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Latest news stories:
Cardiff airport losing money and losing passengers to Bristol
Cardiff airport has not been doing well over recent years, with passenger numbers in 2011 down by 43% compared to the peak in 2007. Now Swiss airline, Helvetic, will move its service to Bristol. Budget airline Vueling, which operates services to Barcelona, Alicante and Palma through the summer, will not run any flights from Cardiff through the winter period either. Passengers decreased 14% year-on-year in 2011, largely due to the withdrawal of budget airline bmibaby last October. The airport made a £319,000 loss in 2011, compared with a profit of more than £1m in 2010, £333,000 profit in 2009, £4m profit in 2008 and £7.2m profit in 2007.. First Minister Carwyn Jones has set up a taskforce, which met for the first time in June, to look at securing the airport’s future. Bristol airport seems to be expanding while Cardiff shrinks, with more Welsh travellers choosing Bristol instead.
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Aviation biofuels: which airlines are doing what, with whom?
News of airlines doing test flights using a proportion of biofuel seems to have gone a bit quiet this year. Biofuels Digest has done a round up of what they know about which airlines are linked up with which fuel companies. It appears most of the trial flights used recycled cooking oil, which cannot be a significant component of jet fuel in future as there is just not enough of it. And the realisation is dawning that biofuels compete with food crops for land, water and nutrients. Also it should be asked why aviation should be the recipient of scarce and precious supplies of the few biofuelsl that are genuinely sustainable, and do not have ILUC (indirect land use change) implications.
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Stop Stansted Expansion welcomes independent Aviation Connectivity Commission
SSE has welcomed the Government’s decision to establish an independent commission to look at aviation connectivity issues. They are disappointed the Government is not simply adhering to the policy which it laid down at the beginning of this Parliament, that there should be no more runways in the south-east. But it has been clear for some time now that, in response to heavy lobbying by the aviation industry, it was about to review this policy, and that this would include considering expansion at Stansted. There have been 3 independent assessments in the past which all concluded there should be no more runways at Stansted, (1960s - Chelmsford Inquiry; 1960s and 1970s - Roskill Commission; 1980s - Inspector Eyre). SSE has every reason to believe that this new commission will reach the same conclusion.
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Solena partnership with BA to produce jet fuel from London municipal waste – delayed over 2 years?
In 2010 it was announced that Solena and BA would build a plant to produce jet fuel in London. Solena hoped the new aviation fuel would be produced from several types of waste materials destined for landfill. The airline said it plans to use the low-carbon fuel to power part of its fleet beginning in 2014. In 2010 they said the self-contained plant will likely be built in east London. It’s expected to convert 551,000 tons of waste into 16 million gallons of green jet fuel each year. However, the timetable has slipped. Little news can be found about it, and there is no planning application yet. One website said the project will start in 2nd quarter of 2014 and end 2nd quarter 2016. Oxford Catalysts were selected to supply the modular Fischer-Tropsch technology . There has been no planning application yet at Rainham Marshes. The timetable seems to have slipped by at least 27 months.
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Boris to hold rival inquiry on Thames estuary airport or expanding other airports, excluding Heathrow
Boris Johnson plans to hold a rival inquiry into the future of aviation capacity which will specifically exclude a 3rd runway at Heathrow. The Aviation Commission on aviation capacity, to be chaired by Sir Howard Davies, announced last week, will include Heathrow. Boris's “call for evidence” will hear from airlines, airport operators, local authorities and aviation experts, on his proposal for a new airport in the Thames estuary or expansion on alternative sites around the capital. The inquiry will last between 9 and 12 months – reporting two years earlier than the Davies Commission. The findings of the Boris inquiry will be presented to the Davies Commission, and Boris has reluctantly decided to cooperate with because of the “realities” of the situation. Windsor MP, Adam Afriyie, is backing Boris in favouring an estuary airport.
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New hub airport west of Heathrow “wins support of UK business” – Independent
Independent reports that British business is starting to get behind nebulous plans for a £60bn four-runway airport near Heathrow. It says a "world-leading infrastructure firm", which has worked on aviation projects in Latin and North America, is assessing sites for the scheme to the west and north-west of the airport. Potentially backed by Chinese sovereign wealth fund money, a secretive consortium of UK businesses plans to throw their scheme into the mix as a potential long-term successor to Heathrow. Potential sites, which must be flat with few nearby residential areas, are thought to have been identified along the potential High Speed Two rail line, which would link London and Birmingham, and the Great Western main line, so the airport would be within 30 minutes of London.
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Government announced the creation of independent Aviation Connectivity Commission – the call for evidence on airport capacity, due shortly, has been cancelled
The DfT has now announced that it has asked Sir Howard Davies to chair an independent Commission tasked with identifying and recommending to Government options for maintaining this country’s status as an international hub for aviation. It says the Commission will examine the scale and timing of any requirement for additional capacity to maintain the UK’s position as Europe’s most important aviation hub; and identify and evaluate how any need for additional capacity should be met in the short, medium and long term. In doing so, the Commission, will provide an interim report to the Government no later than the end of 2013 setting out its assessment of the evidence on the nature, scale and timing of the steps needed to maintain the UK’s global hub status; and its recommendation(s) for immediate actions to improve the use of existing runway capacity in the next five years – consistent with credible long term options. The Commission will then publish by the summer of 2015 a final report, for consideration by the Government and Opposition Parties. A decision on whether to support any of the recommendations contained in the final report will be taken by the next Government.
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Can the UK fly more without breaking climate change targets?
The aviation industry is bullish about its prospects of decoupling growth in aviation from the growth in emissions. At least Boeing and BAA are, and a host of airlines and airports that are part of the "Sustainable Aviation Council". The SAC's 2012 roadmap argues that virtually all of the extra GHG that would be emitted by this rise can be cut by a combination of sleeker aircraft, leaner engines, smoother ground operations, more direct flight paths and up to 40% use of biofuels in global aviation. It also suggests that the use of carbon trading would mean aviation's current carbon footprint could be halved even if passenger numbers more than doubled. But aircraft emissions cannot be airbrushed away through carbon trading, as Tim Yeo and others suggest. Given a new dash for gas in the UK, new road building and then more aviation, where are the CO2 cuts needed for permits to trade actually going to come from? Damian Carrington explores the issues.
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Is air pollution the biggest obstacle to a third runway at Heathrow?
Alan Andrews, from Client Earth (a group of environmental lawyers) writes that though Cameron's reshuffle might have removed a couple of high profile political obstacles to a third runway, it has not dealt with the more difficult obstacle: EU air quality limits. EU law sets legally binding limits on levels of harmful pollution in our air. These limits, which are based on WHO guidelines, govern a number of pollutants which are damaging to human health. The limits for NO2 are currently being broken in towns and cities throughout the UK. But they are worst in London – which is thought to have the worst levels of NO2 of any EU capital. Where limits are breached, EU law requires that an action plan be drawn up which achieves compliance in the “shortest time possible.” The Government’s plan for London shows that limits won’t be achieved until 2025. Alan explains how this means expanding Heathrow would be subject to legal challenge and EU opposition.
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Why the economic case for a third runway at Heathrow still won’t fly
In a long and comprehensive article, (worth reading it all) economist Ann Pettifor sets out the reasons why Heathrow does not need to be expanded, merely improved. The article goes through the many arguments about why Heathrow is already a much larger airport than its rivals, with better connections to significant business destinations. It looks at airport expansion in relation to economic growth (GDP), and finds no correlation. It notes Germany’s economic strength in 2010 and 2011, "which no one has suggested results in any significant way from the steady growth of Frankfurt airport." It comments "To the extent that Heathrow is a drag on London’s competitiveness, we argue that this relates far more to its poor facilities and problems around security and immigration services. Overall, the airport terminals seem more designed for the retailers than for passengers, and BAA have failed to upgrade the facilities adequately over many years" and says improving "the passenger experience would do far more at lower cost that a new R3".
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Thousands overflown by Heathrow ready to fight if the Conservatives resurrect expansion plans
Article by Gwyn Topham, on the noise issue at Heathrow. Hounslow'sdeputy leader of the council, Colin Ellar, points out: "The impact on hundreds of thousands of people is undersold, under-reported, never stated." "What we would really like is the mitigation of noise." Just in Hounslow there are dozens of schools badly affected by noise, with a plane overhead for part of the day every 90 seconds, making teaching very difficult. BAA have provided some sound insulation, but not air conditioning - making rooms stifling in summer with windows closed. There is no sound insulation possible with open windows, or when outdoors. Prestigious office blocks can afford air conditioning as well as double glazing, but this is not offered for the homes of ordinary residents. There are some 750,000 people living under Heathrow's flight paths. Slight improvements in aircraft are not enough to make a significant difference to noise perception.
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Evening Standard EXCLUSIVE: ‘Dithering’ Cameron puts off Heathrow decision – with Commission
The Standard, desperate as ever to promote a 3rd Heathrow runway, reports that David Cameron has announced that an independent commission will decide the future of Heathrow - but only after the next general election. He has called for a cross-party deal to settle the alleged "crisis" (Standard's words) in aviation capacity in the South-East. The issue is too divisive to be carried through without support from the 3 parties. The former business chief Sir Howard Davies will be asked to head the commission and recommend in summer 2015 whether a third runway or a new airport is needed. Sir Howard Davis was head of the CBI and was a deputy governor of the Bank of England. Labour said it was “sceptical” about a 3rd runway, a word the Standard says is carefully chosen to keep all options open. Mayor Boris Johnson has sworn to oppose such a plan in a “sustained public campaign”. Cameron said “I’m hoping to make an announcement about this over the coming days".
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Patrick McLoughlin replaces Justine Greening as Transport Secretary at the DfT
Patrick McLoughlin, who was Chief Whip, has now become Transport Secretary, replacing Justine Greening, who - because of her strong opposition to a 3rd runway at Heathrow - has been moved (to be International Development Secretary). The Campaign for Better Transport said it was "a big shame" to lose Greening because she was "actually putting in place a long-term strategy for transport, a rare thing". John Stewart, Chair of HACAN, said her removal heralded "big changes in aviation policy". Theresa Villiers, who was Aviation Minister, has been replaced by Simon Burns, with Theresa moved to become Northern Ireland Secretary. Patrick McLoughlin is MP for the Derbyshire Dales, and served briefly as a junior transport minister under Margaret Thatcher from 1989 to 1992. As a backbencher, he voted for a "rethink" on the Labour Government's policy of expanding Heathrow in 2009 when Villiers made this the Conservatives' policy. He is apparently afraid of flying, (or he was 20 years ago) and started his working life as a farm worker and a miner. The DfT Aviation team has also been reshuffled.
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So much for rising airport employment – airports plan for more automation
Airlines are laying the groundwork for the next big step in the increasingly automated airport experience: a trip from the curb to the plane without interacting with a single airline employee - so much less employment at airports. As well as automatic check in, and electronic boarding passes, airlines are now turning to technology that enables travelers to check their own bags and scan those boarding passes, with no staff. At the airport of the near future, "your first interaction could be with a flight attendant," Airlines hope this will quicken the airport experience for seasoned travelers—shaving a minute or two from the checked-baggage process alone—while freeing airline employees to focus on fliers with questions. IATA is pushing for extending a complete self-service airport experience to 80% of the world's fliers by 2020 in order to save the industry $2.1 billion a year.
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Boris Johnson’s Heathrow warning after Justine Greening’s move
The Mayor of London says the reshuffle shows the government wants to "ditch its promises and send yet more planes over central London". He said, of the removal of Justine Greening, that "There can be only one reason to move her - and that is to expand Heathrow" and that the idea was "mad" and he would fight it all the way. Boris said "The third runway would mean more traffic, more noise, more pollution - and a serious reduction in the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people. We will fight this all the way. Even if a third runway was built, it would not do the job of meeting Britain's needs." But he continued saying London needs a 4 runway airport, "preferably to the east of London" - ie. Thames Estuary. Boris said: "And it is time for the government to level with Londoners. Are they in favour of a third runway at Heathrow or not?"
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New independent commission to be set up to investigate airport growth
The Prime Minister has announced that there will be an independent airports review by a commission, on the issue of a third Heathrow runway, or a new south east airport. This is to have outside experts taking the controversial issue, rather than politicians. It is likely to have the effect of delaying any decision on Heathrow. The Chancellor has recently said: "We need more runway capacity in the southeast of England," and looking at where it should go: "let's examine all the options. Let's make sure we can try and create a political consensus." Other Conservatives want to avoid breaking a firm manifesto commitment for no 3rd runway, and do not believe it would actually help the UK's economy. The news of the commission comes as plans emerged for a £60 billion four-runway airport to the west of Heathrow - in Oxfordshire or Berkshire. A major feasibility study has been commissioned by a secret consortium of British businesses.
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Luton Airport’s revised master plan – with increased noise “the elephant in the room”
Luton Airport has today released its revised Master Plan for airport expansion, starting a 6-week public consultation. However, detail on the environmental impacts of the proposals is not going to be made available until the planning application is submitted in November. Local campaign group, HALE, commented that the owners and operators want to increase capacity to match Stansted and Manchester, even though Luton Airport is on a cramped site and surrounded by towns and villages. The proposals for expansion would result in 58% more flights than in 2011 – an average 160 extra flights per day. There would also be a longer morning ‘rush hour’ with flights every 90 seconds at peak times. The noise limits set are so high that they would have little effect, and the larger planes are likely to be more noisy than those currently using Luton. The noise insulation offered by the airport does not cure the problem.
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Rise in private jet use for Olympics, but less increase than anticipated
It appears that the Olympics did not generate as much extra business air traffic and did not produce as much boost to the industry as it had expected. It may be that some "bizav" business aviation trips were not made, as people expected there would be inconvenience etc. This is hard to prove but significant numbers of corporate seats were empty during early Olympic events. Very few aircraft had to hold in the planned temporary holding patterns. Farnborough and Biggin Hill (12.5% more than last July ) were quite busy with more flights than usual. There were some 10,000 IFR GA and bizav movements, approximately 3,000 more than would be expected normally at that time of year. Oxford airport had more than usual, as did Luton. Stansted beat its own record for the largest number of private jets parked overnight with 165 aircraft, after a rush of VIPs etc for the opening ceremony..
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Janet Street-Porter: “Sorry, Boris, I don’t care about the size of your landing strip!”
Janet Street-Porter, writing with characteristic panache in the Mail, says airport expansion has become linked to masculinity with Tim Yeo and Boris Johnson telling Cameron to be a man on the matter of new runways/airports. Janet says asphalting over a big area on the edge of our precious Green Belt is not a good way to demonstrate manhood. So, asks Janet, what is it about men and planes? The aviation industry, like tobacco and alcohol, tirelessly promotes the idea of growth as a Good Idea. And Janet says she never believed the "rubbish about creating jobs — do they mean toilet cleaners, fast food operatives and duty free sales assistants?" Why are we so keen to copy China in building new airports, when we don't copy their one child per family rule, their unpleasant working conditions in factories, or their denial of free speech. So why should we fancy an airport in the Thames modelled on one in Shanghai?
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Independent on Sunday: Secret plan for 4-runway airport west of Heathrow
The Independent on Sunday reports that a British business consortium (that won't declare publicly who it is) is proposing a scheme for a 4-runway to the "west and north-west "of London, and the plans are to be submitted to the Government as a solution to the alleged aviation crisis that is dividing the coalition. This new airport could - the firm claims - rival, or even replace, Heathrow to challenge other European hubs in providing air links with the Far East (links which Heathrow can and does provide). Sites in Oxfordshire and Berkshire could potentially be in the frame for the airport, estimated to cost £40bn to £60bn. The "call for evidence" on airport capacity is due shortly, and could start this week. This new idea of a new airport to the west with road and rail links to the capital would be seen as a "wild card" capable of challenging the Thames Estuary airport idea backed by Boris. The IoS says the documents state: "...delivery of any scheme must have cross-party backing and must be supported by business and the workforce." The consortium of businesses behind the plan are expected to reveal themselves within weeks and is understood to have started talks with Chinese sovereign wealth funds.
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China buys 50 Airbus A329-family jets during Merkel visit despite ETS dispute
China signed an agreement with Germany for 50 Airbus planes worth up to $4 billion during Angela Merkel's visit to Beijing. This is the first significant order since a dispute over the ETS. The dispute between Beijing and the EU had allegedly interrupted earlier deals worth up to $14 billion. The Chinese news agency said China's ICBC Leasing and Airbus, whose parent company is Franco-German-led aerospace group EADS, signed the deal for 50 Airbus A320-family planes. China regularly orders aircraft in large batches timed to coincide with high-level contacts with US or EU leaders, but this deal apparently fell short of European expectations of a 100-plane order. Airbus and Chinese authorities also signed a $1.6 billion deal to extend an Airbus A320 assembly line at Tianjin. China continues to block the purchase of some 35 larger Airbus aircraft to protest against the ETS.
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George Osborne says Heathrow 3rd runway is an option – William Hague confirms no change of Heathrow policy
George Osborne - talking on the Andrew Marr Show - said he has not ruled out a third runway at Heathrow airport to help boost growth He said more airport capacity was needed in the South East of England and "all options" should be considered. He added that new measures to speed up the planning process and underwrite spending on big infrastructure projects would also be announced shortly. George Osborne wants the government to seek cross-party agreement on airport expansion plans. This week Downing Street confirmed that the coalition has no plans to reverse policy on Heathrow. Foreign Secretary William Hague, speaking to Sky News on Sunday, also ruled out a change of policy. "The circumstances have not changed... it's important to stick to that election promise. It's important to make the right decision about this and study all the options. "We said very specifically we would not be (building a third runway)."
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£100m Manchester airport cargo centre ‘will ruin our homes’ say opponents
Residents living near the proposed site of a new £100m World Logistics Hub at Manchester Airport have objected to it saying it could ruin their local area, destroy the countryside and devalue their homes. The airport has submitted an outline planning application for the ‘world-class’ cargo centre, which will form part of the £650m Airport City project - and claims it will create more than 1,800 jobs. The plans are for multiple freight units with 1.4 million sq ft of warehouse space, with 24-hour operations, creating considerable noise and light pollution on the surrounding area. The centre will provide cargo space for freight companies, with access to air and motorway links. its construction could start by the end of 2012.
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Aviation industry presses for biofuels support from governments
Under pressure to cut CO2 the aviation industry is urging policymakers to support the development of biofuels for aircraft but their use remains a novelty due to limited supply and high cost. Industry officials are urging governments to help lift supplies, IATA hopes they airlines can in future use biofuels and so get an (utterly unrealistic) drop in CO2 emissions of 80%. IATA wants government policies to de-risk investment, and provide subsidies to support research, plant development and refining capacity. The industry wants to use 30% biofuels by 2030 and 50% by 2040. Aviation wants road vehicles to use electricity, so they can use the liquid oils. UNEP realises that plant based biofuels may not reduce carbon emissions or even lead to an increase. T&E says aviation could be falling into the same trap as ground transportation in believing that biofuels are easy on the planet. Biofuels, through their life cycle, may be more pernicious than traditional fuels.
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Impact of contrails on climate
At present, there is no agreed figure for the amount of climate altering effect that is produced by aircraft at high altitude, including cirrus cloud formed by contrails, in addition to the effect of CO2 they emit. The UK government uses a multiplier of 1.9 for this extra impact by planes. An article in New Scientist in August 2011 presented evidence from a German scientist that contrail cirrus ended up covering 0.6% of Earth's surface – an area 9 times as great as that covered by line contrails as they emerge from the planes. The Germany researcher then used this figure to produce a more accurate estimate of the total energy trapped by contrails. Her calculations suggest a global figure of 31 mW/m2 – higher than that attributable to aviation CO2.
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West London residents send videos to David Cameron in support of Justine Greening
West London residents have sent videos to the Prime Minister David Cameron in support of the Transport Secretary Justine Greening. This follows a fortnight long campaign where people have been plastering the Piccadilly Line with "I'm backing Justine" stickers. One of the people who sent a video said, “We were inspired by the stickers to make a video in support of Justine Greening. She is a woman who has stood by her principles over Heathrow expansion. The lady’s not for u-turning.” There has been pressure on David Cameron from the aviation industry to move Justine Greening from her transport post in the forthcoming reshuffle because of her implacable opposition to a third runway at Heathrow.
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Airport capacity myths must be busted – new hub would be obsolete before it is built
AirportWatch believes the myth of the “airport capacity crisis” being pushed by the aviation industry must be busted. While AirportWatch welcomes Justine Greening’s rejection of the Heathrow 3rd runway, it believes it is crucial to recognise that the UK has enough capacity until 2030 and there is therefore no need for a new hub airport. The intense recent PR and lobbying campaign from the aviation industry has been designed to obscure several inconvenient facts - including that better use of runway capacity at London’s existing airports will provide more than enough capacity to reach markets such as India and China for decades to come. Also that Heathrow is NOT losing out to other European airports, with more flights to key business destinations than its two closest rivals, Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt combined.
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Suffolk and Essex: MP Tim Yeo stands firm on Stansted expansion (cf. Heathrow)
Now here's a surprise. Tim Yeo, having got himself a not of (not all positive) publicity with his comments on the PM, a mouse, and a 3rd runway at Heathrow, has come under fire for his opposite stance on a shelved plan for expansion at Stansted. He says he remains opposed to a 2nd runway for Stansted. which lies close to his South Suffolk constituency. Tim Yeo appears not to understand that the ETS is not likely to stop aviation emissions from rising, though he is Chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee. He claims the ETS will force airlines to use more environmentally friendly planes if they want to use new capacity at Heathrow (based on no evidence). Those wanting Stansted expansion are frustrated by Tim Yeo. Stansted currently cannot fill its existing runway, and has had shrinking passenger numbers for years. But an airport spokesman said "... there do appear to be some inconsistencies in Mr Yeo’s position"...
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Why Tim Yeo is wrong about carbon emissions from UK aviation being controlled by the ETS
This piece from the Carbon Brief sets out how the carbon emissions from UK aviation are dealt with by the ETS, and why Tim Yeo (and others promoting huge expansion of UK air travel, beyond the limit recommended by the Committee on Climate Change), have got it wrong. Besides the apparent misunderstanding about the failings of the ETS, Yeo also suggested that that if the UK were to increase its airport capacity, carriers would be more likely to send their newer, more efficient planes to Heathrow. Carbon Brief explains that this would not happen as there doesn't seem to be any reason why airlines would send their newest planes to the UK over other EU destinations. If the ETS works as it is meant to, the price of carbon permits would go up, so the cost of flying would go up. And the UK would have to either cut down on aviation demand (very unlikely) or overstep its emissions cap, as no government would be popular if it tried to ration air travel.
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Midlands MPs and business people say a 2nd runway at Birmingham would boost regional growth
A letter in the Telegraph, signed by 35 MPs and 41 business people from the Midlands area, backs the expansion of Birmingham airport. The letter says the Midlands needs global air links to emerging markets, rather than just having the national hub airport in the south of England. They say airports in the great industrial cities in the Midlands, such as Birmingham, have huge spare capacity. They also talk of Birmingham having a second runway, and with that its capacity could rise from the current 8.6 million passengers annually (in 2011) up to 50 million. They are calling on the Government to support expansion of Birmingham’s airport to maximise regional growth. Back in September 2007 the airport abandonned plans for a 2nd runway, saying it was not needed and there would be enough capacity for up to 27 million passengers per year up to 2030.
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Pro-aviation expansion report produced by All Party Parliamentary Aviation Group
A report has been produced by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Aviation, looking at the effect of APD and the economic impact of aviation in the UK. It said efforts should be made "to ensure the UK retains and grows hub capacity" at Heathrow or a new purpose-built hub airport. It is very much a report from the point of view of the aviation industry. It is important to stress that this is not a formal select committee of Parliament. It is just a group of MPs who are enthusiastic about aviation. It has no official standing. By contrast, the official Parliamentary Select Committee on Transport will start an investigation into aviation in September, and that is the report people will take seriously. One of the APPG report's many pro-aviation-expansion recommendations is that the "Government develop a comprehensive growth strategy for aviation that addresses all “barrier” issues in a coherent and consistent manner." With little regard to environmental constraints on growth.
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Tim Yeo’s intervention strengthens the calls for stricter curbs on select committee chairmen
The ruckus over calls for a 3rd runway at Heathrow has been greeted with disbelief in Whitehall. Tory backbencher Tim Yeo has challenged David Cameron to prove that he is a man, not a mouse, by reneging on his election pledge and ordering an expansion at the airport. The DfT has said that building a runway would take 10 years, so definitely would not "kickstart the economy now.” Tim Yeo's outburst has actually strengthened Justine Greening's position, as Cameron would look "like a mouse" if he now moved her. Tim Yeo's position as Chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee now looks questionnable, due to potential conflicts of interest - his links with biofuel companies, and vested interest in not wanting Stansted expanded. The Telegraph asks if perhaps the time has come to apply much stricter rules to select committee chairmen.
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Heathrow third runway not right for UK, says Greening
Justine Greening has said the government remains opposed to a third runway at Heathrow, despite calls from Conservative MPs for a change of heart. She said it was "not right" for the UK and other options needed to be considered - including building a new hub airport. Ms Greening, whose Putney constituency is on the Heathrow flight path and who personally campaigned against a third runway before becoming a minister, said the coalition agreement was "very clear" in its opposition to a new runway at Heathrow. "I don't think any of the facts have changed around a third runway," she told Radio 4's Today programme. "The facts remain as they were at the time of the election." She said concerns over increased noise, pollution and disruption to the surrounding area had not been addressed and suggested that a new runway would not be long enough to accommodate new, larger planes and would be full "within a few years".
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Why Tim Yeo is wrong on aviation and the EU ETS
This is an article from BusinessGreen, with a good and clear explanation of why Tim Yeo is utterly wrong with his pronouncements on aviation and the ETS. You would have thought someone who is Chair of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee should know this. The ETS cannot and will not prevent aviation emissions from rising, because of the current weakness and failures of the ETS, meaning it does not work properly, largely as the carbon price is too low and dubious credits are imported from outside. However, supposing the ETS did work perfectly, it would drive up the cost of flying hugely as permits become scarce and expensive as carbon cuts are harder and harder for other sectors to make. There would then be no need for more runways as demand would fall greatly. So no need for a new Heathrow runway, or a new airport. Unless planes could become virtually zero carbon - of which there is no current prospect.
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David Cameron will not drop opposition to Heathrow third runway until at least 2015
The Telegraph reports that David Cameron will not drop his opposition to a 3rd runway at Heathrow until at least 2015, despite lobbying from business leaders who say the delay is damaging the UK economy. The Telegraph says the PM is, however, prepared to consider the case for a new airport to the east of London. Meanwhile Nick Clegg said the Liberal Democrats would block any move by their Coalition partners to build a third runway. Justine Greening said a change in policy on Heathrow would make her position “difficult”. The Prime Minister has previously stated that this was an absolute commitment with “no ifs, no buts”, giving him little room for manoeuvre - the commitment was in the Tory manifesto. Justine says “I don’t think any of the facts have changed around the third runway.” However, now after the next election, there is likely to be increased pressure for airport expansion, if the Tories can retain power.
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Aircraft noise protest picnic with drums, bagpipes, cans etc outside main police station in Frankfurt
In their continuing protests against aircraft noise from Frankfurt airport, a group of protesters set up a noisy protest, picnic and barbeque outside the main Frankfurt police station for two hours at the weekend. They had not only African drums, but a variety of other noisy instruments, including bagpipes, and tambourines - petrol cans etc, with which to make a racket. The sound-scape they produced aimed to fight noise with noise - creating a cacophony rather than a melody, as a change from the roaring of jets overhead that they now have to endure at home In addition, on Monday they held their usual Monday evening protest (there is one every Monday night) with a new protest anthem.
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Tim Yeo demands PM backs Heathrow 3rd runway and claims it’s a leadership issue
It is August. And the end of the Silly Season, with little hard news. So the media have given a disproportionate amount of coverage and hype to repeating this old one, with a few additions. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, (where else?) Tim Yeo, who now backs Heathrow expansion, urged David Cameron to act or risk "presiding over a dignified slide towards insignificance". The Telegraph etc suggest top ministers are reconsidering their opposition to a Heathrow 3rd runway. However Justine Greening has repeated, yet again, that there was a "political consensus" against a new runway, that the coalition ruled out any expansion before the next election, and that a short runway at Heathrow is not a "solution" to any alleged south east runway capacity shortage in the south east, and that there has been no change in the facts since 2010. Labour also currently opposes the idea of a third runway. Tim Yeo also says, for unaccountable reasons, that the "environmental objections" to the expansion of Heathrow were "disappearing". On the day when the Arctic ice has reached an all time low.
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Birmingham airport promoters boosted by Lib Dem enthusiasm for regional hub airports
Those lobbying for Birmingham Airport to expand to become a regional hub are expecting their campaign will get a major boost when Liberal Democrats urge the Government to block new runways at Heathrow - and expand regional hubs instead at their autumn party conference in September. A motion by Julian Huppert calls for UK aviation to be based on accessibility from north and south; moving non-hub flights away from Heathrow, and making best use of existing airport capacity with improved transport links to Gatwick, Stansted, Luton,Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh.
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Airline industry woes, excess European airline seat capacity etc is reducing passenger choices
Air passengers apparently face higher fares, fewer flight choices and crowded aircraft as European carriers trim seating capacity growth or cut routes, as they try to salvage profits and fend off the impact of rising fuel prices. Airlines are curbing the growth of capacity - but it is still growing slightly - and the frequency of some flights to lower costs and not drive away customers already spooked by rising fares. According to the Association of European Airlines, capacity among its member airlines reduced by 4.6% in the first half of 2012 compared with 2011. But there was an increase in seat capacity of almost 23% between 2004 and 2011, driven by new aircraft ordered by airlines when demand was much stronger than it is now. So there is 10 to 20% overcapacity in number of airline seats available in Europe. Some airlines are retiring older aircraft early, delaying delivery of new planes or selling some smaller aircraft to shrink their fleet.
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Poster battle to save Justine Greening from re-shuffle to prevent Heathrow runway expansion
A “Battle for Justine” has erupted before David Cameron’s re-shuffle as west London residents try to save Transport Secretary Justine Greening from being ousted because of her opposition to a third runway at Heathrow. Posters have appeared on London Underground carriages bearing a picture of the Putney MP who made her name as a campaigning opponent of Heathrow expansion, with the caption “I’m backing Justine”. The campaign came as business figures piled pressure on the Prime Minister to sack her to pave the way for the Conservatives to carry out a U-turn on their pledge to block the third runway. Anti-expansion campaigner John Stewart said the posters were clearly an attempt to bolster her position in Cabinet. “This Battle for Justine is really a proxy for the real battle over the third runway,” he said. “She is a popular figure in west London because of the way she campaigned against the third runway, even with Labour and Liberal Democrat supporters.”
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London Luton owner extends contract with airport operator, LLAOL, until 2031
The owners of Luton Airport (Luton Borough Council) have signed a deal with the airport’s operators (London Luton Airport Operations Ltd. - LLAOL), extending their contract until 2031. In June it was announced that LLAOL's concession to run the airport was being extended to 2031. That has taken some of the urgency out of the need to produce planning applications as the 2014 break-point in the concession is no longer a factor. The signing of the contract between the owner and operator is to be followed by a planning application later in the autumn, which will be lodged by LLAOL.
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Plymouth Airport supporters hand in petition organised by the Viable Group to city council
Plymouth airport closed in December 2011, as it was no longer viable. Now a petition - organised by the Viable Group - calling for the airport to be saved has been handed in to the city council. The Viable Group, which hopes to get the airport back in business, said it had 37,000 signatures supporting the airport, which it says, is vital for transport and business links. Sutton Harbour Holdings took over operation of the airport in 2000 with a 150-year lease from the city council, which owns the site. The new Labour council announced at the start of August that it was seeking a commercial partner to take over the site and run an airport. But the council cannot provide any subsidy, and though the site is protected under planning policy as an airport., if the private sector could not reopen it, another use for the site could be explored.
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MAG submits planning application for ‘World Logistics Hub’ at Manchester Airport City Enterprise Zone
Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has submitted an outline planning application for the development of a World Logistics Hub in the southern part of Greater Manchester’s Enterprise Zone at Manchester Airport. It is for between 1.2- to 1.4-million sq ft of new logistics space over a 36.9 hectare site. It will combine with the Airport’s existing cargo facilities at the adjacent World Freight Terminal to make a logistics district next to Junction 6 of the M56 motorway. This is part of the Airport City project, which aims to transform Manchester Airport from a regional transport hub into an international business destination in its own right. The £650m Airport City scheme – the first of its kind in the UK – was unveiled by Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, in January 2012. Local residents, deeply opposed to the plans, met recently to express their opposition to the plans, for "growth for growth's sake". They do not believe the increased jobs claims, as most of the jobs will be displaced from elsewhere.
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Retaliation On Airline Carbon May Breach Law: says Cambridge researcher
A Cambridge University researcher has given the opinion that nations which retaliate against the EU ETS may fall foul of international trade rules and the WTO. The researcher, who is a lecturer in WTO and international law, said: “If a World Trade Organization member restricts EU flights over its territory, or landing slots for EU flights in its territory, it is likely to violate WTO obligations ensuring non- discriminatory treatment of trade in goods, as well as freedom of transit.” They noticed the irony of Russia, which only joined the WTO yesterday, immediately trying to use trade restrictions for political purposes. The researcher said the WTO permits measures that are necessary “to protect human, animal or plant life or health,” and a successful WTO complaint against the ETS would have to show that the EU could have achieved the same goal another way that is “both reasonably available and less trade- restrictive than the measure adopted. This is notoriously difficult to assess".
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Monarch takes over leisure destinations from East Midlands, after demise of bmibaby
When IAG pulled the plug on BMIbaby in June, Monarch Airlines stepped in to the fill the breach at East Midlands Airport within the hour. Next week it begins flights from East Midlands initially to Malaga, Alicante, Faro, Tenerife and Lanzarote. Managing director Kevin George said that Monarch will prove particularly attractive to those with holiday homes in the sunshine. Flights from East Midlands begin on August 31 when two Airbus A321 aircraft will be based at the airport. Between November and April there will be reduced frequencies to the same destinations. Next summer, Ibiza is added to the destinations. Monarch regards itself as in middle territory between low-cost airlines at the bottom and the full service carriers at the top. Monarch says most of its customers originate in the UK, so are leisure visitors taking money out of the UK, but it does say it may be able to get some inbound tourists too ......
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Telegraph speculates on Cabinet reshuffle to move Justine Greening from Transport due to Heathrow
Justine Greening, the Transport Secretary, may be moved to another high profile Cabinet position in a reshuffle as the Prime Minister considers allowing a third runway to be built at Heathrow. Westminster sources said David Cameron is considering moving Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, to the transport department before a major shift in aviation policy - and this may happen in September. Miss Greening, a West London MP, has led the campaign against the expansion of Heathrow and is not likely even to consider allowing a third runway while responsible for the policy. The Lib Dems are also opposed. There has been intense pressure on her, from business, to expand Heathrow. A consultation is expected to be announced in the autumn on Britain's airport capacity. Airport strategy is one of the Government's most controversial areas of policy, plagued by Cabinet infighting. Justine's removal would go down very badly with Heathrow residents.
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Ministers ready for a battle over greenbelt grab as they plan to seize land for housing and new airport
It is likely that Ministers are planning to seize chunks of the green belt to build housing developments and pave the way for a new hub airport, according to the Mail. George Osborne plans to let ministers rather than local councils decide where to build hundreds of thousands of houses by reclassifying them as projects of national importance. and "boost growth". The plans are due to form a centre piece of the Government’s new Bill to boost economic growth next month. There will be strenuous opposition from the National Trust and Campaign to Protect Rural England. The Mail says senior Tories say the party will go into the next election pledging a huge expansion at either Gatwick, Stansted or Luton airports, making one of them a multiple-runway hub airport.
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Qantas reports $256m loss and cancels plane orders
Australian airline Qantas has reported its first annual loss since it was privatised in 1995, saying this is due to high fuel costs and growing losses at its international operations. It lost £161m for the year to 30 June 2012, though it made a profit last year. It has also cancelled orders for 35 Boeing Dreamliners jets worth $8.5bn due to "lower growth requirements". The airline's international business has been hurt by slowing demand from its key markets in Europe and the USA. The restructuring plan is also expected to result in 2,800 job cuts, to cut costs.
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Virgin criticised by environmental groups for introducing Heathrow to Manchester flights
Virgin Atlantic's plans to start 3 commercial flights per day from London to Manchester have been sharply criticised by green groups who claim this will push up CO2 emissions. Such short flights are hugely fuel inefficient, given most fuel is burnt during the high component of take-offs and landings on short shuttle flights. They questioned how the service squares with Richard Branson's stated aim to make Virgin the world's most sustainable airline by 2020, and argued that the new service called into question the case for expansion at Heathrow. A Green Party spokesperson said using rail instead for short haul destinations would free up capacity at Heathrow for new connections to emerging markets, removing the need for a new hub. The Campaign for Better Transport said we should be making sure that rail is the mode of choice for all journeys between Manchester and London, not contemplating more flights for such a short distance.
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Qatar sovereign wealth fund buys 20% stake in BAA leaving Ferrovial 40%
Qatar's sovereign wealth fund is buying 20% of BAA, adding it to a portfolio of British interests including stakes in Harrods, Barclays and J Sainsbury. Ferrovial will sell a 10.6% stake to Qatar Holding. At the same time two more shareholders have sold shares representing 9.4% of the business to the fund, leaving it with a 20% investment in BAA. The total value of the transaction is £900m. Qatar Holding is funded by proceeds from the world's third largest gas reserves and wants more investment in the UK. This represents further retrenchment by Ferrovial from one of the UK's most bruising foreign takeovers, although it denied that it is seeking a full exit from BAA. Ferrovial shareholding in BAA will be less than 40% once the Qatar deal is completed, while it owned 55% in 2010. BAA still has almost £11 billion debt.
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Virgin Atlantic set to fly between London and Manchester
Virgin Atlantic will start its first domestic service, between London and Manchester from the end of March 2013. Chief executive Steve Ridgway said this was in response to the takeover of bmi by IAG rather than Virgin Trains having lost the rail service between the two cities. BA had the only route between London and Manchester, since taking over bmi. Virgin wants to make "sure that BA doesn't become a monopolist on all the routes bmi used to fly." From March there will be 3 daily flights to Manchester using Airbus A319. Around 650,000 passengers fly between London and Manchester each year. Virgin already flies from Manchester to Barbados, Las Vegas and Orlando. Virgin may also use Heathrow slots for Scottish flights.
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BAA agrees to sell off Stansted airport – no further appeals
BAA has finally agreed it will not mount a final appeal to the Supreme Court to avoid having to sell Stansted. The Court of Appeal last month upheld a competition ruling dating back to 2009, dictating that Stansted must be sold. BAA has been told it does not have the legal grounds for a further appeal. BAA still asserts that the Competition Commission is wrong, as Heathrow and Stansted serve different markets. BAA has been trying every delaying tactic to delay the sale for as long as possible, due to the current depressed market. The airport is valued at around £1 billion. Stansted, which deals mainly with leisure travellers, has been hit hard by the double dip recession and has been losing passengers consistently since 2007. There is no timetable yet for the sale. MAG and South Korea’s state-owned Incheon airport group are possible buyers.
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Frankfurt airport protesters have picnic breakfast in the peace, away from aircraft noise, outside airport boss’ house
About 20 protesters against the unacceptable noise caused by Frankfurt airport met on Saturday morning to set up their picnic breakfast outside the house of the Frankfurt Airport boss. His house is in a quiet area, not overflown, unlike theirs. They just wanted, on this warm, heatwave morning, to enjoy breakfast in peace outdoors - something they can no longer do in their own homes and gardens. There were no slogans or chanting, but just a peaceful breakfast. And there was no sign of the boss, Schulte, whose shutters remained resolutely closed throughout.
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Manchester Airport unveils plans to concrete former greenbelt land with ‘World Logistics Hub’
Manchester Airport has announced plans to concrete over former greenbelt land (removed form the greenbelt in July 2012) around Sunbank Lane to make way for a 'World Logistics Hub'. The area currently contains residential houses and greenfields and also borders onto an SSSI. The plans involve construction of around 43 warehouses and office units of various sizes on land adjacent to the A538, as well as 1,473 car parking spaces, and form part of the wider Airport City Enterprise Zone. Though the airport anticipates many jobs being created over 15 years, it is likely many of these are jobs displaced from elsewhere as businesses relocate due to lower business rates. The Airport have published an 'informal' consultation document and intend to submit a formal planning application during August with a 21 day consultation.
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New Berlin airport could face further delays – even into summer or autumn 2013
Berlin's new Brandenburg airport, the opening of which is already delayed till March 2013, is likely to be still further delayed - even to summer or autumn 2013. It was meant to open in June 2012, but delay was caused by problems with the fire safety systems. The airport is trying to speed up the process, as delay is costing a great deal of money. Besides the modifications to the fire systems, authorities have now found that tens of thousands of local residents will need to have their properties soundproofed against aircraft noise owing to a mix-up in planning flight paths. This noise insulation could cost €591 million for houses in the airport's vicinity against noise, which it would cost if noise can never exceed a maximum level of 55dB. The company had previously filed an application to allow noise levels to exceed 55dB up to 6 times a day. But this has been withdrawn, allowing only one excess of 55dB in two days. The regular, large scale noise protesters at Frankfurt airport may be influencing their decision.
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Visa red tape and cost are putting off Chinese visitors – not APD or a lack of runways
Britain wants more Chinese tourists, as they are high spenders. However, it may be that getting a visa to the UK is more difficult and more expensive than a visa for Europe (one for the whole EU zone) and so they go there instead of getting a second visa, for the UK. Although the figures are disputed, about 25-50% (or more) more Chinese tourists are believed to visit France than Britain. A UK visitor visa requires lengthy forms with original supporting documents and costs £78, compared with the €60 (£47.60) that buys access to the whole European Schengen zone. The UK visa also requires biometric data, which involves applications in person, although Europe will follow suit next year. IAG has joined in the complaints about the UK visa system, saying it is bad for business and deters Chinese businessmen. Much of the power lies in the hands of Chinese travel agents and middlemen who arrange visits abroad and have considerable influence on visa applications. So the lack of Chinese tourists is nothing to do with needing more runways, or needing to cut APD. More to do with the visa process.
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Lib Dem motion to party conference, by Julian Huppert, says no new south east runways
Julian Huppert, Lib Dem MP for Cambridge, has put forward an aviation policy motion for the Lib Dem party conference in September. The motion aims to balance the benefits the aviation industry brings with the harm it causes to the environment. It reinforces the party's opposition to new runways at London’s airports, and if firmly rejects a Thames estuary airport. It proposes making better use of existing capacity in the South-East and at regional airports to meet short to medium-term demand, and an independent, evidence-based study to find a location for a hub airport or a suitable airport to expand into a hub for the long-term. Importantly, it pushes for no airport capacity expansion which could allow for aircraft movements above the carbon emissions cap set by the independent Committee on Climate Change. They want mimimum impact on local people and on the environment. The mention the Per Plane Duty (PPD).
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Luton airport expansion plans for 18mppa given decisive “thumbs down” on environmental grounds
Luton Airport's owner (Luton Borough Council) and operator (London Luton Airport Operations Ltd) have together announced they are set to submit plans to increase capacity to allow for a maximum of 18 million passengers per year, from current levels of around 10 million. The reasons put forward by Luton Borough Council for these proposals centre around creating wealth, and they hope it would allow the airport to "continue to deliver sustainable growth" benefiting residents and passengers". The local campaign group HALE (Hertfordshire Against Luton Expansion), which opposes further expansion at the airport, commented that Luton Borough Council in only interested in milking the airport for cash, and talk of "sustainable" airport growth is an oxymoron. Another local campaign group, LADACAN (Luton & District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise) criticised the absence of any mention of the environmental impact of increased aircraft noise, which would inevitably be a result of a flight leaving every 90 seconds - resulting in continuous noise over people’s heads starting at 6 am in the morning. Public consultation on the plans is scheduled to start on Sept 3rd.
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Saga of Spain’s unused, over-budget, delayed, badly planned airport at Castellon
Castellón-Costa Azahar Airport is an airport in eastern Spain. It has become a symbol of the wasteful spending that has sunk Spain deep into a recession and a banking crisis. It was officially declared "open" by local authorities in March, 2011 despite having no airlines signed up to land there, nor government approval to operate. Delayed for several years and at a current cost of €150 million, commercial flights were due to begin on 1 April 2012 but, as of August 2012, there have been none and it now might open in January 2013. A $375,000, 79 feet tall statue of Carlos Fabra, a local politician, was erected in the airport. Fabra has been under judicial investigation in connection with several cases of corruption and tax evasion - the statue is now some €127,000 over budget. The runway has had to be dug up and rebuilt as it was too narrow for safe operation.
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What the anti-airport protests in Germany and in Munich are about
A new third runway at Munich airport? May 2012 The German Spring: Young Friends of the Earth Bavaria opposing airport expansion Young Friends of the Earth Bavaria in Germany have been campaigning against the expansion of airports in Germany. Florian Sperk tells us about the campaign against a new third runway at Munich […]
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Seat kilometres used by UK airlines over the past 5 years
Figures from the CAA show a lot of data about all the UK airlines, including the number of passengers, number of seat kilometres available, number of seat kilomters flown, amount of cargo transported, percent of seat capacity used and so on. Figures show not only the airlines that have gone out of business since 2007, but the sharp rise of easyJet and other cheap airlines, the slight decline in passenger kilomtres of Virgin Atlantic, and the very small increase by British Airways between 2007 and 2011.
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Walsh confirms the closure of Bmibaby in September with job losses
IAG will press ahead with plans to close no-frills Bmibaby on 9th September. When IAG bought Bmi recently they said they would sell Bmibaby after a 3-month consultation process with Bmibaby staff. This has now finished, and the decision is to sell. Around 350 jobs will be lost at Bmibaby.IAG had already cut various Bmibaby routes from June, and now the remaining flights from Birmingham and East Midlands end in September. No buyer could be found for Bmibaby, though Bmi Regional was sold at the end of May. BA is taking on around 1,500 of Bmi’s 2,700 staff – mostly pilots and cabin crew. The decision on which airlines’ will get the 12 Heathrow slots being given up by BA will probably be made in December.
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London City Airport complains that Southend airport is calling itself a London airport
London City Airport has hit out at IATA's decision to allow Southend to call itself "London Southend", stating "what's next, London Basingstoke?" Southend is 45 miles from central London, and an hour by train. That means quite a trip into London for passengers. There are also bizarrely named London Ashfore (= Lydd) and "London Oxford". Of course, though Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted are all, realistically, London airports, London City Airport wants to be the only London one, as the only airport with a London post code. LCY said: "You have to feel for the visitor who expects to land in London and ends up in a field on the east coast." So much for Birmingham airport hoping to substitute for a London airport runway.
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Stop Stansted Expansion celebrates its 10th birthday
There was only time for a brief pause during a busy Stop Stansted Expansion committee meeting on August 3rd, to celebrate the campaign group’s 10th birthday. After a quick group photograph and a slice of cake it was back to work, dealing with the Government’s latest consultation on future aviation policy. SSE's Chairman, Peter Sanders, reminded everyone of what SSE has achieved in its decade and the remarkable success is stopping a 2nd runway, after a long fight. They list 10 key achievements, as well as the runway win. However, the Government is again looking at airport capacity in the South East and SSE is again working hard behind the scenes trying to prevent a repeat of the threat of Stansted becoming another Heathrow.
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Travel Trends: 2011 saw an increase in number of overseas visits both to and from the UK for the first time since 2006
The Office of National Statistics has produced its annual travel trends. Some of the key points are that in 2011, compared to 2010, there was an increase in the number of overseas visits both to and from the UK for the first time since 2006. also overseas residents made 3.3% more visits to the UK in 2011 compared with 2010, in total stayed for 3.2% more nights and spent 6.5% more money on these visits. Meanwhile UK residents made 2.3%t more visits abroad, but stayed 2% less nights and spent 0.4% less money on these visits in 2011 compared with 2010. Overseas residents made 15.3 million overnight visits to London in 2011, and 13 million to the rest of England in 2011, with about 2.3 million to Scotland and 0.9 million to Wales. Holiday visits abroad grew by 1.1%, business visits rose by 3.1% and visiting friends and family rose 6.9% in 2011. And there is more ...
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Manchester Airports Group secures £1bn boost to buy Stansted in deal with Australian investors
Manchester Airports Group has struck an £1bn deal with Australian investors in preparation to try and buy Stansted. The deal is conditional on the sale of Stansted going ahead. Australian infrastructure group, Industry Funds Management, has won the contest to buy a 35% stake in the MAG. This will lay the foundations for a takeover of Stansted. MAG is currently jointly owned by Greater Manchester’s ten town halls. The share of MAG owned by Manchester City Council would fall from 55% to 35%, and the other 9 councils would jointly have a 30% stake, down from 45%. Manchester council would have equal voting rights as IFM. All 10 town halls approved the new structure. However, BAA says it will now take its case to the Supreme Court after its case was rejected by UK Court of Appeal last week. MAG already owns Manchester, East Midlands and Bournemouth airports.
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Former Tory transport ministers attack Coalition over Heathrow and HS2
The Telegraph, as part of its campaign for a Heathrow 3rd runway, has located three old Tory grandees, who used to have senior roles in transport, many governments back. John Stewart commented on Twitter that "For the Sunday Telegraph to wheel out Cecil Parkinson in support of a 3rd runway is desperate even for an August story". The Telegraph has Lord Parkinson, Steve Norris and Christopher Chope saying they believe the Government’s delay over its airport policy is damaging Britain’s economic interests.They realise an airport in the Thames estuary is unrealistic financially. Steve Norris enthused about a “twin hub” of Heathrow and Stansted, with Heathrow to a major hub serving the US and South America and Stansted as a hub servicing Europe and Asia. They all also opposed HS2. Then Steve Norris replied, irritated by the Telegraph, pushing his idea about Stansted being developed - with 4 runways - as the new hub airport.
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Carlisle Airport – plans approved in principle, but legal and planning obstacles still remain
Plans to redevelop Carlisle Airport have been cleared in principle, by Carlisle City council, with an 11 - 1 vote, for air freight flights and passenger flights, but with many conditions. There could still be a judicial review by Peter Eliott. The Planning officer recommended “on balance” that councillors approve the plans, even though allowing the freight distribution centre in open countryside was against policy. The airport currently loses money, and the council hopes it will become profitable and bring money into the local economy. However, the council’s aviation consultants doubted whether scheduled passenger flights and air freight would survive for long. The airport can only survive if it is cross-subsidised by the freight distribution centre, and this may be illegal under EU law. Stobart are trying to make out that Carlisle can be as well used as Southend airport has become, but they are not readily comparable.
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Stobart Group gets go-ahead for Carlisle airport redevelopment scheme but with many conditions
Carlisle City Council have granted planning permission for the Stobart scheme to develop Carlisle airport. They plan to build a 394,000sq ft freight-distribution centre and to resurface the runway for passenger flights and air freight. However, permissionis only agreed in principle and is subject to a string of legal conditions being met. The council decision is subject to an Appropriate Assessment by Natural England and a Section 106 agreement including obligation on Stobart to keep the airport open and the runway maintained, various travel plan obligations, and the payment of £100,000 in order to enable the undertaking of a habitat enhancement scheme to benefit breeding waders. Objectors could yet seek a judicial review of the council’s decision.
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NATS has data on its first 6 months of new flight efficiency metric, 3Di
NATS has released data from the first 6 months of operation of its new metric to reduce aircraft emissions of planes in UK airspace, through improved efficiency of airspace management and flight path directness. The metric is called 3Di. Flights are given a score depending on how fuel efficient their course has been, by continuous climb departures, cruise levels as requested by airspace users and continuous descents, as well as most direct point-to-point routeings - ie. horizontal and vertical line. . NATS claims the 3Di tool will give huge fuel savings, it " is designed to deliver 600,000 tonnes of CO2 savings over the next 3 years – the equivalent to 10,000 flights from London to New York." The challenge for NATS is sorting out direct flight paths with a high volume of flights and limited runway capacity (at some times of day) at Heathrow, as well as bad weather.
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IAG expects to make a loss in 2012 due to problems in Spanish economy
IAG - which owns BA - will make a loss this year, due to Spain's growing economic problems. IAG is planning a major restructuring of its Spanish business, describing Iberia's problems as "deep and structural". This will involve cutting back the network and job losses at a time when Spanish unemployment is soaring and it is in dispute with the airline's pilots. BA meanwhile made an operating profit despite rising fuel prices while Iberia's losses deepened. Any benefit from cheaper jet fuel has been more than offset by the deterioration in Spanish economic conditions. Overall IAG made an operating loss of €253m for the first half including €50m of losses from its recent acquisition, bmi. There were also €38m of restructuring charges related to bmi. In July BA cancelled plans to issue its first secured bond backed by its Heathrow ake-off and landing slots due to insufficient demand.
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Sign the Avaaz petition against Nantes airport
The petition says the Nantes airport project is an economic, social and environmental aberration. Located 18 km from the center of Nantes, it would not solve the problems in the city's current airport. It would only move them. It would inflict serious nuisance on over 80 000 inhabitants of the municipalities in the northern suburbs of Nantes. Connecting the various structures that it needs (roads, railways, bridge on Loire) would also cause problems (expropriations - compulsory purchase) and nuisance to thousands of others. The colossal cost of this infrastructure would weigh on the taxes of people across the department and result in budget cuts in other areas such as education and health. With traffic of up to 9 million passengers, this airport would significantly increase emissions of greenhouse gases. So we say NO to the airport project of Notre Dame des Landes!
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US Senate Panel passes Bill to shield US airlines from EU ETS
A Senate committee has passed a bill authorising the transportation secretary to bar US airlines from complying with the ETS if he or she deems this to be in the public interest. It will now be sent to the full Senate for a vote. The 19-member panel voted to approve an updated version of a bipartisan bill authored by Republican Senator John Thune and Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill. They want this to apply more pressure on the EU to stand down from what they say is "a misguided and unlawful tax" and claim the money spent in paying for carbon emissions could "otherwise be invested in creating jobs and stimulating economic growth in our country.” It will require the secretary to hold a public hearing before implementing any ban, and also “to pursue a worldwide approach” to address aircraft emissions (ie. the glacially slow, and so far utterly ineffective ICAO process).
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Free Enterprise Group hopes paying Londoners enough compensation would allow 3rd Heathrow runway
The FT reports that BAA expects to have to compensate residents affected by noise and air pollution, if it is allowed to build a 3rd runway. The Free Market group of Tory MPs have suggested that this compensation is the way BAA could go ahead the runway. They hope this money will change the balance of opinion among those overflown, if people get a large payout. The French take the approach of giving compensation, in order to get large infrastructure projects approved quickly. George Osborne is understood to be in favour of a 3rd Heathrow runway, as the cheapest and quickest way to satisfy the airlines. The other option is just noise insulation for more homes - which, of course, has no effect if the windows are open, or if people want to be outside, or in their gardens under a flight path. BAA pays the current costs of insulation, but "is interested in exploring whether the government should also contribute. "
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Change of direction promised by US on international aviation inclusion in EU ETS
A group of 16 countries (so far un-named) are meeting in the US about the ETS, and how a global "solution" might be found to aviation emissions. The opponents of the ETS, even though it adds so very little to a trans-Atlantic flight ($3 or so one way) want ICAO to come up with some scheme that is global. However, if ICAO can ever agree a scheme, it will both take years to bring about, and is likely to be too weak to be effective. ICAO's only target now is an "aspirational" one (meaning not binding at all) to keep global aviation emissions at 2020 levels, after 2020, by buying offsets for increases. Annie Petsonk of US NGO Environmental Defense Fund said yesterday the US airlines’ and their trade association’s motive was “to tie up ICAO so deeply in the ponderous process that it will never have time to work on a serious agreement on climate change.”
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Redhill Aerodrome applies yet again for a hard runway to replace 3 grass runways
Owners of Redhill airfield, RAVL, have submitted a revised application for a hard runway after their first bid failed. They want to replace the 3 grass runways with a one concrete one, giving it potential to increase flights from 60,000 to 85,000 a year and for larger planes. Tandridge and Reigate councils turned down the original bid last year. The airfield think their new application "addressed the reasons for refusal in 2011". As usual, they exaggerate the number of possible jobs that might be created - alleging it will increase the 450 jobs it supports today to some 590 in future - and attract investment to the area etc. Over 1,000 people opposed the original plans which were rejected last year, realising the plans would create an unacceptable level of noise and pollution, breach green belt restrictions, and destroy the landscape.
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Breakthrough on efforts to reduce emissions from aircraft
Efforts to tackle emissions from aviation have taken a hesitant step forward, with the news that ICAO has endorsed an expert group’s recommendation on the way to measure fuel burn in flight. The recommendation is for a ‘metric’ system and test cycle to be the basis for setting fuel efficiency standards for new aircraft. However, many concerns remain. In 2009, ICAO began work on a standard for new aircraft, and has now produced a methodology for measuring in-flight fuel burn and thus CO2 emissions. This will form the basis for a minimum standard of fuel efficiency that all new aircraft will have to meet on CO2 emissions. The ICAO proposal for the CO2 metric are not yet public. The environmental groups working with ICAO are working to ensure the standard set is stringent enough.
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Ryanair Seeking 25% Stake in London Stansted Airport Bid Group
Ryanair is keen to take a 25 % equity stake in Stansted by participating in one of a number of groups that may bid for the airport. Ryanair, Stansted’s biggest customer, is prepared to make “a modest commitment” as “anchor tenant” at the airport and has been examining proposals from five or six groups, from which one or two serious bids are likely to emerge. Ryanair's Chief Financial Officer said “Stansted is the only place in London where another runway can be built. It makes more sense to have it at Heathrow, but Stansted is the only place with capacity and we want a 25% stake.” Stansted has to be sold soon, as BAA lost it latest stage in its appeal to avoid the sale last week, though it is possible it will go to the Supreme Court. South Korea’s Incheon International Airport Corp. may also bid for Stansted, as well as Manchester Airports Group.
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Building of a new, large airport at Viterbo (near Rome) will not happen
The Viterbo Air Force Base, some 40 miles north west of Rome, near the small town of Viterbo, was chosen, by the Italian Transport Ministry, in 2007 to be a new, huge airport, to relieve pressure on the two Rome Airports, Ciampino and Fiumicino. It now appears that the Italian Director General for Airports, and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport have said, in recent public statements, that this airport project will now not happen. There have been strong arguments against the building of this airport, by distinguished scientists, judges, academics from several universities, many social movements and environmental and human rights groups. The government officials now agree it would be harmful and destructive, misguided and illegal.
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Canada (of the tar sands) greenwash: 10% used cooking oil used to fly its athletes to Olympics
Canadian Olympic team members travelled from Montreal on an Air Canada Airbus A330. 20% of the fuel used to power the Rolls-Royce Trent 700-powered engines contained a 50/50 blend of conventional jet kerosene mixed with recycled cooking oil supplied by Dutch company SkyNRG. Last month, Air Canada conducted its first biofuel flight between Toronto and Mexico City as part of a series of commercial biofuel flights. The airlines hopes this tiny biofuel contribution will slightly reduce their athletes' carbon footprint. Air Canada is also using conventional ways to cut fuel use, like single engine taxiing, reduced thrust take offs, and continuous descent. This is the same Canada that pulled out of the Kyoto protocol, due to its massive carbon emissions from shale oil.
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