Latest News
Latest news stories:
State aid: Commission consults stakeholders on state aid rules for the aviation sector
Date added: 10 April, 2011
The European Commission has launched a public consultation, to get stakeholders'
views on the application of the 2005 EU Guidelines on the financing of airports
and start-up aid to airlines from regional airports. The Commission also seeks
views on the 1994 EU Aviation Guidelines that also contain rules for the assessment
of social and restructuring aid for airlines. Submissions can be made until 6
June 2011.
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Sipson “hollow victory” – today blight, damaged community, families moved out
Date added: 7 April, 2011
A long article in the Indpenedent reports on how Sipson is today, a pale shadow
of its former self. Blight has done its work, and the community has been greatly
weakened. This was not helped by the generous sale packages from BAA, encouraging
those who could to sell up smf start lives elsewhere. Mow the pub, the shops and
the tradespeople struggle on with less customers. There are lessons for any other
area blighted by large infrastructure development.
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Cockpit fatigue – long-haul pilots fell asleep at controls
Date added: 7 April, 2011
Two pilots fell asleep on a flight it has emerged, as a study revealed that 1
in 5 have has complained of fatigue at least weekly. The incident took place on a long haul flight three months ago, although neither
the airline nor the route has been disclosed. According to the pilots union, BALPA, there is a growing problem of fatigue among
flight crew and this will worsen under EU proposals to increase flying hours from 900 hours every
12 months to 1,000.
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Airlines “reject the deal of the century” in low charges through the EU ETS
Date added: 7 April, 2011
Bill Hemmings, Programme Manager at T&E, representing the International Coalition
for Sustainable Aviation, writes in the FT - in response to warnings by the American
airline United, and others in the USA, to take legal action in the EU against
the ETS. Bill says level of charge from the ETS is very low indeed, by comparison
with the taxes that aviation would have to pay, if it was charged VAT and fuel
taxes. Aviation will get a pretty good deal under ETS.
Click here to view full story...
Traincations v. planecations as well as vacations v. staycations
Date added: 6 April, 2011
With European high-speed rail networks tourists are beginning to embark on an increasing number of flight-free holidays, called
‘traincations’. "Over half of all holidaymakers are considering swapping air travel for train
travel" reported Global Cool last year and this is now becoming the new reality. Holidaymakers are tired of travelling by plane, with time wasted arriving ahead
of departure and queuing whether it’s for check-in, security, or boarding the
aircraft.
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British Airways increases fuel surcharge by £10 on long haul flights
Date added: 5 April, 2011
The price of oil continues to rise. BA's latest fuel surcharge rise – the 3rd in under 4 months – will add another £10 to
the price of economy and premium economy tickets (£20 first class) to long haul
destinations such as the USA, the Caribbean the Far East. i.e. up from £75 to
£85 total for a flight of under 9 hours. And from £88 to £98 for flights (£125
to £145 first class) over 9 hours. There is no surcharge on short haul and domestic
flights.
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Travel Management Company warns clients to expect APD hike in 2012
Date added: 5 April, 2011
Wings Travel Management, has predicted a “significant” increase in APD. The government’s
forecasts for APD show revenue from the tax is expected to rise by nearly $1 billion.
Wings said this increase can only come from a hike in APD in 2012 and 2013. As
total passenger numbers have declined in each of the past 3 years "an increase
in the tax seems inevitable." "This may begin to change the travel dynamics in
the UK." APD will not rise in 2011.
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Oliver Letwin: ‘We don’t want more people from Sheffield flying away on cheap holidays’
Date added: 5 April, 2011
A minister is under fire for allegedly suggesting he wanted to curb airport expansion
to prevent northerners from taking package holidays. Oliver Letwin, the Cabinet
Office minister, is said to have made the remarks in a row with Boris Johnson
about new airports, and the increase in airport taxes. A Labour MP said “Ministers
are constantly jetting to exclusive resorts. But they don’t want hard-pressed
families to enjoy a well-deserved break".
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UK aviation policy – business sees it as being in a muddle
Date added: 5 April, 2011
Business travel journalist Stanley Slaughter muses on the current state of UK
airports and aviation policy, and the government's reluctance to hurry in producing
a new one. The industry is not going to give up its hope of another south east
runway. They justify this by saying it is needed for business. In reality, there
is much more capacity available than business could possibly need. Heathrow has
made its own commercial decisions to have fewer destinations.
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East Midlands Airport had 2nd busiest year for air cargo – after 2007
Date added: 4 April, 2011
In 2010 EMA had its 2nd highest year ever for air cargo, saying its cargo department handled over 300,000 tonnes of freight last year. The
airport hopes that "as the UK comes out of recession, the air freight sector will play an increasingly
important role in supporting UK businesses engaged in high-value sectors of the
economy. Already almost 40% of UK trade with non-EU countries by value is transported
by air."
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Uncharted territory: The implications of the enforced sale of one of BAA’s Scottish airports remain unclear
Date added: 3 April, 2011
The Scotsman muses on what effect selling off either Gatwick or Edinburgh would
have. It says In reality any benefits that come from a forced sell-off are likely
to go the way of the airlines rather than travellers, according to analysts. While
APD is linked to tickets and paid by passengers, airport operators do have leeway
when it comes to landing charges, passenger processing fees and rebates for opening
new routes, so making changes to services.
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Holed Southwest Airlines plane forced to make emergency descent and landing ‘had metal fatigue’ in fuselage
Date added: 3 April, 2011
An examination of a US Boeing 737 owned by Southwest Airlines, and carring 118
people, that developed a hole in its cabin roof in mid-flight has found evidence
of metal fatigue in the fuselage. The hole caused a sudden drop in cabin pressure, and the plane was forced to
make a steep descent and safe emergency landing. Southwest cancelled 300 flights to allow for inspections of 79 of its aircraft. This has
happened several times before.
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Boss of easyJet attacks coalition for sidelining air transport [expect more like this from the industry all this summer]
Date added: 3 April, 2011
The head of easyJet has accused the government of being "obsessed with high-speed rail" at the expense
of aviation, joining a chorus of criticism from the business community about the
lack of a coherent policy on air transport. She has complained about the coalition not reforming taxes on airline tickets,
and dropping a 3rd runway at Heathrow. This is part of a campaign by the aviation
industry, now the Scoping Document is out for consultation. A lot more of this
sort of thing is expected.
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United warns EU that the ETS will be challenged by other governments
Date added: 3 April, 2011
United Airlines in US says a foreign government is bound to challenge the EU
ETS when it includes aviation in 2012. They say it is contrary to several international
agreements. Airlines from the USA, Asia and elsewhere are concerned the scheme
will cost them money, and worry about how much. United is just one more airline
to join the group taking a case to the European Court of Justice some time in
the next year or so, on the legality of imposing the ETS on all airlines flying
in Europe.
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Belfast City Airport challenge to proceed with judicial review in June
Date added: 1 April, 2011
A legal challenge to the lifting of a cap on passenger numbers at Belfast City
Airport is to proceed to a full hearing, a High Court judge has ruled. Rival Belfast International Airport was granted leave to seek a judicial review of
the decision to remove the annual seats for sale restrictions. A residents' group, Belfast City Airport Watch Ltd, has issued similar proceedings. The decision on passenger numbers was announced by Edwin Poots in December.
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New £10m control tower to built at Birmingham Airport
Date added: 1 April, 2011
A new state of the art control tower is to be built at a cost of £10 million. Work on the new landmark building will start in May but it will be 2 years before
it is operational because of the complexity of the new equipment being installed
in it. The new 115ft tower will dominate the western side of the airport and be easily
visible from the A45. Once commissioned it will take over from the original control tower which has
been in use since 1939.
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Lydd Airport Inquiry: Nuclear waste inadequate security shock at Dungeness
Date added: 31 March, 2011
Local residents living near the Dungeness Nuclear power plant were shocked to
learn that there has been no security assessment of sabotage or terrorist threat,
undertaken on the rail transport of the intensely radioactive spent nuclear fuel
from the remote Denge railhead. They are extremely concerned that the Nuclear
Inspectorate has not appropriately assessed the risk of aircraft crash damage
arising from the proposed development at Lydd Airport.
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CCC advises against the use of offset credits to meet carbon budgets
Date added: 31 March, 2011
In a letter to Chris Huhne, the Committee urged the Government not to purchase offset credits
towards meeting the second carbon budget covering the period 2013-2017. Instead,
the Committee said that carbon budgets can and should be met through domestic
action alone. This will mean putting in place the right policies to reduce emissions
of greenhouse gases. In a future carbon-constrained world, it will be harder to
come by cheap foreign credits.
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Letters to the Times on UK airport capacity and south east runways
Date added: 31 March, 2011
Letters to the Times on UK aviation policy include those from John Stewart, and
Brendon Sewill. They point out that London has 5 airports and six runways - more
than any other European city. Also that Gatwick is working at 75% and Stansted
at 50% capacity, needing no infrastructure expansion. Business does not regard
a larger Heathrow as vital, with other factors of greater importance, and benefits
could be gained by releasing Heathrow slots for Asian destinations
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Ryanair defends £2 per passenger levy to pay for impact of last year’s travel chaos
Date added: 31 March, 2011
Ryanair has denied the airline is "punishing" millions of passengers by imposing a £2 levy (€2 in Europe) on fares to pay for customers stranded during last year's snow,
volcano and air traffic control chaos. Ryanair is introducing a new add-on charge from next week after the EU failed to reform
its EU261 compensation law. O'Leary said the £110m raised over the next 12 months
will cover the cost of providing hotels and compensation
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London 2012 Olympics – Temporary Controlled Airspace Consultation
Date added: 30 March, 2011
A consultation from NATS and Stobart Air has started, and lasts till 26th May
2011, on temporary airspace changes during the main Olympics, from 16th July to
15th Aug 2012. NATS expects many more planes, and many are likely to be private
jets, bringing in dignitaries etc. However, the consultation rules out environmental
stakeholders, as it says the changes are temporary so they need to have their
views taken into account.
Click here to view full story...
Greener Growth of aviation – Views sought in new aviation policy consultation
Date added: 30 March, 2011
Britain's aviation industry should be able to grow and prosper but not at any
price, Philip Hammond said as the Government set out to define the debate for
a new sustainable UK aviation policy. Government is seeking views on the shape
its future aviation policy should take and issues it must address. The central
theme will be how aviation can support economic growth while addressing its environmental
impacts - CO2 emissions, local noise and air quality issues.
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Aviation Scoping Document published today – a chance to “drag UK aviation policy into the 21st century”
Date added: 30 March, 2011
The government's Scoping Document on Aviation is launched today for consultation.
In terms of coverage it focuses on the 3 themes of aviation & the economy;
aviation & climate change; and aviation & local environment. The starting
point will be that aviation should be allowed to grow because of its economic
contribution but that it should do so within environmental limits. It reiterates
the position on no new runways at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
Click here to view full story...
BAA told by Competition Commission to sell 2 airports – welcomed by SSE
Date added: 30 March, 2011
BAA has been told by the CC that it should sell Stansted and either Glasgow or
Edinburgh airports. BAA has mounted a string of legal challenges to try to keep
them ever since the commission initially ruled in 2009 that it must sell 3 of
its 7 UK airports. The commission said its decision was "fully justified" and
it would publish its final verdict in May or June. Stop Stansted Expansion says
"Don't prolong the agony" and sell Stansted soon, to remove the blight.
Click here to view full story...
easyJet: 9 million ‘bogus’ holiday sick days taken every year – costs UK nearly £1 billion annually
Date added: 30 March, 2011
easyJet estimates that more than 9 million sick days are being taken in the UK each year to accommodate inflexible package holiday deals – costing the economy nearly £1 billion. This is due to inflexible package holiday dates and flight times, so many take a bogus sick day rather than book an extra day of holiday, or miss out on a cut price deal. easyJet Holidays is therefore offering more flexibility, to avoid the need for inconvenient extra days.
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Survey: 90% of Travellers Vote Rail and prefer the ease of trip over air travel hassles
Date added: 30 March, 2011
In a recent poll of global travelers by SilverRail Technologies, a rail ticket
technology platform, 86% of respondents said Ease of Trip is more important than
Travel Time. 79% said they would choose train over plane if high-speed rail options
existed, and 61% would choose rail over air if the cost was the same or better.
66% would willingly add an hour or more of total travel to avoid the hassles of
long lines, airport security and baggage fees
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Aer Arann starts Southend flights to Waterford and Galway
Date added: 29 March, 2011
Aer Arann now offers direct daily flights from Southend to Waterford and four-times
weekly to Galway. On the three days a week without a direct service, passengers for Galway will
be able to fly via Waterford. Southend airport is currently undergoing development which will see an extended
runway, a new rail link with central London and a new terminal open by 2012. Southend
hopes for some more routes eventually.
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Bosses call for airports rethink and claim we mustn’t ignore the “economic benefits of flying”
Date added: 29 March, 2011
A group of UK business leaders has urged the Government to recognise the "economic
benefits of flying" in its forthcoming aviation review - due to be launched on
Thursday - as the industry puts pressure on the government. In a letter to the Times, 74 chief executives, chairmen or senior executives from
industry, finance and the service sector say Britain needs a "strategy for growth"
and claim there is not enough airport capacity in the south east and the UK will
lose out.
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Contrails warm the world more than just the aviation CO2 emissions
Date added: 29 March, 2011
New Scientist reports on an IPPC study showing that contrails have contributed
to more global warming so far than all aircraft greenhouse gas emissions put together,
and their radiative forcing trapped 10 milliwatts per square metre (mW/m2) in 2005. When they spread out they cover an area nine times as great as that
covered by line contrails. While contrails disappear in a day or so, the CO2 stays
in the atmosphere for hundreds of years.
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Monthly climate data from NOAA for July 2009 to February 2011
Date added: 28 March, 2011
The American National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) produces
a monthly, detailed, analysis of the global climate. This gives details of the
global ocean temperature, the global land surface temperature, and the combined
land and ocean temperature. Of the past 20 months, 9 months had the hottest or
2nd hottest combined land and ocean temperature, with 8 months for land surface
and 8 months for sea surface.
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Public perceptions of aviation and the environment need to be turned around, says UK CAA chief
Date added: 28 March, 2011
Chief Exec of the CAA told a conference that as other sectors decarbonise, proportionally the impact of aviation is going to grow, as aviation growth continues. He said "The industry needs a credible line on the environment. And just as importantly, it needs to stick to it.” And "aviation needs to stop sticking its collective head in the sand, and make the environment a top priority.” By contrast, the industry hopes for 5% annual demand growth.
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EasyJet looking to attract more corporate business
Date added: 28 March, 2011
Executives could soon be shouldering their way onto more EasyJet flights, after the low-cost airline said it would roll out its flexible tickets
for business travellers. EasyJet's CEO Carolyn McCall explained how the company will step up its attempt to steal market share from Europe's legacy
carriers. It will have flexible tickets to enable customers to change a booking
up to 2 hours ahead. EasyJet now carries around 18% business passengers.
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To consume ethically, or not to consume at all?
Date added: 27 March, 2011
A blog on the Ethical Consumerism website suggests we need to change the way
we consume. This behavioural shift should not just be from unethical to ethical,
but from thoughtless, needless consumption, to thoughtful consumption of only
those goods and services we require. Buying ethical goods and services is great,
but only buying essential goods and services is better. And buying flights or
holidays is just another sort of consumerism.
Click here to view full story...
Redhill Aerodrome: Work begins on plans for hard landing strip
Date added: 27 March, 2011
The controversial new hard runway at Redhill Aerodrome will move a step closer
when planning permission is submitted this summer. Aerodrome chief executive Jon Horne told the Aerodrome Consultative Committee
in a letter that work had started on creating a proposal. The announcement follows the results of an aerodrome-led consultation on the
plans, which are centred on a new 1,200-metre hard runway to replace the three
grass runways.
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Lydd airport public inquiry plods along
Date added: 27 March, 2011
The public inquiry into plans by Lydd airport to expand started on 22nd February.
It is likely to continue for 13 weeks. Lydd Airport Action Group says the plans
should be rejected as the site is inappropriate for a regional airport. Among
other organisations presenting evidence at the Inquiry are CPRE Protect Kent,
and the RSPB. Dungeness is a highly valuable wildlife area for birds in particular,
which would be badly affected by a larger airport.
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Fight the Flights (London City Airport) launches Legal Challenge fund appeal – to appeal High Court decision
Date added: 26 March, 2011
FtF has launched an appeal for funds in order to mount a legal challenge at the
Appeal Court, against the decision by High Court judges in Nov 2010 not to allow FtF's
legal challenge of the Newham Council decision on London City Airport expansion.
FtF need to raise funds to do this. They believe the case is an important one,
and worth fighting, because the expansion planned threatens the local environment, social
justice, and health and safety.
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Biofuel “could be an alternative to fossil-based jet fuel” – Romanian camelina
Date added: 25 March, 2011
A consortium of companies led by TAROM Romanian Air Transport, including Honeywell’s UOP, CCE (Camelina Company España), and Airbus, is to spearhead the commercialisation of a biofuel from a weed-like plant. It aims to provide a biofuel made from the camelina plant as a substitute to fossil-based jet fuel.
Camelina was chosen because it has energy potential and is indigenous to Romania. It can be theoretically be farmed and harvested by family farmers.
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Manchester Airport named as new enterprise zone
Date added: 25 March, 2011
Manchester Airport has been named as one of the government's 21 new "enterprise
zones" announced in the Budget. It will have business rate discounts, simplified
planning and access to superfast broadband. Called Airport City, the development
will be run by the newly established Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership,
and claims it will create "between 7,000 and 13,000 jobs" though in effect some
of these will be taken from elselwhere.
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BAA plans £50m Heathrow investment to avoid snow chaos
Date added: 25 March, 2011
BAA has promised a £50m investment at Heathrow to avoid a repeat of December's snow chaos. It follows a report, commissioned by the company, which accused BAA of a breakdown in communication and lack of "preparedness" for the bad weather.
Some 4,000 flights were cancelled during five days of heavy snowfall. The potential impact of bad weather was "not fully anticipated". 9,500 passengers had to spend the night in Heathrow terminals on 18 December. (BBC)
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Budget 2011: George Osborne’s plans are a disaster for the environment (Monbiot)
Date added: 25 March, 2011
George Monbiot says the "greenest government ever" has delivered the blackest budget in living memory. Osborne has abolished the fuel duty escalator, cut fuel tax for
vehicles, frozen APD rates and dismissed – on the untested assumption that it
would contravene international law – a tax on planes that would have discouraged
airlines from running them half-empty. These show he has no intention of reforming
our planet-trashing, resource-guzzling transport systems
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The fine art of holiday one-upmanship – a bluffer’s guide
Date added: 24 March, 2011
Part of the reason for choosing holiday destinations is to be able to impress
friends, neighbours and colleagues by your affluence, style and originality. This
2005 article deals with the keeping up with Joneses problem. "One mother told me that she had organised her family's trips 12 months ahead:
Easter in Venice, May bank holiday at Euro Disney, mid summer in the west country,
October in Crete, and next February in Courchevel. What, I murmured, not going
anywhere at Christmas?"
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London’s Royal Docks to be enterprise zone – adjacent to London City Airport
Date added: 24 March, 2011
Thousands of jobs could be created after it was confirmed London’s historic Royal
Docks has been given enterprise zone status. New businesses locating within 125 hectares of development land during the term
of the current Parliament will benefit from reduced business rates for 5 years.
Boris said “Now with the financial and regulatory breaks granted as an Enterprise Zone there
will be even greater incentives for new businesses to set up shop .... etc"
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Biggin Hill Airport Olympic proposals rejected by Bromley Council
Date added: 24 March, 2011
Councillors have thrown out an application from Biggin Hill to extend operating
hours for the Olympics. The airport had requested permission from its landlord Bromley Council to change
the lease so it could open from 6.30am to 11pm each day from July 13 to Sept 23
in 2012. Its current opening hours are 6.30am and 10pm in the week and 9am to 8pm at weekends. The airport also wanted a relaxation of the ban on fare-paying passengers.
.
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Budget 2011: Government to reduce stake in Nats air traffic control business
Date added: 23 March, 2011
The national air traffic controller has joined the Channel tunnel rail link on the state auction table as the government pushed on with its asset disposal plans. The budget confirmed plans to further reduce its 49% stake in Nats, the business it co-owns with 7 UK airlines and airport operator BAA.
However, government sources said no decision had been made on the scale of the stake sale. (Guardian)
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Budget confirms no new APD rise in 2011 but business jets likely to be taxed, after consultation
Date added: 23 March, 2011
At long last business and private jets are to be included in APD. For decades
the anomaly persisted of the righest fliers being tax-free. Though the aviation
and travel industries had lobbied hard for a cut in APD, the Chancellor has frozen
the tax for this year, with rises in line with the Retail Price Index likely in
2012. The banding is to be made more fair to the Caribbean. A Treasury consultation
on APD has now started, largely on taxing private jets.
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European White Paper postpones serious transport CO2 cuts until 2030
Date added: 22 March, 2011
A leaked draft of the Commission’s new white paper on the future of transport
says EU transport should look to reduce its emissions by ‘at least 60%’ by 2050
compared to 1990, but that almost all of these cuts would 'magically' take place
after 2030. As transport emissions are still growing, that means a cut of around
70% compared with today. But transport emissions should be cut by just 20% by
2030, which is an 8% increase from 1990 levels. (T&E)
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Labour close to ditching support for Heathrow 3rd runway
Date added: 21 March, 2011
Reports are emerging that the Labour Party is close to ditching its long-standing
support for a 3rd runway. Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle is quoted in today’s Times as saying:
“Ed Miliband has always been clear that he is sceptical about a third runway at
Heathrow. So I do not start our policy review with any preference.” She added
the party does not give unequivocal support for the runway, as it is off the
agenda for the length of this parliament.
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Boris’s airport arguments don’t stand up to scrutiny
Date added: 19 March, 2011
Boris Johnson’s attacks on the government’s aviation policy are becoming increasingly strident. He has said the government’s refusal to discuss new runways at London’s airports was “crazy”
and its air passenger taxes were an “absolute disgrace”, and hindering London’s
long-term competitiveness. John Stewart argues that this is just plain wrong,
and research shows a 3rd Heathrow runway is not critical to the London economy
because, for business as a whole, other factors were of greater importance than
the size of Heathrow.
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Eurocontrol’s new direct routes to save over one million flight kilometres and 12,000 tonnes of CO2 annually
Date added: 18 March, 2011
The Eurocontrol Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre has implemented 142 new
direct routes that are expected to substantially reduce flight times, fuel burn
and emissions in high-density European airspace. Eurocontrol says savings from
the first phase are estimated at 1.16 million km per year, resulting in reductions
of 3,700 tonnes of jet fuel, 12,000 tonnes of CO2 and 37 tonnes of NOx. In 2009
a flight’s route was on average 47.6km (or 5.4%) too long compared to its optimum
trajectory.
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Leeds Bradford Airport: Flybe axes London Gatwick service
Date added: 18 March, 2011
Leeds Bradford Airport is to be left without flights to London after Flybe announced
it was to axe its 3 flights per day to Gatwick on 31st March. The airline said it had been forced to pull out because of increased landing
fees for regional airlines at Gatwick. Leeds Bradford Airport said it was seeking to replace the London service. More
than 50,000 passengers flew from Leeds Bradford to London Gatwick with Flybe in
2010.
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Lufthansa Group racks up double-digit increase in carbon emissions in 2010 despite efficiency improvement
Date added: 18 March, 2011
According to Lufthansa Group it saw its carbon emissions increase by 10.1% to
26.6 million tonnes in 2010, the benchmark year for airlines entering the EU ETS. Fuel consumption across the operating fleet declined from 4.30 litres per 100
passenger-kms (pkm) in 2009 to 4.20 in 2010. Direct CO2 emissions declined from
108.4 grams per pkm to 105.8. The Group’s target is to cut CO2 emissions per pkm
by 25% by 2020 compared to 2006
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When aircraft waiting at the gates rather than on taxiways saves time and fuel
Date added: 18 March, 2011
Reseacher have realised that holding planes for an average of 4 minutes longer
at the gate — instead of having them line up like dominoes on the runway — reduced
taxi times by 20% and cut fuel consumption by up to 20 gallons per plane without
increasing flight delays. The study could eventually be used to create a tool
that tells air traffic controllers when planes should leave the gate. Taxi times
have inreased over the past 15 years.
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Boris again … this time attacking ‘disgraceful’ air taxes and airport policy
Date added: 17 March, 2011
Mr Johnson says the government’s move last year to scrap any new runways in the
south-east of was hindering London’s long-term competitiveness, and increasing
capacity could “deliver growth and jobs for a long time to come”. Also “I think it is an absolute disgrace that you are seeing a kind of bourgeois repression
of people’s ability to take holidays, and I think it is a matter of social justice
that we look at aviation capacity in this country".
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NEWS UPDATE FROM STOP STANSTED EXPANSION
Date added: 17 March, 2011
March news update with stories relating to Stansted.
Click here to view full story...
Flybe scraps Kent to Manchester route but adds Manston to Belfast City
Date added: 17 March, 2011
Manston airport has lost its flights to Manchester, due to lack of demand. They
have, however, gained a flight to Belfast City Airport, which will run three times
per week. The airport advertises direct flights to: Edinburgh, Belfast City, Jersey,
Dubrovnik, Madeira, Oporto and Verona. Connecting flights to: Orkney and Shetland Isles
Click here to view full story...
UK to Spain is the biggest intra-European airline market; UK-Germany 4th and UK-France 5th
Date added: 16 March, 2011
Anna Aero has looked at air journeys from May to August, comparing 2009 and 2010.
They show that the route within Europe in mid summer with the most passengers
is UK to Spain. 2nd is Germany-Spain. 3rd is Germany-Italy. 4th UK-Germany. 5th
UK-France. The figures also show the extent to which Ryanair and EasyJet have
grabbed a lot of the trade within Europe, for example on routes betweem Spain,
Germany,France and Italy.
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ABTA and the aviation industry continue to complain about APD … on … and on…. and on …
Date added: 15 March, 2011
Here are a few of the stories covered by the media, of the airports, airlines
and travel companies complaining about the supposed iniquity of charging APD -
all of £12 on a short haul flight, with more on longer flights. All of course
ignoring that aviation pays no tax on fuel, and no VAT - and thus receives an
effective annual subsidy from the UK tax payer of some £9 - 10 billion per year.
The industry complaints just keep on coming .....
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Chris Huhne gets European support to toughen EU climate targets
Date added: 14 March, 2011
Chris Huhne has won the support of six other European governments to push for
a toughening of the EU's climate targets, to be discussed in Brussels on 14th
March . He is spearheading a growing movement in favour of a target of 30% cuts
in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, instead of the current 20%. He will join his counterparts from Germany, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal
and Greece to argue for the higher target. (Guardian)
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EasyJet joins Nectar points scheme
Date added: 14 March, 2011
Shoppers will be able to earn points towards flights as they fill their trolleys after easyJet joined the Nectar
loyalty card programme. The scheme, allowing collectors to exchange points for flights to more than 550 destinations
in 60 countries, is backed by Nectar’s founding partner Sainsbury’s. Customers of partner firms such as Homebase, BP and British Gas can also earn
points for flights. Flights are a popular request.on how to use points.
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DfT 2010 British Social Attitudes survey: attitudes to transport
Date added: 13 March, 2011
The DfT study into attitudes to transport for 2010 was published in January.
It includes findings like 66% agreed that the current level of air travel has
a serious effect on climate change. And 42% agreed that the price of a plane ticket
should reflect the environmental damage that flying causes. And 18% agreed that
people should be able to travel by air even if it harms the environment. 64%
agreed that people should be able to fly as much as they like.
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Aviation tax reform – for per plane tax rather than APD – dropped by government
Date added: 12 March, 2011
Ministers have scrapped plans to change aviation duty to a per plane tax from
a per passenger tax, claiming it would thwart the 1944 Chicago Convention. A
per plane tax would make it uneconomic to fly planes half empty, and cargo would
also be taxed. The new tax was expected to cover cargo airlines, private jet flights
and transfer passengers – all of which escape passenger duties. Airlines like
BA hate per plane tax, but EasyJet supports it.
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Irish government to abolish air passenger duty
Date added: 12 March, 2011
Ireland’s Fine Gael-Labour coalition has promised to abolish tax on air travel,
in an effort to increase the number of visitors to the country. An air passenger tax of €10 per person was introduced two years ago, then reduced
to €3 last year. The number of travellers flying to Ireland has fallen, probably
due to reasons other than the €3 charge. The Dutch government abandoned its tax on air travel in 2009. The Telegraph continues
to press for cuts in APD.
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Latest Carlisle Airport plans could end up at public inquiry
Date added: 12 March, 2011
The latest proposals to redevelop Carlisle Airport could be called in for a public
inquiry. Owner Stobart Group wants to resurface the runway and build an air-freight distribution
centre, and they make all sorts of wild claims about jobs to be created. But Carlisle City Council is advertising Stobart’s application as a ‘departure’ from
the local plan, so they will need to be referred to the Government Office NW,
which may call an inquiry - as happened in 2008.
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BAA reports passengers down -0.2% in February compared to Feb 2010 at its UK airports
Date added: 11 March, 2011
In February, Heathrow passenger traffic was up 0.5% year on year, but at its
6 airports in the UK it was down -0.2%. Heathrow’s traffic grew by 0.5%, while Stansted fell -6.3%. Passengers at Glasgow,
Edinburgh and Aberdeen were all up (+3.9%, 5% and 4.9% respectively), though Glasgow
and Aberdeen had reported declines last year. There was a +1.4% growth in European
scheduled services - which form by far the largest market sector.
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European flight numbers for 2010
Date added: 11 March, 2011
ELFAA announces year-on-year passenger increase for 2010. – The European Low Fares Airline Association (ELFAA) is delighted to announce a 6.1% year-on-year increase in passenger numbers for 2010, all the more striking since it took place in what was a very challenging year for the airline industry.
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“I want to pay Air Passenger Duty on all my flights”
Date added: 11 March, 2011
A blogger explains why he is happy to just pay APD, which is hugely lower than
the taxes on flying would be if jet fuel was taxed in a way comparable to petrol,
and if VAT was added. He concludes that £12 on a flight to Barcelona is a lot
cheaper than £37 on fuel duty and £7 on VAT. And that if the government did not
get in the estimated £2.2 billion this year in APD, the government would need
to tax elsewhere or cut services. NHS? Schools?
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Air traffic controllers’ flight path to Single European Sky
Date added: 10 March, 2011
Air Traffic Control organisations across Europe have signed an agreement signalling
the route towards single, unified airspace. The Single European Sky will reform
the European air traffic management so that aircraft can pass it through it quicker,
reducing cost, delays and fuel consumption. At present, some planes burn around
10% more fuel than they need to by indirect routes. The EU estimates that air
traffic could double by 2020. (BAA)
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Government’s air travel tax pledge in doubt
Date added: 10 March, 2011
Last year's coalition manifesto contained a pledge to reform APD, a tax imposed
on all passengers on planes leaving the UK except those who are on transfer, to
curtail greenhouse gas emissions. Both parties in the coalition had said they
wanted to tax "per plane" to give airlines the incentive to cut down on their
carbon footprint. It now seems the coalition has now shelved the plan, unable to make the change as it falls
foul of EU laws.
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Atmosfair comparison of carbon efficiency of airlines (excluding low cost airlines)
Date added: 8 March, 2011
Atmosfair (a German organisation) has put together a ranking of the fuel efficiency
of airlines. It does not include the budget airlines, for various technical reasons. The
airline index produced by Atmosfair shows you the efficiency points of an airline
broken down by short, medium and long distance flights. No full fair airlines
come into their top efficiency category.
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EU asked to press for bunker fuels to be pushed up the European and UN agenda
Date added: 8 March, 2011
A coalition of environmental organisations, including the AEF, concerned about
the failure of international progress of bunker fuels (aviation and shipping fuel),
have written to Hungarian EU Ministers - who now have the presidency of the EU.
They urge the EU to press for bunker fuels be reinstated on the EU agenda and
engage with like-minded Parties to the UNFCCC, particularly developing country
parties, to ensure that this happens.
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Airlines to spend estimated €1.4bn on carbon permits in 2012
Date added: 8 March, 2011
European airlines will have to buy about a third of stocks they require when
new EU ruling comes in next year. This would mean they are likely to pay about €1.4bn next year for carbon permits. The shortfall – the number of permits they will have to buy on the open market
– is likely to stand at about 88.5 million allowances, each representing one tonne
of CO2. This might rise to about €7bn by 2020. Airlines can buy cheap credits
from overseas.
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“Increased air traffic may be a factor in climate change” (USA)
Date added: 7 March, 2011
Scientists are studying contrails’ impact on everything from climate change to
crops. Contrails occur at temperatures below minus 40 degrees and high humidity at 30,000
feet altitude. Contrails keep daytime high temperatures lower than if the skies
were clear, and they can raise the nighttime temperatures. Decreasing the temperature
variation near the Earth’s surface could change heating and cooling patterns and
the local wind systems.
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Transport & Environment reaction to EC statement on inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS
Date added: 7 March, 2011
T&E calculates that the cost to the aviation sector will be the equivalent
of a one-cent per litre tax on aviation fuel - untaxed in the EU. The effect
on ticket prices, if not inflated by airlines, should be less than 1% on average.
T&E says as aviation is by far the most polluting transport sector, its inclusion
of the sector in the EU-ETS is no more than a minor first step and is no excuse
for prolonging the industry's massive subsidy of fuel tax and VAT exemptions.
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Air quality under the microscope at Gatwick
Date added: 7 March, 2011
Norman Baker, the Parliamentary Under-secretary of State for Transport, will
be giving the keynote speech at a seminar into air quality - Sussex-air 2011 -
at Gatwick on 11th March. The Sussex Air Quality Partnership (Sussex-air) was set up more than ten years
ago to support Sussex authorities with their duties under the Environment Act
of 1995, and with the implementation of the United Kingdom Air Quality Strategy.
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Inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS: Commission publishes historical emissions data on which allocations will be based
Date added: 7 March, 2011
The EC has published the historical aviation emissions on which future aviation
emissions allowances will be based, from 2012 onwards. They have chosen emissions of 219,476,343 tonnes of CO2, represents the average of the estimated annual emissions for the years 2004 -2006.
So the allowance for 2012 is 212,892,052 tonnes CO2 (97% of the baseline)and the number of aviation allowances to be created each year from 2013 onwards
amounts to 208,502,525 tonnes CO2 (95%).
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Osborne rips up planning rules to make getting planning consent easier
Date added: 5 March, 2011
George Osborne is pushing for sweeping changes to Britain’s planning regime as
part of a package of low-cost measures designed to kick-start growth. He wants to make it much easier for companies to obtain planning consent for
new projects – even if they go against the wishes of local residents – allowing
them to expand their businesses. The changes would also enable ministers to fast-track large scale infrastructure.
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Gatwick’s new owners take £330m dividend just 15 months after buying airport
Date added: 5 March, 2011
The 5 owners, led by 42% controlling shareholder GIP, are pocketing the payout
as part of a quicker-than-expected £1.2bn refinancing. The size of the dividend has infuriated BAA and Ferrovial, which had to sell
Gatwick. Taking more than £300m out of the business so soon highlights the degree to which
regulators have assisted a transfer of value from BAA's shareholders to Gatwick's
new owners. Since the sale GIP has sold down its equity.
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Scottish Transport Minister says Air Passenger Duty must be devolved now
Date added: 5 March, 2011
Transport Minister, Keith Brown, has called for APDto be devolved now. He awaits a potential announcement on this as part of the UK budget on 23rd March,
and says Scotland needs APD to be devolved in order to give its aviation industry
"the competitive edge that it needs for the benefit of the industry, passengers
and the wider Scottish economy." However, the DfT is unlikely to be keen to
have differential APD rates across the UK.
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London City Airport taxpayer policing hits £5.7 million per year
Date added: 5 March, 2011
The Metropolitan Police Service has forecast the cost of policing London City
Airport over the financial year 2010/11 at £5.7 million. This is entirely funded by the taxpayer from the police budget, and police are facing
cuts. City Airport is a privately owned business. Its owners GIP is a Hedge Fund made
up of Credit Suisse and General Electric.They also own Gatwick. Unlike other airports
who pay 70% of policing LCY pay none of their policing bill.
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Lydd airport. Public inquiry evidence on bird strike; Lush, cosmetics and arms dealing
Date added: 4 March, 2011
The Lydd public inquiry got going on 22nd February. The RSPB has been giving
extensive evidence on ornithology, the importance of Dungeness as bird habitat,
and the danger of bird strike -especially close to a nuclear reactor. And Private
Eye has weighed in with insights into the origin of funding from Lush, and the
funding for the airport - allegedly - from arms dealing by Sheikh Fahad al-Athel.
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