights could be grounded for 48 hours by ash
Eurocontrol, the European air traffic control organisation, says flights could be disrupted for another 48 hours by ash spewing from a volcano in Iceland. A lack of wind in the area meant the ash cloud was "progressing very slowly eastwards" and remained "very dense". Up to 5,000 flights could have been affected by the end of Thursday. The UK, Republic of Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Belgium and the Netherlands closed their airspaces. (BBC) France shut down 24 airports in the north of the country, including the main hub of Paris-Charles de Gaulle, while Germany's Berlin and Hamburg airports were also closed on Thursday evening.
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Liberal Democrats launch Manifesto including policies on aviation
This acknowleges that emissions from rising aviation are a problem but some flights are vital and some benefit the economy. Lib Dems would try to ensure people use alternatives where possible. They would replace the per-passenger APD with per-plane duty (PPD), so capturing air freight for the first time. Also a higher rate of PPD on domestic flights for which there are alternatives, and cancel the 3rd runway at Heathrow and any expansion of other airports in the South East.