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Latest news stories:
Heathrow: report says a third runway is ‘obvious’ solution
Building a 3rd runway at Heathrow airport is the "obvious" solution to airport congestion, despite the environmental impact, a report has concluded. The detailed study by York Aviation, commissioned by the City of London Authority, rejects an expansion of Stansted and says building an airport in the Thames Estuary is not a credible option. The report admits building the third runway comes with a "significant" environmental costs. (Telegraph)
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London City airport could be set for more flights
London City airport is expected this Wednesday to win planning permission for a 50% rise in the number of flights. Newham Borough Council is expected to rubber-stamp the [application] to raise maximum ATMs from 80,000 to 120,000 a year - and perhaps 3.9m passengers per year by 2010. This will leave London City on course to handle 3.9m passengers by 2010, though the move is only an interim step to raising capacity to 8m passengers a year. (Telegraph)
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Heathrow airport campaigners discuss tactics
Over 100 people opposed to expansion at Heathrow Airport gathered at a conference to discuss tactics should the government give it the go-ahead. Local residents, MPs and pressure groups, including the Camp for Climate Action, were among those attending the event at Harlington. The various groups met to explore their possible next step should the Government agree to expansion in a decision expected before the end of the year. (Metro)
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(Exeter) “Airport expansion is irresponsible”
Exeter Airport has recently released its master plan which states that it is planning to increase passenger numbers threefold — from just over 1m passengers a year to almost 3.4m passengers a year. The CO2 emissions from this increase would be enormous. But the master plan fails to address this. Even if the airport succeeds completely in its bid for carbon neutrality, then this will reduce its overall carbon footprint by a minuscule 0.35%. (This is Exeter)
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Heathrow East Project ’12-Month Delay’
Construction on the £1.5 billion Heathrow East project (the terminal to replace Terminals 1 and 2) could be subject to a 12-month delay. BAA briefed contractors on the project about possible hold-ups to the construction of the new £1.5 billion terminal building. BAA has blamed the delay on the knock-on effect presented by the chaotic opening of T5. (Airport International)
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MAG puts another £13m into Bournemouth Airport expansion
Manchester Airports Group is reported to have injected an additional £13m into a £45m project to expand Bournemouth Airport. The project had been delayed after New Forest National Park requested a judicial review into Christchurch Borough Council’s decision to allow the project to go ahead. Work on the new terminal is now expected to go ahead following an April decision by the High Court who heard the application from New Forest National Park. (Crain's)
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Heathrow doesn’t need third runway says top travel agent
A leading chain of travel agents - the Co-op - has come out firmly against the proposed third runway at Heathrow. Co-operative Travel, which has 400 high-street stores and sells more than £1billion of holidays every year, says instead of the extra runway the aviation industry must improve existing services and technology. This is the first time a travel agency has joined the protests and is likely to cause the PM discomfort. (Evening Standard)
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Economic case for Heathrow expansion is flawed, says new report for FoE
The economic case for expanding Heathrow is flawed because the argument relies on optimistic assumptions including a low oil price and escalating passenger demand for flights, a new report argues. The consultation on a 3rd runway ignores the potential impact of new railway lines on passenger demand, presumes that air fares will continue to fall and forecasts oil will cost $53 a barrel in 2030 - said the Stockholm Environment Institute. (Guardian and FoE)
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(Coventry) Airport in High Court challenge
Coventry Airport has taken its fight to build a new passenger terminal to the High Court. Lawyers for the airport's owners have begun a 5-day appeal against a 2007 government decision which blocked their bid for a permanent terminal. If the airport's challenge is successful, its planning application will be reconsidered by government ministers. (BBC)
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Plane Stupid activist glues himself to Gordon Brown’s suit
Downing Street laughed off an attempt by a climate-change protester to superglue himself to Gordon Brown. Activist Dan Glass had been attending an event in Number 10 to recognise the contribution of the voluntary sector. As he was about to shake hands with the PM, Mr Glass tried to attach himself with a glue covered hand to his suit, and demanded to know why the Government was ignoring objections to a third runway at Heathrow. (BBC, Telegraph etc)
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Uncertainty over BA flights between Aberdeen and London
A question mark still hangs over British Airways’ winter service between Aberdeen and Heathrow. The company would not confirm or deny yesterday that the route is part of its plans to cut capacity by up to 5%. This follows BA’s announcement at the end of last year that it was scrapping its Aberdeen-Gatwick flights for commercial reasons. (Press and Journal)
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Boris Johnson says “Stuff Skegnes, my trunks and I are off to the sun”
Boris Johnson - writing in the Telegraph (and eagerly picked up by Flying Matters - declares that "I am going to take a holiday abroad, and in my view it would be absurd, hypocritical and frankly inhumane to do anything else" and "I consider it my patriotic duty to find a destination as sunny and foreign as possible, so that I can push some cash towards hard-pressed UK travel agents," regardless of filling "the upper air with ...vapour trails". (Telegraph)
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Government will decide on Stansted’s second runway
A decision over whether to allow a 2nd runway at Stansted will be taken by the government after a public inquiry. Communities and Local Government (CLG) Secretary Hazel Blears has called in operator BAA's expansion plan, due to the scale of the proposal. The leader of Essex County Council, said the CO2 group of councils will now fight at this public inquiry on behalf of nearly 5 million people in the east of England, who say enough is enough. (BBC)
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TRAVELODGE LEADS BRITISH HOLIDAY FIGHTBACK
Travelodge is joining with other leading British holiday brands to offer an alternative to the 30% of Brits that are turning away from foreign travel this year. They predict that seaside businesses will gain an extra £42m of annual customer spend. Their CEO said this is the time to win back Brits that who used to be tempted abroad by the budget airlines. Now soaring air fares, the Euro and the credit crunch may change our holiday habits for good. (Travelodge)
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BAA invented ‘green’ jumbo to help win Heathrow case
BAA used the low emissions figures of a non-existent green jumbo to help clinch the environmental case for a 3rd runway. The twin-engine 450-seat "virtual" jet was invented for the environmental modelling after BAA realised it would otherwise exceed the limit for noise and pollution. But no such plane is even on the drawing board. The new 4-engine jets would cause a disproportionate amount of noise and pollution, if a 3rd runway was built. (Sunday Times)
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(Robin Hood, Doncaster) Airport boss unconcerned about £1m monthly loss
NEW airport boss Mike Morton is confident of Robin Hood's future despite it losing £1m a month and struggling to attract airlines. Reports of losses were confirmed by its new director who took up his post last month. He admits they are losing around £1 million a month, and will not make a profit for the first two years. Peel sees freight flying as a key area in the airport's development and will soon seek approval for round-the-clock flying. (Doncaster free press)
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Top UN climate scientist tells business to fly less, use video conferencing more and help fight climate change!
Thursday July 17th sees the influential All-party Parliamentary Sustainable Aviation Group host a Westminster event entitled, "Is your journey really necessary?", explaining and promoting the role that video conferencing technology can play in reducing the carbon footprint of business travel. (AEF)
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Airline denies ‘ghost’ plane plan
BMI has denied reports that it will fly near-empty planes to maintain lucrative landing rights at Heathrow. At Prime Minister's Questions, Norman Baker drew attention to Wednesday's reports. Gordon Brown said it would be unacceptable if airlines flew without any passengers to maintain their slots, and he will look at the matter and talk to the airlines. The landing slots are administered at Heathrow by Airport Co-ordination Ltd (ACL). (BBC)
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Aberdeen airport keeps an ear to the ground for noise monitoring
A four-day noise monitoring operation will be carried out around Aberdeen Airport from tomorrow, as part of the planning agreement reached with Aberdeen City Council which allows 24 hour operations. The variation means fixed-wing flights can take off and land at the airport at any time. sites to be monitored include Gilbert Road, Bucksburn; Greenburn Road, Bucksburn; Cordyce View, Dyce; Union Row, Dyce; Dyce Drive, Overton and Newton Farm, Kirkhill. (BAA)
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Planes fly empty to keep value take-off slots at Heathrow
Bmi, Britain's third largest airline, will fly near-empty "ghost flights" in order to keep valuable take-off and landing slots at Heathrow. Government "use-it-or-lose-it" rules mean airlines must use 80% of their scheduled slots, or forfeit them. The airline would prefer to cancel uneconomic flights, especially midday flights from London to Scotland and northern England, but were forced to fly 80% the routes to avoid losing the slots. (Telegraph)
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(Carlisle) Government clips Stobart Air’s wings
Stobart Air are mystified why the government called in its planning application to Cumbria County Council to develop Carlisle Airport and launch freight and passenger services. Stobart Air has extended its option to buy the airport for another six months. Stobart Group proposed to enter into an option to acquire the airport for £15m in March, and pulled out of the public inquiry because it can't ascertain why the government was so concerned. (Road Transport.com)
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Leeds airport terminal project will go ahead despite economy
The boss of Leeds Bradford Airport says he is confident that a multi-million pound terminal redevelopment will go ahead as planned. John Parkin has told the YEP that a formal planning application will be submitted in early 2009. Bridgepoint has pledged to invest £70m on a major modernisation of the airport and the plan is to grow passenger numbers from their current 3m to more than 5m by 2012/2013. (Yorkshire Evening Post)
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Newcastle Airport expansion offers new jobs hope
Multi-million pound plans to expand the region’s biggest airport have been revealed. Airport bosses claim more than 1,500 jobs could be created by the development of a £20m business park. The airport has bought out Samson Aviation, which currently occupies buildings and land to the south of the main site, and plans to redevelop the entire south side of the airport to grow business aviation and other light aircraft activity. (Chronicle) .
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The World’s Top 50 Cargo Airports
The rapid growth in cargo traffic at airports in Asia and the Middle East may be slowing down, but the expansion remains the dominant feature on a world cargo trading map that is tilting decidedly toward the regions. Tables show the top 50 cargo airports worldwide, and the top 40 in Europe, as well as the cargo tonnage and the percentage change from 2006. (Air Cargo World)
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Caroline Lucas in talks with European Commissioner over Heathrow Air Quality
Green MEP for the South East Caroline Lucas has met with the European Commissioner for the Environment - Stavros Dimas - to discuss the controversial expansion of Heathrow airport, and the UK government’s failure to meet EU air quality targets. The UK will need to apply for a derogation – a temporary exemption – on the targets set under the EC Air Quality Directive, if it tries to expand Heathrow. (Caroline Lucas)
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(Robin Hood, Doncaster) Peel’s Yorkshire airport loses £1m per month
Peel Holdings has admitted that Robin Hood Airport near Doncaster is losing about £1m per month. The Manchester-based property group blamed the financial problems on higher taxes, oil prices and security costs. The manager said that with over a million passengers a year, they remain optimistic. (Crain's)
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Gatwick ‘is too small’ – says Ascend survey
Most aviation professionals believe Gatwick does not have the capacity to cope with growth in the next 5 years, according to a survey by Ascend, an aerospace information company. They say Gatwick and Heathrow airports should be expanded to relieve congestion while access to airports should be improved. Those polled included plane-makers and aviation financiers.
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Call to expand flights at Anglesey airport
The Welsh Assembly is set to release a report on future options for Anglesey Airport at RAF Valley after revealing 17,000 passengers had used the airlink to Cardiff since the service was launched in May 2007. Assembly officials have already urged airlines to step forward to declare an interest in expanding services to other destinations. (Daily Post)
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Aer Lingus confirms George Best Belfast City Airport switch
Aer Lingus has confirmed it is switching its operations from Belfast International Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport in the autumn. The airline said there would be 3 flights daily in each direction, to both London Heathrow and Gatwick. From the end of March 2013, Aer Lingus will also operate daily flights to Malaga and Faro. Belfast International Airport said it was working to fill the "void". The airline's chief executive said "George Best Belfast City Airport delivers a compelling location and a strong history of business flying." Belfast International Airport said Aer Lingus had been offered "an implausibly low deal on charges by the airport to move there, and that they aspire to charging higher fares and commanding stronger yields as a result of flying from the City Airport."
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(Heathrow) Ambassador for airports in a rallying cry for runways
Ed Anderson is the chairman of the Airport Operators Association. He has landed the job just as London Mayor Boris Johnson is denouncing plans for a third runway at Heathrow. The lack of terminal capacity at Heathrow, he says, means that the regional airports do not have the landing slots at the hub that they require in order to develop. Mr Anderson is a keep supporter of a third runway at Heathrow, and he supports the Planning Bill. (Independent)
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Growth stalls at London City Airport
London City Airport is expecting a slowdown in passenger growth this year as the global financial crisis takes its toll, but still expects a 12 to 15% jump to around 3.4 million travellers. The airport expects to treble in size to 9 to 10 million passengers a year in 25 years. 70% of its passengers are business travellers. It hopes to add more 'medium haul' travel to locations such as Dubai and Moscow. (UK Airport News)
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Heathrow ‘could get third runway’ a minister has indicated
The government is due to make a decision on the future development of the UK's largest airport by the end of the year. Business secretary John Hutton said at the Farnborough airshow that the government might take "difficult decisions on airport expansion". Mr Hutton said: "British businesses, and ultimately the British people, would not forgive us if we shirked our responsibility to do what's right because we wanted an easy ride from green lobby groups." (BBC)
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(Exeter) airport rejects Greens’ funds claim
Airport bosses have hit back at claims by AirportWatch South West that their expansion plans could be starved of regional funding because of a change of policy. SWRDA's report 'Economic Assessment of South West Regional Airports' was written in December 2007, and its decision made in January. Neither were made public, although the management at Plymouth, Exeter, Newquay, Bristol, Staverton and Bournemouth airports were told. (Western Morning News)
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Bristol Airport expansion doesn’t need environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment does not need to be carried out at Bristol Airport on the building of a controversial new walkway, according to a response from the Government Office of the South West. In May, North Somerset Council voted that a full planning application would be needed before the new £7m development was allowed. (UK Airport News)
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Newquay – Airport expansion grants scrapped
Airports in the South West will no longer get grants to expand from the South West Regional Development Agency. Instead the SWRDA wants to encourage airports to become "greener" and lessen their environmental impact, and it said it will not be investing in further airport expansion across the region. Newwquay hopes to double its passenger numbers.
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(Heathrow) Airport expansion hits NOx pollution claim
The government has failed to take on board expert recommendations in its research on the impact of Heathrow Airport's expansion, a key adviser has warned. Government air quality expert group chairman Mike Pilling argued that the extent of modelling work to assess future concentrations of nitrogen dioxide around Heathrow has not been as thorough as was recommended. (Planning Resource)
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HACAN: Aviation consultation document gives no hope for backers of Heathrow 3rd runway
HACAN, the community group that campaigns against excessive aircraft noise generated by Heathrow, says today's consultation on the government's draft aviation strategy, gives no hope to the backers of a third Heathrow runway. The consultation document restates that it is not Government policy to expand Heathrow, and building a new runway would be politically very difficult and would "not be possible for any government to deliver new capacity, however hard some shout for it”. The government's decision on Heathrow is largely due to concern about the scale of the noise impacts of the airport. Speaking of the delay to the airport capacity part of the DfT consultation, John Stewart (Chair of Hacan) said "in many ways today’s consultation paper is the more important as it lays out the overall policy framework. This policy consultation may be less sexy than expected one about new runways but it is the more important.”
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More talks on Heathrow expansion – decision delayed
Those for and against expansion of the UK's biggest airport will have to wait a few more months before learning if the Government backs the plans, it has been revealed. The decision will probably be before the end of the year. Ruth Kelly had been expected to give a ruling in August. Further work is being undertaken to deliver a full equalities impact assessment on how airport development might affect different racial, disability etc. groups. (AOL)
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Second Kalitta Air 747 Freighter Crashes
A Boeing 747 crashed in Madrid, near Bogota, on Monday, July 7th 2008. The cargo plane fell after taking off from Bogota's airport with a load of flowers on route to Miami. The 8 crew members survived but 2 people who lived on the ranch where the plane crashed were killed. Another Kalitta 747 cargo plane crashed at the end of a runway and split in two while trying to take off from Brussels airport on 25th May.
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Ministers to ‘call in’ plan for new runway and terminal at Stansted
Ministers are expected this week to "call in" BAA's application to build a 2nd runway and 2nd terminal at Stansted airport. A public inquiry into the project is likely to start next year amid fierce opposition from environmental campaigners, local residents and local authorities. BAA proposes to create the capacity to handle 68m passengers a year, the equivalent of Heathrow, by about 2030. The first phase of the £2.5bn project could open in 2015. (FT)
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Australia – Sydney Councils furious over Qantas curfew call
Two inner Sydney councils have expressed anger at Qantas' call to relax Sydney Airport's 11:00pm to 6:00am curfew. Qantas wants the Federal Government to ease the 12-year-old curfew. "No Aircraft Noise" president Alan Rees says the move would be opposed because residents of two areas are already suffering with unacceptable noise levels. (ABC)
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Public ‘misled’ over Heathrow pollution
The government’s adviser on air quality, Mike Pilling, has warned that ministers are "pulling the wool" over the public’s eyes to justify building a 3rd runway at Heathrow. He said the public were being misled over claims that expansion would not cause unlawful and dangerous levels of pollution, and the DfT should go back and do some more calculations. Ruth Kelly has been forced to postpone her decision on expansion, whihc had been due this summer. (Times)
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Stansted to be given permission to increase passengers numbers to 40m
Decisions on the airport are expected to be announced this week by Ruth Kelly. It is expected that BAA’s controversial plans for a 2nd runway at Stansted will be sent to a public inquiry - but they will at the same time be given permission for a big increase in passenger numbers, from the current annual cap of 25 million to 35 or 40 million. ATMs would rise to 261,000 pa. A final decision on a 2nd runway is not likely before 2011 at the earliest. (Times)
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The load factor on BA's aircraft fell 3.8% last month, to 76.7%. That means nearly 24% of seats are now empty on BA flights. Higher air fares and a slowing economy led to 87,000 fewer passengers using BA last month than the same month in 2007. In an attempt to reduce costs further BA, American and Iberia are expected to try to merge their operations this month. June revenue per passenger km fell by 3.7 %. (Times)
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Air France considers high-speed rail routes
Air France is holding talks about a joint venture that could see some of its short-haul routes operated by trains and considerably increase competition for continental Europe's mainly state-owned high-speed train operators. Air France is speaking to Paris-based Veolia Transport about the venture. The services are likely to be solely international, and this would be the first time an airline has commissioned its own high-speed trains. (FT)
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Paul Kehoe named as new Birmingham Airport chief
Birmingham Airport has announced that its new chief executive will be Paul Kehoe, currently in charge at Bristol Airport. No date has been set for Mr Kehoe to take up his new appointment, and there is no comment about the future of the current acting managing director, Joe Kelly. Mr Kehoe was previously managing director at Luton and Belfast Airports. (Birmingham Post)
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EasyJet starts UK newspaper campaign to press for a fairer and greener air tax to replace APD
easyJet is taking out advertisements in the UK national newspapers calling on the UK government to make its air tax greener - and also free of subsidies to airlines with transfer passengers. It largely supports plans to replace the current APD with a flight-based tax based on the flight distance. It accuses other airlines with older, long-haul aircraft flying from hubs of "secretly" lobbying government to have transfer passengers exempted. (Gereenair)
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Vincent Cable and Jenny Jones join Heathrow Flash Mob Protest
Around 100 people assembled outside the Department for Tranpsort to form a Flashmob and, at just after 11 o'clock, stripped off to reveal their "Stop Airport Expansion" t-shirts. They then threw paper planes towards the DfT, in a symbolic gesture against Ruth Kelly's expansion plans. A spokesman said: "Ruth Kelly refuses to talk with residents and campaigners. So we are bringing our messages to her in our own special way."
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NATS flight stack plans ‘must be thrown out’
Campaigners and MPs have upped the pressure on airspace bosses to rethink plans to move a flight stack over rural Suffolk. Today, the debate reaches the House of Commons where MP Richard Spring will discuss the proposals while fellow MP David Ruffley met NATS bosses last night to implore them to move the flight stack to over the North Sea. (EADT)
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EXETER AIRPORT’S AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR GROWTH REVEALED
Exeter airport's delayed draft master plan, which is published today and is available for public consultation until September. By 2030, they hope the airport will cater for 3 times as many passengers as now, offer more flights to Canada and the United States. There will be no new runway, but an extension of the landing strip - something which could pave the way for jumbo jets. Also a slight increases in night flights and noise. (Express & Echo)
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David Cameron goes hippy on Heathrow runway – airport economics examined
Some of the calculations behind the argument for and against expanding Heathrow. Estimates have not factored in an oil price pushing $140 a barrel. Add another runway, says OEF, and Britain would get an extra £7bn of economic benefits a year by 2030, or a boost of £2.5bn a year from "mixed mode" operations. The DfT includes £3.1bn benefits for Air Passenger Duty, which according to Theresa Villiers, makes no sense. (Telegraph)
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Southend Airport boss looks for boost
Southend Airport could soon be offering regular holiday flights to the Mediterranean, as boss Alastair Welch hopes to model the airport on the success of Southampton. Southampton, which generates £86.5million a year, has similar constraints to Southend as it is edged by housing developments and yet every year it serves almost 2 million passengers. (UK Airport News)
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Don’t run Heathrow into the ground – Richard Branson on why he thinks Heathrow needs a third runway
Richard Branson goes through the arguments why Heathrow and UK plc need a third runway - important hub, transfer flights, being left behind competition from European airports, lots of destinations, lots more holidays and business fights, massively quieter planes, massively more green planes etc etc. (Times Online)
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Rail campaigners target Heathrow’s ‘absurd’ domestic flights
The campaign for a British high-speed rail network has gained further momentum after it emerged that 2.5 million transfer passengers a year (about 4% of all passengers using the airport) fly into Heathrow airport from British destinations. Opponents of the proposals claim that the latest figures prove that many Heathrow slots are used for unnecessary flights that could be replaced by high-speed rail routes. (Guardian)
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(Stansted) Let the train take the strain
SSE is calling for major improvements in the rail service to and from Stansted Airport regardless of any plans for a 2nd runway, to which SSE remains fiercely opposed. SSE's support for rail investment comes in its response to a current DfT consultation. The proportion of airport passengers travelling to the airport by train has declined from 29% in 2004 to 24% last year. BAA makes a considerable profit from car parking. (SSE)
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Deal clinched on capping aircraft emissions (start of aviation within the EU ETS)
MEPs and national governments, represented by the EU's current Slovenian Presidency, reached a landmark deal on 26th June on the details of plans to include aviation in the EU's ETS as of 2012. The deal would require all flights, both within the EU as well as international ones arriving or leaving the bloc, to participate in the Union's carbon cap-and-trade scheme as of 2012. The deal still needs to be formally approved. (Euractiv)
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(Doncaster Robin Hood) Airport rail probe after station plan approved
THE owners of Doncaster's Robin Hood Airport will begin investigating the possibility of train access to the site after plans for a station were approved. Doncaster Council's planning committee approved plans for the station. Members heard the initial planning permission for the airport required that one was built. (Yorkshire Times)
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Air travel in the tropics causes more warming
A typical flight in the tropics has a greater impact on global warming than a flight in temperate latitudes. In mid-latitudes ozone and methane reactions with nitrogen oxides cancel each other out and you get zero net warming. But the brighter sunlight in the tropics is very efficient at converting nitrogen oxide to ozone, whereas methane destruction only increases marginally. This effect is worse at an altitude around 35,000 feet. (New Scientist)
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Single sky wins support amid airline fears over ETS (Single European Sky)
Countries would have to surrender sovereignty over their national airspace in favour of a European air-traffic management system by 2012, according to proposals presented in Brussels yesterday. Regulations adopted in March 2004, aimed at creating a 'Single European Sky' (SES) by reforming the current Air Traffic Management system. The European sky remains broadly divided into 27 pieces of airspace under the control of national governments. (Euractiv)
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Southend airport – Firms foresee return to airport’s golden age
The Joint Area Action Plan (JAAP) is being prepared by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Rochford District Council. A key step in the process of establishing the JAAP is the preparation of an ‘Issues and Options’ report. This contains three options, one of which includes a runway extension of 195 metres, taking it to 1799 metres. (Southend Borough Council, and the Echo)
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BA axes its ‘red-eye’ early morning Heathrow to Glasgow flight
British Airways is to axe its "red-eye" early morning flights from Glasgow to Heathrow after 27th October, reducing the daily flights from 10 to 9. BA will still have around 100 flights a day between Scottish airports to the UK capital. Some aviation commentators have warned that BA could drop Scottish flights to free up slots at Heathrow for more profitable long-haul services. (Glasgow Herald)
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Cost of tackling global climate change has doubled, warns Stern
The author of an influential British government report in 2006 arguing the world needed to spend just 1% of its wealth tackling climate change has warned that the cost of averting disaster has now doubled to 2%. Stern said evidence climate change was happening faster than previously thought meant emissions needed to be reduced even more sharply. The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere would have to be kept below 500ppm. (Guardian)
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BAA ‘should axe 5,000 flights’ to reduce delays at Heathrow
BAA should scrap nearly 5,000 flights per year to ease congestion at Britain's biggest flight hub, according to the business group, London First. It said action needs to be taken immediately to stop delays at Heathrow, because a proposed 3rd runway will not be ready until at least 2020. The lobby group for businesses in the capital said BAA could reduce delays by cutting 1% of flights - equivalent to 4,800 arrivals and departures. (Guardian)
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Greenpeace Heathrow protestors fined £5,700
Five Greenpeace protestors who climbed on top of a British Airways passenger jet at Heathrow Airport were convicted of various offences in court on 24th June. They pleaded guilty to being in a restricted zone, boarding an aircraft and demonstrating in an airport at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court. (UK Airport News)
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EU seeks to overhaul air traffic control
Faced with congested skies, airport delays and growing carbon emissions from aircraft, the European Union will this week seek to overhaul its aviation management system in a move that could save €2 billion to €3 billion in fuel costs and cut CO2 output by up to 16 million tons a year. Air traffic control in Europe is currently divided into 650 units administered from 60 air traffic control centers in the 27 nations. (International Herald Tribune)
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Carriers vie for Heathrow slots
Etihad, the Abu Dhabi-based airline, and Kingfisher Airlines of India are negotiating deals to gain access to more take-off and landing slots at London Heathrow. Long-haul carriers are taking over more of the prized slots at Heathrow from short-haul services as widebody jets replace smaller aircraft and some incumbent carriers seek to cash in on the slot trade. (Financial Times)
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New Study: High Speed Rail – a real alternative to expansion at Heathrow
A new study has found that investment in high-speed rail could be a viable alternative to the expansion of Heathrow. The study, commission by the Rail and Maritime Union (RMT), said the controversial plans to expand Heathrow would be "unnecessary" if there was serious investment in rail. Network Rail has announced that it is looking seriously at plans to build new high-speed lines across the UK. (RMT
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Glasgow Airport defend expansion plans
Glasgow Airport have defended plans to build a huge extension - despite environmental campaigners claiming air passenger numbers will slump. WWF Scotland say independent research has called into question the need for planned airport expansion - including Glasgow's £30 million Skyhub extension. WWF say government forecasts - based on fuel at $60 a barrel compared to almost $140 now - are ‘pie in the sky’. (UK Airport News)
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Stansted secrets to be published
Secret government data on contentious plans to build a 2nd runway at Stansted must be made public, the privacy watchdog the Information Commissioner’s Office has ordered, in a ruling that further extends ministers’ duties to reveal confidential internal advice. The ruling, which helps anti-airport campaigners, will add to debate about whether disclosing details of internal talks in ministries risks inhibiting officials in future discussions. (FT)
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Soaring oil prices will clip the aviation industry’s wings
WWF recently commissioned independent experts to rework the UK Government's air passenger forecasts for 2030, to factor in a realistic price for oil and the impact of policies which encourage a switch to trains and the use of video-conferencing. The results were clear: there will not be enough passengers to justify expanding any of the country's airports. (Scotsman - opinion)
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Work begins on Birmingham Airport extension
Work has begun on the construction of a massive £45 million extension to Terminal One at Birmingham Airport. The new pier will is the single biggest investment that the airport has made in more than 20 years. The new International Pier will be a three-storey building 240m long and 24m wide. (UK Airport News)
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Public inquiry for Carlisle Airport plans
Hazel Blears has called a public inquiry to examine plans to redevelop Carlisle Airport. Her decision means that the £35m scheme for a new runway, terminal, hangars, warehousing and offices will be delayed for around 12 months, with some suggestions that it could be scrapped altogether. (UK Airport News) Mrs Blears has
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World’s newest airline faces stormy forecasts – BA’s OpenSkies
Undeterred by a raft of airline bankruptcies caused by the record fuel price, British Airways brought the world's newest airline into being yesterday. The timing of the launch of OpenSkies, a subsidiary that will fly between Europe and America, caused some consternation given the moribund state of the industry. The inaugural service took off from Paris Orly for New York, at a time when the aviation industry faces serious problems. (Independent)
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Robin Hood Airport wants night flight permission
Noisy night-time freight flights could become a reality if councillors agree to bend existing planning rules preventing louder aircrafts from taking off or landing between 23:00 and 07:00. Robin Hood bosses are preparing a formal planning application to operate freight aircraft at night. (UK Airport News)
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Flightpath protesters march in London
CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans to re-route aircraft over their peaceful villages have marched through London today to protest against the proposals. As the protestors marched over Waterloo Bridge this afternoon to the offices of NATS, formerly the National Air Traffic Service they called for a U-turn on the stacking proposals, saying it would sound the death knell for their idyllic villages. (EADT)
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Protest To Ground Flight Path Changes – and – Protesters in flight path march
Demonstrators have marched on the London headquarters of the air traffic control service in protest, organised by AirportWatch, against proposed changes to flight paths. The rally and march was held on the same day as consultation on plans to change airline paths over London and South East England came to an end. John Stewart said: "The only reason Nats is proposing these changes is to create more airspace to expand aviation." (Various sources)
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NATS protest on 19th June 2008 – photos
NATS protest 19.6.2008 - some photos
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Edinburgh – Call for cutback to airport expansion
Green campaigners are calling for plans to expand Edinburgh Airport to be scaled back due to soaring oil prices. BAA estimates Edinburgh Airport could almost treble in size over the coming decades with land being reserved for a possible 2nd runway. But research by WWF has concluded that millions of passengers will be put off flying due to higher ticket prices caused by soaring oil prices. (Edinburgh Evening News)
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Luxury airlines info
Sir Richard Branson's plans to take on the US domestic airline market have flown into headwinds as soaring fuel prices prompt Virgin America to cut its flights and conceal its finances. Only 10 months after its inaugural flight, Virgin America is trimming seat capacity by 10% by cutting some midweek journeys. It has asked the US department for transportation for a special exemption from revealing the extent of its losses. (Guardian)
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Conservation group (Suffolk Preservation Society) wants end to overland stacking
Planes waiting to land at airports in the East of England should stack up over land, a conservation group has told a review of UK airspace. The Suffolk Preservation Society (SPS) said if planes need to stack whilst they wait to land, they should do so over the sea. (Suffolk Preservation Society press release)
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