General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
A bit of history. IATA Welcomes Decision on Frankfurt’s 4th Runway. January 2009
Frankfurt's international airport has been cleared for expansion by Hesse's Administrative Supreme Court. The airport can soon begin to build a fourth runway north of the current airport perimeter with an opening date of 2012. It will only be used for landings. Fraport and main operator Lufthansa also have to deal with the court's preliminary statement that the planned night flight restrictions are not far reaching enough. A 3rd terminal is planned. (Various)
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Tory plan to scrap new runways at Heathrow and Stansted could cost billions
A future Conservative government would use new legislative powers to block the expansion of Heathrow and Stansted airports, which could leave taxpayers liable for multibillion-pound compensation payments to the contractors and BAA. A planning application for Heathrow won't be submitted until 2011, 6 months after the last possible date Brown can hold a general election. If Labour lost, the Tories would have time to draft a new policy ruling out a new runway. (Guardian)
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CAA research on air passengers visiting friends and relatives shows social links with Europe fuelling journey growth
Civil Aviation Authority research pub shows that air passengers visiting friends and relatives (VFR traffic) is the strongest growing element of international passenger traffic at UK airports. Such traffic represents one-quarter of international passengers at UK airports. Whilst total international passengers to and from UK airports have grown by one-third between 2001 and 2007, VFR traffic has grown by two-thirds. (CAA)
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Belgium scraps aviation tax plans
Belgium has scrapped proposals to charge an aviation tax on passengers, which would have raised €132m for government coffers. The charge would have amounted to between €5 and €50 per passenger but tension between the federal and regional governments has seen the plans dropped. (Business Travel World)
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China’s Airport Binge is Bad Environmental News
As China grows so does its aviation sector, and its insatiable need for airports. The country will by one estimate invest as much as $64 billion during the next 12 years expanding existing airports and building 97 more. That may not sound like much in a country of 1.3 billion people, but all those airports will create a huge amount of pollution. China's commercial air traffic has grown an average of 17% a year since 1985.
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The IoS Green List: John Stewart tops list of Britain’s top 100 environmentalists
Britain's most successful transport campaigner - and Chairman of AirportWatch - has come top of the first comprehensive list of the country's most effective greens, compiled by the IoS. John Stewart, who leads the camapign at Heathrow, soundly beats far more high-profile figures – from Jonathon Porritt to Zac Goldsmith, from Sir David Attenborough to Prince Charles – to take the honour. The judges set out to identify who is really making a difference in Britain, (IoS)
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Boris Johnson says “Stuff Skegnes, my trunks and I are off to the sun”
Boris Johnson - writing in the Telegraph (and eagerly picked up by Flying Matters - declares that "I am going to take a holiday abroad, and in my view it would be absurd, hypocritical and frankly inhumane to do anything else" and "I consider it my patriotic duty to find a destination as sunny and foreign as possible, so that I can push some cash towards hard-pressed UK travel agents," regardless of filling "the upper air with ...vapour trails". (Telegraph)
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TRAVELODGE LEADS BRITISH HOLIDAY FIGHTBACK
Travelodge is joining with other leading British holiday brands to offer an alternative to the 30% of Brits that are turning away from foreign travel this year. They predict that seaside businesses will gain an extra £42m of annual customer spend. Their CEO said this is the time to win back Brits that who used to be tempted abroad by the budget airlines. Now soaring air fares, the Euro and the credit crunch may change our holiday habits for good. (Travelodge)
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Top UN climate scientist tells business to fly less, use video conferencing more and help fight climate change!
Thursday July 17th sees the influential All-party Parliamentary Sustainable Aviation Group host a Westminster event entitled, "Is your journey really necessary?", explaining and promoting the role that video conferencing technology can play in reducing the carbon footprint of business travel. (AEF)
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Airline denies ‘ghost’ plane plan
BMI has denied reports that it will fly near-empty planes to maintain lucrative landing rights at Heathrow. At Prime Minister's Questions, Norman Baker drew attention to Wednesday's reports. Gordon Brown said it would be unacceptable if airlines flew without any passengers to maintain their slots, and he will look at the matter and talk to the airlines. The landing slots are administered at Heathrow by Airport Co-ordination Ltd (ACL). (BBC)