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Latest news stories:
Over 1,000 jobs to go at Dublin airport
Ryanair has announced cuts in its summer schedule at Dublin Airport, saying they will result in the loss of 200 jobs. These will be among pilots, cabin crew and engineers. SR Technics, an aircraft maintenance firm, has said it plans to close its operation at Dublin Airport with the loss of up to 1,135 jobs. It had been forced to make the decision after losing four key contracts. SR Technics workers could find themselves out of work within the month.(BBC)
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Britain looks set to benefit most as EU parcels out airlines for carbon trading
Britain, home to Europe's busiest airport, looks set to reap the most reward from EU plans to require airlines to buy permits to cover their carbon emissions, according to a list released Wednesday that matches each of the world's airlines to the one EU country that will be responsible for collecting payments. Countries with the busiest airports are likely to prosper the most. Britain would oversee about 780 carriers and operators. (IHT)
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New-look Edinburgh airport revealed ahead of £40m extension
The airport has released the first pictures of a £40 million extension which it says will help deal with an increase in passenger numbers and create hundreds of new jobs. BAA is planning a large new departure lounge, with a purpose-built security screening area. This will allow up to 13 million passengers to use the airport each year, a 50% increase on current numbers. It is also building more bars, shops and restaurants. (Edinburgh Herald)
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Stop misleading climate claims
Dr Vicky Pope, Met Office Head of Climate Change, calls on scientists and the media to ‘rein in’ some of their climate change assertions. News headlines vie for attention, but it is important that the latest extreme weather event is not linked to climate change. Otherwise, the public perception of climate change can be distorted. Extreme events arise due to natural weather variations, but the important story is long-term climate change. (Met Office)
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Airlines prepare to enter Europe’s ETS as aviation directive comes into force
The directive incorporating aviation into the EU’s ETS entered into force last week, obliging EU Member States to pass appropriate legislation and make administrative provisions before 2 February 2010. Aircraft operators flying within or to and from Europe are required to enter into the first phase of the EC’s MRV process. During 2009, operators have to submit monitoring plans to their relevant ‘competent authority’ or Member State. (GreenAir online)
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SSE says BAA living in a Walter Mitty world
Stop Stansted Expansion has accused BAA of living in a Walter Mitty world as passenger numbers and flights at Stansted Airport fell for the 15th consecutive month according to figures announced today. 5 years of growth have now been wiped out by the economic downturn and BAA’s 2007 decision to double Stansted landing charges to its biggest airline customers. SSE estimates that this year Stansted will handle just 155,000 flights, 20,000 less than now. (SSE)
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Aberdeen – Drop in number of flights to Heathrow
Flights to Heathrow from Inverness Airport were sacrificed for more profitable long haul services. In August 1988 there were 842 flights between Heathrow and domestic airports, and by June 2008, there were 603. In August 1988 there were 22 flights between Aberdeen and Heathrow — 3 a day. In June 2008, there were none, but 27 flights between Inverness and Gatwick. Slots are in high demand at Heathrow, so regional carriers were out-priced. (Press and Journal)
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Air freight drops as global trade siezes up – BAA figures
BAA said the number of tonnes of air cargo declined by 15.9% in January, on top of a 15.1% fall in December. Also that cargo volumes are dropping at all UK airports as a "direct result of the global economic downturn". It said freight volumes in the whole of 2008 were down 1.4% compared to 2007, largely due the sustained drop at the end of the year. Passenger traffic at BAA airports in January also dropped 6.3% to 9.4 million. (Telegraph)
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Air cargo trade suffers “unprecedented” decline – BAWC
An "unprecedented" decline in air freight market conditions since November has yet to level out, according to BA World Cargo. It reported a "marked and growing deterioration in market conditions" that began during the final quarter of 2008. Commercial revenue for the quarter was down 4.7% after the effects of exchange rate movements are removed. Volumes in the quarter were down 8.4% versus 2007, and prices were falling due to excess capacity. (IFW)
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Demand for curbs on night flights – East Midlands Airport
A petition by DEMAND to 10 Downing Street, demanding tighter restrictions on night flights from East Midlands Airport now has 590 signatures. EMA has a planning application to carry out modest lengthening of the runway ends. EMA maintain that there will be no change in noise, etc. The Council determination for the runway is the 3rd of March 2009. It appears that the western end of the runway will allow ingress of Very Large Aircraft. (DEMAND)
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Sammy Wilson has ‘taken no view’ on airport extension
Environment Correspondent Sammy Wilson has warned campaigners opposing a runway extension at George Best Belfast City Airport not to read too much into his decision not to take part in a crucial Belfast City Council vote. The council voted to call for a public inquiry into the plan to extend the runway by a third, but Mr Wilson was not in attendance. The council was voting on recommendations made by two of its committees. (Belfast Telegraph)
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Aircraft engine makers flying into a brighter future
Pratt & Whitney is pressing ahead with its "geared turbofan" (GTF). This new engine was shown in public for the first time last week in Toulouse, where it has been undertaking flight trials with Airbus. Also called open rotor engines. The GTF has a gear-box that slows down the fan at the front of the engine. This lets the high-temperature gas turbine at its heart run faster and more efficiently than on a conventional turbofan - but more noisily. (Sunday Times)
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New Kent Airport – Manston – campaign website launched
A website new opposing the planned expansion of Kent International Airport at Manston has been launched, by the Stop Manston Expansion Group - or SMEG - is at http://stopmanstonexpansiongroup.blogspot.com. The aim of the site is to "bring like-minded people together to stop the unchecked expansion of Manston, and provide alternative comment on the constant positive spin from the local press and our beloved councils, TDC and KCC".
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Heathrow case undermined
An independent parliamentary audit has called into question the government’s economic and environmental case for expanding Heathrow airport. The briefing produced last week by House of Commons library researchers, who are widely respected for their objectivity and trusted by MPs, casts doubt on some of the government’s key assumptions. These range from the availability of new "green jumbos" to optimistic forecasts of the growth of air travel. (Sunday Times)
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Huge boost for Blackpool Airport – runway improvement
The airport hopes to have more long haul flights due to a £1m cash injection. The money is being used to upgrade the runway following the introduction of the controversial Airport Development Fee (ADF) at £10 per passenger. The airport wants services from Blackpool to be extended to the eastern and southern Mediterranean. There will be a partial re-laying of the runway, taxiway and the apron where planes are parked, starting on 23rd Feb. (Blackpool Gazette)
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Price of carbon credits slumps to new low
The price of carbon has hit new lows as power generators and industrial companies continue to cash in credits to bolster their balance sheets. The price of EU allowances under the 2nd phase of the emissions trading scheme has plunged to €10.15 a tonne, compared with highs over €30 seen in July last year. Analystd warned the price could fall further to €9 or lower. This means offset projects to cut carbon emissions are being cut back. (Guardian)
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Council objects to Robin Hood Airport cargo flights
Armthorpe Parish Council has objected to plans to lift restrictions on night-time cargo flights at Robin Hood Airport. The airport wants to overturn a ban on noisier aircraft such as Boeing 747s flying at nigh, to bring it in line with other airports that accept cargo flights. A consultation period closed on January 30th. The application is now due to go before Doncaster Council's planning committee next month. (UK Airport News)
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Leeds Bradford International Airport Unveils Terminal Development Proposals
Leeds Bradford International Airport has unveiled a £28m development of its passenger terminal. LBIA's terminal development proposals reveal a two storey extension to the landside face of the existing terminal, together with internal modifications to the current building. This major investment by the airport's shareholders, Bridgepoint, follows their purchase of the airport in May 2007. LBIA will shortly prepare a planning application. (Routes online)
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Manston – Controversial airport plans fail to take flight
Controversial plans to allow aircraft to take off and land at a Kent airport from 6am until 11.30pm have gone down like a lead balloon among environmental campaigners. Councillors are expected to decide next Thursday whether to alter a Section 106 environmental agreement - a move that would allow dozens of night-time flights to and from the airport every month. An as-yet-unnamed company hopes to fly 747 aircraft into the airport up to 11 times a week. (Extra)
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Government is ‘running scared’ of Heathrow climate test
The South East England Regional Assembly says expansion at Heathrow must be independently tested for any impact on climate change now and not after the runway is built. Assembly members have called on Government to put its case for Heathrow's third runway to the Committee on Climate Change* this year. Government doesn't plan to seek views until 2020 but the Assembly believes it should show leadership on climate change now. (SEERA)
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Campaigners warn of global refugees created by Scottish airport expansion
Campaigners protested outside the Scottish Parliament in response to new data which indicates that airport expansion in Scotland could create 20,000 climate refugees world-wide by 2050. The protestors, symbolising the 36 Scottish civil servants who fly within the UK every day, handed giant paper aeroplanes to MSPs, including Patrick Harvie and Cathy Peattie, of the Climate Change Committee, urging them to lead the UK by example before it is too late.
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Johnson airport plans could threaten legal challenge to Heathrow runway
A spokesman for the 2M group has claimed Boris Johnson's plans to build a new airport in the Thames estuary could weaken a legal challenge against expansion of Heathrow he is helping to fund with £15,000. A legal challenge based on the detrimental environmental impact could be undermined by moves to increase flight capacity elsewhere in the south-east. Boris believes there is an economic case for increasing capacity in the London area. (Guardian)
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Manston Night Flights
A local Thanet councillor has warned that: A "Major European Airline" (reported to be BA World Cargo) has requested to be allowed 11 flights of 747's a week. The airline have asked to be able to operate between 11pm and 11.30pm and 6am and 7am meaning the current section 106 agreement governing flight times would need to be changed. The flights will be freight and cargo journeys, not passenger trips, and could start as early as May. (local blog site)
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Gatwick disposal gives legal advisers wings
A raft of law firms picking up instructions on the sale of Gatwick, which BAA hopes to sell for £2bn. Five bidders are in the running to pick up the airport from BAA. But with no clear frontrunner as yet, the prospect of a sale is providing a feeding frenzy for the lawyers involved. The article lists the 5 bidders and the law firms representing them. (The Lawyer)
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Manston – more visits for airport working party
The Manston Airport Working Party - part of Thanet District Council - have carried out two more visits to other airports, looking at the draft masterplan for Kent International Airport at Manston. Members have visited Prestwick, (which is also owned by Infratil), Southend, Norwich, Bristol and Bournemouth - and spoken to local planners. Research is also underway regarding Doncaster Robin Hood Airport. (Thanet DC)
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Boris Island is a fantasy, says Labour
Boris Johnson's proposal to build an airport in the Thames Estuary is a fantasy, according to London Assembly Labour environmental spokesman Murad Qureshi. Speaking ahead of a meeting of the Assembly's environment committee, he said "Boris's fantasy island will remain just that. Boris's opposition to a third runway at Heathrow is based on political expediency - why else would he propose building a whole new airport where no one can vote him out?" (NCE)
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UK cuts carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5% in 2007
The UK's CO emissions fell 1.5% in 2007, according to figures by the DECC. The final figures for 2007 also revealed that output of all 6 greenhouse gases, including methane and nitrous oxide, was down 1.7% on 2006 levels. there was an increase in emissions from the transport sector of 1.3 million tonnes. Emissions of CO2 in 2007 were 8.5% down on 1990 levels, without counting carbon trading - and excluding international aviation and shipping. (Independent)
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UK carbon emissions still higher than when Labour came to power
2007 estimates of UK greenhouse gas emissions are published today by the Government. UK emissions are slightly lower than 2006, but they are not falling fast enough. The figures distort the picture by not including the UK's share of international shipping and aviation emissions - the reality is that UK carbon dioxide emissions are still higher than when Labour came to power in 1997, despite repeated promises of significant cuts. (FoE press release)
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CEP: Heathrow third runway: Flying in the face of English democracy
The Campaign for an English Parliament has noted that the vote on a 3rd runway at Heathrow was won for the Government by MPs elected outside England. English constituency MPs rejected the 3rd runway by a margin of 20 votes but a phalanx of Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs trooped through the lobby to win the day for the Government, overturning, in the process, the democratic will of England. (Politics.co.uk)
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European Habitats Legal Opinion in LAAG’s Favour
A leading planning barrister, Matthew Horton QC has expressed a legal opinion in favour of Lydd Airport Action Group’s contention that Lydd Airport’s Master Plan should be taken into account in the assessment (Appropriate Assessment) which determines the adverse impact Lydd Airport’s expansion plans will have on the European protected habitats that surround its runway. Lydd Airport’s Master Plan sets plans to grow numbers to 2 million passengers per annum. (LAAG)
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Climate expert, James Hansen, apologises for unguarded comments on Heathrow
Jim Hansen, director of Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, has issued an apology about unguarded comments about Heathrow's third runway. He had been reported as saying anti-aviation campaigners will not help the battle against global warming and do not deserve support. Hansen has told Heathrow campaigners that there is no comparison with the dangers posed by coal power. Original article in the Observer - and retraction.
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Heathrow bosses insist no geese cull planned
Experts claim the growing population of Canada geese near the airport is putting planes at increasing risk of bird strikes, like the one which brought down a jet in Hudson Bay. Heathrow this week insisted existing tactics to keep birds away from the runways were working and there was no need for a cull. Staff patrol the airfield every day and play a variety of bird calls to scare off different species - as well as keeping grass short. (Hounslow Chronicle)
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(!?) Liverpool John Lennon Airport pioneers technology that converts passenger breath into biofuel
Liverpool Airport is the world’s first airport to trial a revolutionary machine that will convert the CO2 into biofuel. An "Eco-box" will be able to capture CO ² exhaled by travellers for recycling into fuel for the airport’s diesel vehicles and heating system. Installation will begin in the next few weeks and Origo hopes the system will provide up to 250 litres of biofuel a day. The CO2 is fed to algae, to produce a biomass cake and then fuel. (Liverpool Echo)
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Runway opponents reveal rail plan
Opponents of a 3rd runway for Heathrow have revealed plans to make it the centre of a rail network. The 2M Group said its £1.5bn proposal could reduce demand for flights. The coalition of 22 councils said the west London airport should be a hub of a local rail network linking it to 150 stations within a 25-mile radius. This network could be a third of the cost of the Heathrow Hub scheme, favoured by ministers, and better for local people. (BBC)
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Acid oceans ‘need urgent action’
The world's marine ecosystems risk being severely damaged by ocean acidification unless there are dramatic cuts in CO2 emissions. This warning comes from more than 150 top marine researchers, who have voiced their concerns through the "Monaco Declaration", which warns that changes in acidity are accelerating. This could make most regions of the ocean inhospitable to coral reefs by 2050, if atmospheric CO2 levels continue to increase. (BBC)
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Southend Airport station: Just months away
Work is set to begin within the next few months on the new railway station to serve the airport. Engineers from Stobart Rail have been on the site in the last week investigating the best ways to go ahead with the scheme. The Stobart Group acquired the airport lease in November and plan to carry out major rail infrastructure work as soon as possible. The new railway station and terminal building are part of the long-term projected expansion of the airport. (Echo)
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European Commission Begins Legal Action Against the UK Over Air Pollution Failures
The European Commission today began legal proceedings against the UK for failing to meet standards for airborne particles (PM10) that are highly damaging to human health. PM10 is strongly associated with premature death and cardiovascular disease. Its main source is road vehicles, and so levels are higher round airports. The UK failed the legally binding EU limits that came into force during 2005, and missed an October 2008 deadline. (Env Protection)
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‘Unprecedented’ fall in air cargo
The global economic downturn has deeply reduced the amount of freight carried around the world by aircraft, says IATA. Air cargo go into "freefall" in December, with a year-on-year fall of 22.6% in traffic. The "unprecedented" figure is worse than the 14% drop after the 9/11 terror attacks on New York. In 2008 air cargo traffic fell 4% compared with a 4.3% increase in 2007 - the first anual fall since 2001. IATA expects a 5% decline in air freight in 2009.
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Airport growth at risk at West country airports
Ambitious plans to carry millions of extra passengers from Westcountry airports would be halted if a new runway at Heathrow was built, a report by the Campaign for Better Transport has claimed. The increase in CO2 emissions from an expanded Heathrow would jeopardise the Government's climate change target. So plans to increase flights out of Exeter, Plymouth and Newquay airports would be hit as no other airports in the UK would be able to expand. (WMN)
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Michael Meacher : Parliament is wrong on Heathrow (Guardian Comment)
The government lost the argument for a 3rd runway, but finagled last night's Commons vote. This is not over by a long, long way. The handling of the whole Heathrow issue is regarded as a debacle, that parliament has not been able to correct. The EU could still intervene to halt the runway if pollution levels are not brought down. Under the new Planning Act the final decision awaits the formation of a new, still unappointed, infrastructure planning commission.
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Heathrow third runway vote passed
The Government narrowly won a vote on the third runway forced by the Conservative Party, although its majority was cut by two-thirds to just 19 after 28 Labour MPs rebelled. The size of the rebellion confirmed Brown's fears of a close vote. The small margin of victory will be embarrassing for the Government and the Prime Minister. This is the largest Labour rebellion on an opposition motion since the party took power in 1997. (Independent)
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Air Cargo Plummets 22.6% in December
IATA released international scheduled traffic results for both December 2008 and the full-year. In December global international cargo traffic fell 22.6% compared to December 2007. For the full-year 2008, international cargo traffic was down 4.0%. European air cargo declined 21.2% for the year. "The 22.6% free fall in global cargo is unprecedented and shocking." said Giovanni Bisignani. Air cargo carries 35% of the value of goods traded internationally. (IATA)
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Government Majority Slashed by Two Thirds on Heathrow
At the end of the debate in the House of Commons yesterday on Heathrow expansion the Government’s majority was slashed by two-thirds. It scraped home by a mere 19 votes. If 8 Democratic Unionists had voted with the opposition parties instead of the Government, Labour’s majority would have been down to one. As it was, this was the biggest rebellion on an opposition motion since Labour came to power in 1997 - and makes the 3rd runway less likely. (Hacan)
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Government scrapes home in Heathrow expansion vote
The Government narrowly won a vote on the controversial 3rd runway at Heathrow after a ministerial aide quit in disgust over the plan. The government's majority of 63 was cut to 19 in a Commons vote after Andrew Slaughter resigned as a PPS. After the vote Labour MP Virendra Sharma quit an unpaid government post to fight the plans. 57 Labour MPs had previously signed EDM 2344, of whom 28 voted for the Conservative motion. (Telegraph and BBC)
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Government aide quits to join rebels on eve of Commons vote on Heathrow expansion
A government aide - Andrew Slaughter - has resigned in protest at the decision to expand Heathrow. He resigned to be able to vote with the Conservatives in the Commons in the debate today - and that it is a quality of life issue. Andrew Slaughter is parliamentary private secretary to the Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch-Brown, and MP for Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush. His constituency will be irrevocably changed by Heathrow expansion. (Guardian)
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Third Heathrow runway would scupper Stansted and Glasgow expansion
A new runway at Heathrow would result in every other British airport having to abandon expansion plans to meet the Government’s climate change target, a study has suggested. The increase in CO2 emissions would mean other airports might be forced to cut thousands of flights a year, and need to scrap new runways at Stansted and in Scotland. More than 20 Labour MPs are expected to rebel against the Government today by voting against Heathrow expansion. (Times)
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Battle of the email campaigns on third runway at Heathrow
Greenpeace are asking opponents of the third runway to email the 57 Labour MPs who have opposed it, before the debate and vote in Parliament on 28th January. Greenpeace want to persuade the MPs to vote against. Meanwhile, Unite are also asking all their members to email MPs to vote for the expansion. Mail boxes are filling up ......
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Bird Cull to Keep Jets Safe at Heathrow
10,000 Canada Geese will need to be culled near Heathrow to prevent a plane crash like the one on the Hudson River, a leading Government adviser has warned. John Allan, an expert in bird management at the Central Science Laboratory, said birds were large enough to "bring a plane down" if they hit an engine. Heathrow has a particular problem, he said, as 10,000 of the birds roost in lakes and quarries south of the airport and feed to its north. (London Paper)
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Global warming is ‘irreversible’
A team of environmental researchers in the US has warned many effects of climate change are irreversible. The scientists concluded global temperatures could remain high for 1,000 years, even if carbon emissions can somehow be halted. "People have imagined that if we stopped emitting carbon dioxide the climate would go back to normal in 100 years, 200 year - that's not true." It appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (BBC)
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Runway opponents unveil Heathrow ‘rail hub’
The coalition of councils opposing the 3rd runway will launch plans for a new rail network around Heathrow. The 2M Group claim 40 trains an hour could pass through the airport. Their blueprint, Getting to Heathrow, to be launched on Thursday, shows that the airport could become a rail hub serving large areas of London and the South-East. The new local network would provide links to mainline services and a London-to-Scotland high-speed rail line.(Standard)
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Balfour Beatty wins Heathrow East contract
Engineering firm Balfour Beatty said it won a 750 million pound contract for construction work on the eastern development at London's Heathrow Airport. The work to realign taxiways and build new aircraft stands to the east of Terminals 1 and 2 is scheduled for completion in late 2009. (Reuters)
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Watchdog casts doubt on Heathrow third runway
The head of Britain's environmental watchdog has branded the 3rd runway a "mistake", saying it is unlikely to be built because of the huge political uncertainty surrounding the project. Lord Smith of Finsbury, chairman of the Environment Agency, said there was "a very big chance" that the project would stall given the threat of legal action from campaigners and resistance from the Tories and Liberal Democrats. (FT)
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Hochtief drops Gatwick bid as first round ends
German construction company Hochtief has pulled out of the bidding for London's Gatwick airport, leaving five suitors to enter a second round, a person familiar with the process said. Analysts have said bids could be up to about £2 billion, but may be nearer £1.7 billion. The remaining bidders are listed. (IHT)
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Boris Johnson unveils £40bn Heathrow-on-Sea
Boris has unveiled detailed proposals for a £40 billion airport spanning the Thames estuary in a move aimed at presenting a credible alternative to the government’s plans for expanding Heathrow. Early findings from a study by the engineer behind Hong Kong’s island airport suggest that a 4-runway airport is both technically feasible and would serve Britain better. It could be built in 8 years, and entails runways on two separate islands in the Thames. (Times)
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Tories at odds over plans for third runway at Heathrow
David Cameron faces a backbench rebellion over the Conservative Party's opposition to a third runway at Heathrow airport, as a number of senior opposition figures voice support for the £9bn expansion plan. The Conservatives have called a Commons vote, which will not be binding on the Government, for next Wednesday. Several Tory frontbenchers also have misgivings - Alan Duncan, Chris Grayling, and Philip Hammond are mentioned. (Independent)
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Initiatives will help Manchester through recession, Sir Howard says
Manchester Airport and the surrounding area will be at the centre of several initiatives designed to protect the city from the recession, according to the chief executive of Manchester City Council. He saw "big opportunities in and around Manchester Airport. Its success is absolutely fundamental to Manchester and the North of England and it is important ...... it drives the economic performance of the whole city region. " (Crains)
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Road Transport Industry backs a 3rd runway for Heathrow
Road transport bosses have come out in support of the government's decision to build a 3rd runway at Heathrow. The head of global supply chain policy at the Freight Transport Association, says: "Few people realise that around 90% of all air freight is moved by passenger plane and Heathrow accounts for over half of the UK's air freight by weight, so its operational efficiency has a huge impact on UK and international business." (RoadTransport)
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St Albans Council calls for Luton night flight restrictions
St Albans District Councillors last night voted in support of calls for restrictions to be placed upon the number night flights from Luton Airport, amid increasing local concerns about noise nuisance. Unlike other London airports, no restrictions on the number of flights have so far been placed upon Luton. Currently around 36 aircraft fly from Luton during the night period, by comparison with Heathrow which is limited to just 16 flights per night.
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Financial crisis puts cloud over Edinburgh
Passengers arriving at Edinburgh Airport notice few signs of recession. From having been the most vibrant part of the Scottish capital's economy, financial services - or at least banking - has been transformed in a few months into its most vulnerable sector. RBS has suffered. There is nervousness over whether the city's plethora of summer arts festivals will suffer from a reduction in corporate sponsorship as the recession bites. (FT)
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Bristol Airport expansion plans unveiled
Development plans for Bristol International Airport are being showcased as part of a six-week pre-application consultation. The airport is planning to extend the terminal building, provide additional car parking and create new aircraft stands. The expansion will enable it to handle 10 million passengers per year, compared to just over 6 million in 2008. Following consultation, the airport will submit a planning application to North Somerset Council. (TravelMole)
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Claim of “4,000 jobs to be created” in Bristol Airport expansion application
Bristol Airport has launched a pre-application consultation for its expansion plan. It claims this would generate up to 4,000 new jobs, and the majority of the proposed development would sit within its 176 hectare site. There will be a 6-week consultation. Proposals inclued extending the terminal building, additional car parking and new aircraft stands. This will enable the airport to handle 10 m passengers a year - up from around 6 m now. (Wales online)
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240 jobs could go at Prestwick Airport
Almost half of the workforce at Prestwick airport are in danger of losing their jobs. Prestwick announced a redundancy consultation which could see as many as 240 jobs go, and said a decline in passenger numbers was to blame. The airport employs about 500 people. Behind the decline was a steep drop in the number of people taking charter holidays. (Daily Record)
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Heathrow 3rd runway decision criticised by Monarch airline boss
The managing director of Monarch Airlines has denounced Government plans to expand Heathrow, due to the environmental impact on homes in west London. He said the expansion of the airport would have a detrimental impact on the lives of a million people in west London, and would prevent the aviation industry from being taken seriously over environmental issues - and he doubted new technology and fuels could mean aircraft will emit 50% less CO2. (Telegraph)
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£1.5bn Heathrow East terminal delayed
BAA has confirmed that the construction schedule on its £1.5bn Heathrow East project has slipped until the end of this year. The news came as the government gave its backing to ambitious plans to build a 3rd runway and 6th terminal at the airport worth up to £7.6bn. A BAA spokeswoman said that full construction work would not start until the end of 2009. It had been due to be ready in 2012. However BAA is struggling to raise funds. (Contract Journal)
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Douglas Alexander warns of ‘poor climate deal’ danger
The British government will produce a White Paper this year on international development. International Development Minister Douglas Alexander also said that "a poor climate deal" from international negotiations in Denmark in December "would condemn a generation of people to poverty. Pressed on the Heathrow airport expansion, he admitted that aviation would be one of the last sectors – even within transport – to be de-carbonised. (OneWorld)
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Reading MP on attack over third Heathrow runway
Reading East MP Rob Wilson laid into Hoon over his announcement on plans for a 3rd Heathrow runway. Mr Wilson told Geoff Hoon in the House of Commons: "Can I suggest to the Secretary of State that few people in my constituency will take any comfort from either of his two statements. People now have a clear choice. If they don’t want the runway, vote Conservative, if they do and are happy to see our environment destroyed, vote Labour."
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Exclusive: Fears that swan flock could cause disaster at Glasgow Airport
The airport fears roosting birds could cause a catastrophic plane crash similar to last week's near-disaster in New York. Aircraft could be in danger due to flocks of whooper swans which migrate from Iceland to live near the runways during the winter. BAA admitted they want to get rid of the birds, which can weigh up to 15kg, because of the risk but cannot move the birds from Black Cart Water, as they are a protected species on an SSSI. (Daily Record)
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I’ll stand in front of the bulldozers if I have to – Sipson
In the village of Sipson, thousands of lawyers' letters have started falling through the letterboxes. They talk of "compulsory purchase" and "compensation" and "acting on behalf of" residents "to secure the best price" for their properties. But their arrival, just 4 days after the Government gave BAA the go-ahead to build a 3rd runway, a decision that spells demolition for the 1,000-year-old hamlet and its 700 homes, is seen as indecently hasty. (Standard)
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Bukinghamshire CC says ‘no’ to 3rd Runway and demands answers to concerns about potential impact of new rail ‘hub’
Buckinghamshire County has slammed the Government’s go ahead for a 3rd runway at Heathrow. It has also raised serious concerns about the new proposed ‘Heathrow Rail Hub’. It said "The health risks alone should rule this proposal out. Air pollution around the airport (including parts of southern Bucks) is already above EU limits and there is no guarantee at all that they can be got down to target levels if this proposal goes ahead." (Bucks CC)
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NATS handles more than 2.4m flights in 2008 – down 1.5% on 2007
The number of flights controlled by NATS during 2008 declined slightly compared to the total for 2007. Controllers managed 2,433,946 last year against 2,470,940 for 2007, a decrease of 1.5%. Most of the decrease was in the last 3 months. NATS handled 560,000 more flights last year than 10 years ago and traffic in 2008 was still higher than 2006. (NATS)
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Expansion plans for Newcastle airport
Labour, Tory and Independent councillors in South Tyneside have voiced their support for a plea for the airport, which moved 5.6m passengers last year, to be expanded. This comes after "Flying Matters" said both Newcastle and Durham Tees Valley airports should be extended to safeguard the region's jobs. Seven local authorities have a stake in the airport, and South Tyneside Council is the lead authority among them in its management. (Shields Gazette)
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Revealed: Leeds Bradford Airport expansion plan
Controversial plans to expand the terminal building at Leeds Bradford Airport, possibly creating up to 3,000 jobs, have gone before planning officials. The scheme, announced by the airport's new private equity owners Bridgepoint, is at the centre of a £70m masterplan to increase passenger numbers to 5 million a year by 2013, and increase medium and long haul flights. Local residents have complained about increased traffic and aircraft noise. (Yorkshire Post)
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Stansted Second runway programme – realism beginning to prevail?
A marathon meeting to discuss the timing, duration and other aspects of the proposed Public Inquiry into a Stansted 2nd runway has left SSE cautiously optimistic that a sense of realism is beginning to prevail. There was a consensus that between 144 - 200 sitting days would be required for the inquiry. The inspector appeared to recognise that concurrent sessions could compromise the inquiry’s fairness and would not necessarily be more efficient.
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Mayor Boris Johnson blasts Heathrow vote ruling
Boris Johnson has accused the prime minister of not having the "guts" to let MPs vote on plans to build Heathrow's third runway. Pledging to support a legal challenge, the Tory mayor said: "I have absolutely no doubt we are going to be successful. This runway will not be built." He confirmed he would contribute £15,000 of public money to help support a legal challenge, possibly on the grounds of noise, congestion and the security risks. + videoclip. (BBC)
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Some Guardian letters on the Heathrow 3rd runway decision
Several letters. One states: Unless supporters for expansion can demonstrate a high probability that sufficient fuel at an acceptable price will remain available for the next 40 years, it seems likely that a 3rd runway would soon be redundant - a divisive and expensive white elephant. Another: Obviously we cannot build long-lasting infrastructure that locks us into a high-emissions future and drastically cut CO2 emissions. This is scientific fact.
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Comedian Alistair McGowan fights Heathrow expansion plans
Interview with Alistair. It’s not a middle-class thing!" If sea levels are rising and you have a £2m house, forget it! Everyone is affected by it. And referring to La Thompson’s air miles, "I’m sure Emma flew to the Golden Globes. This is the sort of thing which riles me! Every time small companies such as Greenpeace campaign about something, people say, ‘How did you get there? Did you fly? Did you go by car?’" He groans at the clichéd nature of it all.
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Heathrow rebel alliance is cleared for take-off
While the government’s decision was a bitter disappointment, "Now, at last, we’ve actually got something to fight against," said one opponent. Hoon’s statement lit the touchpaper of a wide-ranging protest movement - a campaign that will be waged by a hotchpotch but effective army, from the front bench of the Tory opposition, to long-suffering families living under flight paths in west London and Greenpeace’s direct action demonstrators. (Sunday Times)
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Mandelson bangs head on table in bitter Cabinet feud over Heathrow runway
Peter Mandelson, the Business Secretary, banged his head on the Cabinet table in frustration during a bitter ministerial row over the decision to give the go-ahead for a 3rd runway at Heathrow Airport. This came at the height of what government sources described as Brown's most ill-tempered Cabinet meeting. The new details of Tuesday's meeting show that the rift among senior ministers is even deeper and more damaging than has been suggested up to now. (Telegraph)
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Hoon and Emma Thompson exchange flak over flights
The cabinet minister who is pushing through the expansion of Heathrow has hit out at celebrity environmentalists who talk green politics while flying across the globe. Geoff Hoon picked on the Oscar winner Emma Thompson who emerged as a leading figure in the campaign to stop the 3rd runway. Emma replied: "Get a grip Geoff. This is not a campaign against flying - we're trying to stop the expansion of Heathrow in the face of climate change." (Guardian)
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‘Flash Mob’ Protest At Heathrow
Hundreds of activists opposed to a 3rd runway have staged a "flash mob" protest inside the airport's Terminal 5. The action, which saw environmentalists gather with local residents, was the first major demonstration since the Government go-ahead for the expansion plan, and was organised by climate activists and others including residents of Sipson. Showing solidarity for Sipson residents, campaigners said they would move into homes facing destruction. (Sky)
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