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Latest news stories:
Belfast City Airport – Residents’ anger at airport plan
Another 3,000 flights a year are to be allowed in and out of the George Best Belfast City Airport, a residents' group has claimed. Belfast City Airport Watch says it will bring the number of flights to 48,000 per year. Spokesperson Fiona McKinley said the new figures were revealed in a draft document produced by the Department of the Environment. (BBC)
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(Belfast City) – Campaigners slam secrecy on airport flights increase
Currently, the Airport is allowed up to 45,000 flights a year. The new draft Planning Agreement permits this total to rise by 3,000 to 48,000. The 48,000 total will take account of flights by private jets and charter aircraft, which are not counted within the 45,000 limit. However, these account for no more than 1,400 flights a year at most – leaving the way clear for an additional 1,600 flights over the current upper threshold. (Belfast City Airport Watch)
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Global emissions trading scheme (GETS) can cut aviation and shipping emissions
The workings of a much needed Global Emissions Trading Scheme (GETS) for ships and planes have been proposed by Dr Terry Barker of Cambridge University and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. This comes in response to the IPCC last year stating that a suitable framework for effective mitigation policies has yet to be devised. (Tyndall Centre press release)
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Scotland – Hilton delegates shocked by the elephant in the room
A 5 metre high Giant Inflatable Elephant shocked delegates at the Edinburgh Caledonian Hilton today with a massive banner stating ’Aviation is the Elephant in the Room.’ The display took place outside a Hilton hosted conference that brings organisations and researchers together to discuss how to ‘deliver the national transport strategy whilst meeting… climate change targets’. (Plane Stupid Scotland)
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Tories to block third runway at Heathrow
David Cameron indicated that a Conservative government is likely to block a 3rd runway for Heathrow, as he criticised Gordon Brown for "pig-headedly" pressing ahead with the scheme. The Tory leader called on the government to make Heathrow "better, not bigger" and denied that the party was abandoning its green agenda. His objections to Heathrow were not just environmental and he said the economic value of transfer passengers is disputed. (Guardian)
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(Gloucester, Staverton) Airport says runway plan is vital
Bosses at Gloucestershire Airport have claimed jobs will go and revenue will drop if a development is blocked. They want permission to demolish two properties at each end of the runway to allow commercial traffic to continue operating within the safety guidelines. Opponents say the scheme will lengthen the runway, attracting more commercial planes and more noise and pollution. (BBC)
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Families face shocking rise in holiday costs as charges soar by hundreds of pounds
A growing number of tour operators are imposing surcharges of as much as 10% on holidays, blaming soaring fuel costs and the sliding value of the pound. There are fears that some families, whose budgets are already being squeezed by a range of rising prices, could be pushed into debt by a holiday. The power to demand a surcharge is buried in the small print of many holiday contracts and is separate from the fuel supplements being imposed by airlines. (Daily Mail)
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Government spin oils the wheels of airport expansion – says WWF
The impact of soaring oil prices on the UK economy will significantly reduce future air passenger numbers, bringing into question the need for airport expansion, according to new independent research released by WWF-UK today. The case for airport expansion, including the third runway at Heathrow, is based on the premise that there will be more air passengers in future than the UK's airports can currently handle. (WWF)
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PM faked the case for Heathrow third runway claims Cameron
David Cameron today accused the Government of faking the case for Heathrow's third runway for the sake of political point-scoring. He charged Gordon Brown with exaggerating economic benefits and betraying the environment. Cameron backed former BA chief Bob Ayling who has dismissed the key economic argument for the expansion plans, which revolve around using Heathrow as a giant hub to attract transfer flights. (Evening Standard)
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Protest over NATS flight path plans – Thursday 19th June
Campaigners against proposals to alter flight paths over Stevenage are marking the last day of the public consultation with a protest. Residents in Great Ashby are joining other campaigners from East Anglia and the South East in a protest in London on Thursday 19th against the new flight paths the National Air Traffic Control Services (NATS) are proposing to introduce. (Comet)
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Protests over Royal Mail Southampton Airport night flight plans
Royal Mail are making a controversial bid to introduce night flights at Southampton Airport. They want to divert their regular service into Bournemouth Airport for 6 months while work is carried out on the runway. However, the proposal has prompted a storm of protest and could be blocked by strict legal controls over night flying at Southampton, which were agreed years ago. (UK Airport News)
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Air New Zealand to test new plant oil biofuel (jatropha)
Air New Zealand is seeking regulatory approval to test a new biofuel, made from the jatropha plant, on a Boeing 747-400. The test flight is planned for the final quarter of this year. The jatropha, which (allegedly) grows 3 metres high in almost any soil conditions, produces berries containing 30pc-40pc oil. The jatropha oil for the test flight will be sourced from Africa and India, but (possibly) could be grown in New Zealand. (Telegraph)
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Ambitious Southend airport seeks cash injection
Southend airport has been put up for sale as the owners seek the financial backing needed to extend the runway and build a new terminal in time for the London Olympics. Work has already started on a new airport car park at Southend airport, and there are also plans to start work on a new airport hotel this spring. (Flightmapping)
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COMMUNITIES TO HOLD MINUTE’S SILENCE IN PROTEST AT AIR TRAFFIC CHANGES IN RURAL AREAS
Campaigners will declare Areas of Outstanding Natural Tranquillity. Communities across the areas affected by proposed changes to air traffic will hold a minute’s silence on June 12th at 12 noon to mark their protest against this threat to peaceful, rural life.
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The rise and fall of Stansted airport
The continued downward slide in the number of passengers using Stansted Airport has led campaign group Stop Stansted Expansion to call on BAA to scrap its misguided expansion plans for making the airport bigger than today's Heathrow with a second runway. Passenger numbers for the airport show a 4.4% reduction in Stansted passenger traffic for January to May 2008 compared with the same period last year. It now has no long haul services left. (SSE)
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Birmingham Airport claims expansion will benefit health
Birmingham International Airport published two reports today which it insists shows that far from harming the quality of life for local people, a planned £120 million runway extension will have an overall benefit on health and employment. The Liverpool university health impact study concludes the extension is not likely to result in "any meaningful health outcome" from changes in air quality. (Birmingham Post)
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Newmarket racehorses ‘under threat’ from Stansted expansion
Leading figures in Britain's horse racing industry are threatening to move their animals overseas because of plans for more than 400 aircraft a day to circle over their stud farms near Newmarket. NATS is proposing to create a new holding stack near Newmarket for aircraft queueing to land at Stansted. Newmarket is at present one of the most tranquil areas in East Anglia, has the largest concentration of stud farms in Europe. (Times)
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Police hold pensioners over Heathrow protest t-shirts
Three pensioners were subjected to a half-hour of police questioning – for wearing 'inflammatory’ t-shirts. They were also threatened with arrest after using Heathrow bus terminal to change buses on the way to the anti-expansion demonstration last weekend. The 71-year-olds were told that they had committed an offence in breach of ‘a by-law’. (UK Airport News)
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Faced with ever-rising oil prices, European airlines vent their anger at environment MEPs
Associations representing European airlines have queued up to condemn last week’s vote by the European Parliament’s Environment (ENVI) Committee to hold fast to its original proposals on the inclusion of aviation into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. Airlines have described the Committee’s strict position on allowances and capping as "punitive", whereas environmental campaigners have welcomed the vote. (Greenair online)
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Glasgow airport noise action plan
A draft Noise Action Plan has been drawn up for Glasgow Airport. It identifies areas where noise has the greatest impact on residents together with an action plan, and has been released for consultation in accordance with the Environmental Noise Directive. In September 2007 Glasgow published its Environmental Noise map. Consultation deadline 11th July 2008. (UK Airport News)
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Newquay – new group fights Newquay airport expansion
A new campaign group has been set up to fight the expansion of Newquay Airport. The group is angry about the environmental damage it says is caused by increasing numbers of flights and the economic investment from the airport's owner, Cornwall County Council. Stop Newquay Airport Expansion (Snaire) handed in a giant environmental ‘bill’ to Councillor Andrew Mitchell, demonstrating the environmental cost of the airport. (UK Airport News)
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Southend airport bidding ‘set to go three rounds’
London City Airport and the Reuben brothers have emerged as two of the four parties vying for control of Southend Airport, which has been put up for sale for £40m to £50m. Regional Airports (RAL), a private company owned by Andrew Walters - who also owns Biggin Hill - will announce this week that it has whittled down a shortlist of second-round bidders from seven to four. (UK Airport News)
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Thousands circle Heathrow to protest against proposed third runway
More than 3,000 protesters marched around Heathrow airport yesterday, campaigning against the proposed third runway. They marched with flags and banners, from Hatton Cross underground station to the leafy village of Sipson, which will be demolished in order to make way for the third runway. In Sipson they gathered at the recreational grounds to form a gigantic NO so that helicopters and aerial photographers could photograph the formation. (Times)
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Blackpool Airport – Fury over airport expansion
Residents are on the war path to fight radical plans for a 10-fold expansion of Blackpool Airport. People across Fylde are gathering ranks for a battle of "David and Goliath" over a plan to transform the airport into one of the biggest in the North West. An action group called ROAR (Residents Opposed to Airport Regime) was formed this week. The master plan expects passenger numbers to go from 350,000 last year to 4.3m in 2030. (Lytham St Annes Express)
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Bagby Airfield (Yorkshire) – ‘International Airport’ Concerns Are Dismissed
Villagers are campaigning to stop small Bagbury airfield becoming an international airport. Bagby Residents Against Airport Expansion (Braae) fear the public are oblivious to Bagby Airfield's plans to expand from 40 flights a week (around 2,000 per year) - to 5,000 a year. (Northern Echo)
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Thousands of protesters create gigantic NO sign in march against Heathrow expansion
3,000 protesters converged on Heathrow to say NO to airport expansion - and joined together to form a massive NO sign visible from passing aircraft. The demonstrators walked from Hatton Cross to Sipson - the village that will be lost if plans for a third runway at Heathrow go ahead. The Archbishop of Canterbury sent a message of support to the demonstrators and Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London, also addressed the march. (Daily Mail)
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Wind turbines approved despite Newcastle Airport objection
Local planners are set to confirm their decision to approve seven massive wind turbines on the Northumberland coastline – despite fears that the structures pose a potential risk to aircraft safety. Wansbeck Council has taken expert legal advice which has concluded that it does not need to reconsider the application to erect the giant turbines along Blyth Harbour. (UK Airport News)
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Southend Airport 1.9m passengers per year target
Southend Airport could learn from the the success of Southampton Airport, which now has more than 1.9m passengers a year, its managing director says. Alistair Welch spoke of his hopes for expansion once the deal was finalised at the end of June. The airport is reported to have a £50million price tag. (UK Airport News)
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US Senate Airmed Services Committee votes that US military cannot use biofuel, due to price
The Senate Armed Services Committee voted on May 24 to prohibit the US military from buying biofuel. This is only because it is more expensive than conventional fuels. There had been much hope by the American biofuels industry that the US military would be an early adopting large customer, and get them going. The committee’s majority also voted to stop the Department of Defense from building its own biofuel refinery. However, United Airlines, Boeing, and UOP (part of Honeywell) have joined with the Chicago Department of Aviation and the Clean Energy Trust to form MASBI, the the Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuels Initiative, They plan to "unlock the Midwest’s economic potential for advanced biofuels " etc etc. probably from crops. No mention of not competing with food etc, just creating jobs.
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Aircraft improvements likely to be “insignificant until 2045”
Improvements in aircraft efficiency will not dramatically affect the all-round environmental performance of the German air fleet until after 2045, according to a new study for the German environment ministry. The study concludes that although more efficient engine features are now available, improvements beyond 10% are not in sight. Fuel efficiency goals cannot be achieved simultaneously with improvements in NO2 and aircraft noise emissions. (ENDS)
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Oxford Airport business aviation centre set for summer launch
Businesses in the Oxford-Milton Keynes-Northampton arc are promised greatly improved transport linkages when Oxford Airport completes construction of a brand new business aviation centre this summer. The new facility replaces the existing general aviation facility. Oxford Airport has the capacity to handle up to 160,000 movements a year. In 2007, it only saw 50,000. (UK Airport News)
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MPs call for personal carbon allowance
Britain should consider giving individuals a personal carbon emissions allowance in order to help the country meet its CO2 emissions target, a report by Parliament's Environmental Audit Committee of MPs has said. Government has to reduce carbon emissions from individuals and households, if it was to cut CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050 as planned and a personal carbon allowancewould be more effective and fairer than bringing in "green" taxes. (Reuters)
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Does London need a bigger Heathrow? – Evening Standard debate between Ruth Kelly and George Monbiot
Ruth Kelly has come under fire over the expansion of Heathrow and been accused of "extreme moral cowardice" over the controversial plans. The Transport Secretary was slammed by angry Londoners and panellists at the Evening Standard debate on 22nd May on whether London needs a bigger Heathrow.
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Cargo plane breaks in two after crashing during take-off in Brussels
An American-owned Boeing 747 cargo plane crashed as it took off from Brussels airport yesterday but no injuries were reported. The jumbo jet broke in two in the crash as it came to rest at the end of the runway 500m from housing in the Brussels suburb of Zaventem. Some local residents have been campaigning to have this particular runway closed. (Irish Examiner)
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Night flight councils lose High Court battle
Three councils (Richmond and Wandsworth councils, and Windsor and Maidenhead)have lost their High Court claim that the government did not deal with the intrusive effects of aircraft noise at Heathrow at night. The councils had challenged ministers' pronouncements on noise levels and wanted judges to overrule decisions on which type of plane, and how many, could land before 0600 BST. High Court said the issues had been dealt with three years ago. (BBC)
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Plea to Government after High Court noise ruling
A plea to the Government to clarify its attitude on aircraft noise was made by Richmond Council after the High Court ruled that the Transport Secretary was under no obligation to improve conditions for residents woken up by early morning arrivals at Heathrow. Mr Justice Sullivan said that while the Government had a policy of bearing down on night noise this did not necessarily mean that it had to make things better, and the policy was "vacuous." (Richmond)
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Llanbedr – Lawyers review Snowdonia airfield
Plans for an aerodrome in Snowdonia have been delayed as details relating to its lease are reviewed by lawyers. Law experts for the assembly government are looking at the lease documents of Llanbedr airfield. Operators Kemble Air Services want to take over the old military airfield near Harlech, Gwynedd on a 125 year lease for private light aircraft. (BBC)
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Birds eggs destroyed over Belfast City Airport plane fears
Bird eggs are being destroyed at Victoria Park in east Belfast by the Environment and Heritage Service over fears that the hatchlings could affect flights at Belfast City Airport. The Canadian and greylag geese eggs nesting in the park alongside the runway. There were apparently 16 bird-strikes last year. (UK Airport News)
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Cambridgeshire Council slams NATS air stack plans
The consultation on plans to stack thousands of aircraft over towns and villages in Cambridgeshire has been slammed as ‘flawed’. Cambridgeshire County Council said NATS has failed to carry out ‘any proper consultation whatsoever’ on proposals to replace the existing two stacks serving Luton and Stansted Airport. It has also underestimated how many people could be affected by increased aircraft noise. (UK Airport News)
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Heathrow noise effects ‘ignored’
Three councils (Richmond and Wandsworth councils and Windsor & Maidenhead) are at the High Court, taking legal action to get the DfT to reconsider which type of plane, and how many, can land before 0600 BST. They accuse the DfT of unlawfully failing to act after it was discovered three years ago that some early arrival planes had been placed in the wrong noise category - so government did not protect residents from excessive noise at night. (BBC)
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Government looks set to back Heathrow mixed mode
Ministers are set to back increasing the use of Heathrow's runways to deal with delays. Currently, the airport's 2 runways are used alternately for take-offs and landings, changing at 3pm each day, to allow residents in different areas a break from aircraft noise. But the Government is supporting "mixed-mode" operations - take-offs and landings on both runways - to deal with peak demand and delays at the airport. (UK Airport News)
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Sustainable Development Commission / IPPR Report: Breaking the Holding Pattern
The Sustainable Develoment Commission and the Institute for Public Policy Research have published recommendations for a new approach to aviation policymaking in the UK based on a finding that there is widespread controversy over the basic economic, environmental and technological data on air travel. AEF Director, Tim Johnson, said: "Today’s recommendations from IPPR/SDC highlight the need for Government to put its aviation expansion plans on hold".
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Put UK airport expansion on hold, demands green group, the Sustainable Development Commission
The government should completely rethink its aviation policy and shelve plans to expand Heathrow and Stansted airports, according to an influential advisory body, the Sustainable Development Commission. It warned that the government faced a wave of legal challenges if it did not hold an independent review of its 2003 aviation white paper, which sanctioned new runways at Heathrow, Stansted and other airports. (Guardian)
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Expansion of Heathrow backed by Ministers
Ministers underlined their support for the future development of Heathrow airport despite growing opposition to plans to build a 3rd runway and a 6th terminal. The government was responding to a recent report issued by the Commons transport select committee, which said Heathrow was losing its popularity as a transit hub to other European airports.
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Bangkok, Thailand – Aircraft noise trial a failure
During a recent one-month experiment, pilots of Thai Airways International were asked to fly to a height of 1,000 feet and reduce engine thrust before climbing to 3,000 feet, to reduce noise on the ground. However it was found that the noise level fell by only one to two decibels, which was not enough to help nearby residents, so planes will continue to climb as before (Bangkok Post).
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BA Flight 26 – the way two million Londoners start the day
Imagine a Boeing 747-400 filled with 400 people audibly passing over the heads of, according to DfT figures, an estimated 2 million people at around 5am each morning. That is the BA Flight 26, the first scheduled flight of the day to land at Heathrow airport - the first of an average 15 further flights legally allowed to land at Heathrow before 6am. Tomorrow 4 borough councils will take their bid to stop night flights to the high court. (Guardian)
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Three councils mount legal challenge to curb night-time noise
A High Court challenge is being mounted next week by 3 boroughs as part of a continuing drive to ban night-flights at Heathrow. Richmond, Wandsworth and Windsor & Maidenhead Councils contend that the current night-flights regime is illegal as some of the flights are noisier than are allowed by the Government’s own rules. The three authorities will put their case before Mr Justice Sullivan at a Judicial Review in the High Court, starting on Tuesday May 20th.
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WWF-UK launches Travelling Light on how British business can reduce flying
WWF today launched "Travelling Light", a report into the appetite of British business to reduce its flying, with a focus on the possibilities of 'virtual meetings' through videoconferencing. The report also serves to launch WWF-UK's campaign "One in Five" for companies to cut one in five business flights, over five years. (WWF)
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Businesses cut flights by staff
Many businesses are seeking to reduce the number of flights taken by staff as a way of reducing carbon emissions, according to a report by WWF-UK. A survey of 100 companies in the FTSE 350 index shows that 89% are expecting to cut flights during the next 10 years and 85% regard video conferencing as a way to reduce travel. (Financial Times)
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Wildlife populations ‘plummeting’
Between a quarter and a third of the world's wildlife has been lost since 1970, according to data compiled by the Zoological Society of London. Populations of land-based species fell by 25%, marine by 28% and freshwater by 29%. Humans are wiping out about 1% of all other species every year. WWF said that over the next 30 years, climate change was also expected to become a significant threat to species, and this will affect human welfare. (BBC)
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DEFRA Noise Maps show noise in 23 UK urban areas
Residents in 23 towns and cities in the UK are to be given the chance to monitor noise levels in their area using interactive maps. The maps show noise from road and rail networks in the areas. The mapping process was carried out during 2006 and 2007 and incorporated the noise maps produced for the 18 English airports that were published in December last year. (BBC)
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European Union and Unites States begin new ‘Open Skies’ aviation talks
The EU and the US aunched talks on Thursday on liberalizing transatlantic aviation, with Britain pushing for greater freedoms but US politicians likely to oppose further movement. The second round of "Open Skies" discussions builds on an agreement that allows airlines to access any US city from any point in the EU and vice versa and which entered force in March. (AirWise)
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Policing costs threaten airports’ viability
Plans to make all UK airports pay for additional policing risk increasing costs for passengers and threaten the financial viability of the industry, operators warned. A transport security bill will mean that current regulations, under which only 9 major airports pay for policing, will be extended throughout the sector to cover a total of more than 60 regional airports, following recommendations of a review of policing. (Financial Times)
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Bristol Airport – first blood in fight to stop airport walkway
Campaigners fighting to prevent the expansion of Bristol Airport have won the first round of their fight to stop a covered walkway being built. The airport wanted to build the 2-storey structure, leading from the terminal to the edge of the runway, under permitted development rights, without submitting a formal planning application. Councillors from North Somerset Council have agreed that the walkway wouldn't be allowed without their permission.(Bristol Evening News)
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London City Airport (LCA) could be operating illegally – say Fight the Flights
London City Airport could be operating illegally. LCA have failed to submit actual noise readings of aircraft operations since the year 2000, instead using historical figures and manufacturers details in their application for more flights. Fight the Flights have seen documents which indicate that London City Airport could have been operating illegally since the year 2000., in not submitting annual "actual" noise measurements. (Fight the Flights)
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Heathrow transit passengers cost taxman £500m a year in lost revenue
More than a quarter of passengers at Heathrow are overseas travellers who are stopping only briefly to change planes. The number of international transfer passengers at Heathrow has trebled since 1991 to 18 million a year, and is expected to be double that by 2030. This costs the Treasury millions in lost potential revenue because transfer passengers do not pay air passenger duty. (Times)
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Heathrow crash plane had low fuel pressure
The plane that crash-landed at Heathrow last winter had low fuel pressure at the inlet to the fuel pumps, an interim accident report claimed yesterday. The British Airways Boeing 777 came down before the runway because the engines lacked power. The onboard computers detected the reduced fuel flow between the tanks and the high-pressure pumps and instructed the metering valve to open fully. (Metro)
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Heathrow airport passes 70m passenger per year milestone – its most ever
Due to a surge of passengers going away for Easter, Heathrow has had its highest ever number of passengers in the rolling year. This March, its passengers were up 6.9% above March 2011. (BAA's passengers overall were up 4% above March 2011). This has been achieved partly by getting planes fuller (load factor) and by larger planes with more passengers. Some of the traffic has come from Stansted. Emirates and Singapore Airlines are using more of the largest planes, the A380, in order to get more passengers using each take off and landing slot. Singaport Airlines now operates 2 A380s per day to Heathrow, and will increase that to 3 in June - increasing capacity by 17%.
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Chinese plane business – China Commercial Aircraft – gets wings
China has launched a new commercial plane maker which it hopes will one day compete with the likes of Boeing and Airbus, state media have reported. China Commercial Aircraft will aim to develop regional aircraft able to carry more than 150 passengers. The Shanghai firm is backed by state and regional governments. Beijing is keen to develop its own large-scale aviation capacity to reduce its reliance on Airbus and Boeing, as domestic demand soars. (BBC)
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Legal action threat over Llanbedr airport
Opponents of a plan for a commercial airport in Snowdonia are considering legal action to try to halt it. Snowdonia Society director, Alun Pugh, says it will seriously consider asking for a judicial review, as the Welsh Assembly Government has not produced evidence it has met all its legal requirements. The three Welsh national park societies have joined forces against the scheme. (BBC)
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Protest over change in air routes (Luton)
A protest has been held in the village of Caddington, near Luton, over plans to change aircraft routes in and out of Luton airport. The residents Caddington and Slip End in Bedfordshire say they will have to put up with more flights and noise and aircraft flying over their homes every four minutes. NATS says the changes will benefit people across the region. (BBC)
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5th June for BA’s Heathrow Terminal 5 long-haul flights
British Airways will start transferring its Heathrow long-haul flights to the new Terminal 5 (T5) on 5 June. BA and BAA said 8 long-haul flights, including services to New York, will move from Terminal 4 to T5 on that day, and the rest of the flights will be transferred in phases. Also, BA is looking for a new operations supremo to replace the two directors sackes. (Independent)
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Council to join Luton Airport flightpath fight
Luton Borough Council is set to lobby against proposals for new flight paths at Luton Airport, which will adversely affect people living in Luton and surrounding villages. If the changes are given the green light by the CAA, an extra 5300 people living in Caddington, Slip End, Woodside and South Luton will be within a new 'noise contour', (UK Airport News)
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BAA shareholders contribute £400m to refinancing
BAA'S three shareholders have been forced to inject £400m of fresh funds to get the much-delayed £10bn refinancing of the airport operator off the ground. The cash injection is the price demanded by the lending banks and credit agencies to ensure that the new debt structure achieves a utility-style investment grade rating, spanning single A to BBB.
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EasyJet to raise fares after fuel costs lead to £57m first-half loss
EasyJet sounded the death knell for the era of low-cost air travel as it revealed that first-half losses quadrupled due to the record price of oil. EasyJet said that they would raise its one-way fares – currently averaging about £50 – by nearly 10%, or about £4, if the price of oil remained buoyant. This would be in addition to an array of optional charges, for luggage or priority boarding etc, introduced to offset its fuel bill. (Independent)
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EXTENSION TO NATS FLIGHT PATHS CONSULTATION POINTLESS UNLESS QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED
In welcoming the decision by NATS to extend the consultation period for the proposed new flight paths by 4 weeks SSE has warned that the extension will be pointless unless vital gaps in the information so far provided by are rapidly remedied by NATS. In particular, SSE is concerned that the consultation fails to offer any explanation for NATS preferred options or to provide any substantive information on the other options considered. (SSE)
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NATS Terminal Control North Airspace consultation extended by 4 weeks – to 19th June
The consultation by NATS, the UK's leading air traffic management company, on proposals to redraw the aircraft route map across a large area of south-east England has been extended by four weeks. The consultation had been due to end on May 22, but will now close on June 19, giving primary stakeholders and members of the public an extra month to consider their views and submit them. (NATS)
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Archbishop is backing Heathrow demo and risking wrath of PM
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is backing the mass demonstration against a third runway at Heathrow, on 31st May, putting him on a collision course with Gordon Brown and risking the wrath of Downning Street. Dr Williams, who has almost given up taking flights, will write a letter of support to be read out at the march. He will not attend because of other commitments. (Evening Standard)
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Wales air link is good value say Welsh Assembly Government
Taxpayers have paid more than £80 in subsidy for every passenger who used the new air link between Anglesey and the Vale of Glamorgan in its first year. The subsidy is double the average fare on the service. Flight operator Highland Airways receives £800,000 a year from the Welsh Assembly. FoE said the subsidy per passenger is excessive and they want to see subsidy going to the north-south rail service, where improvements are needed. (Western Mail)
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Llanbedr – Anger over plan for commercial flights at wartime airfield near Snowdonia
An abandoned military airfield may be turned into a commercial airport, and campaigners fear the droning of aircraft will soon destroy the peace in this corner of protected Welsh countryside, in Snowdonia National Park. The Welsh government has sold the land for commercial use to Kemble Air Services for pleasure flights over the park and flying lessons. (Independent)
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EU to allow sale of airport slots
The European Commission has adopted a document that opens the door for airlines to trade take-off and landing slots among themselves for the first time, in a bid to overcome growing capacity constraints in Europe's crowded airports. Previous legislation only allows for slots to be exchanged "one for one between air carriers," "without monetary compensation". (Euractiv)
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Ryanair increases travel charges
Ryanair is to increase its check-in charges by £1 to £4 per passenger and by £2 to £8 per bag from 6th May to try and reduce its airport costs. Ryanair is encouraging travellers to check-in online and take only hand luggage. Many Ryanair passengers will find that they pay more in taxes, fees and charges than for the flight itself. (BBC)
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Balfour Beatty pays £14m for Blackpool airport
Balfour Beatty has paid £14m to acquire a 95% stake in Blackpool airport. The seller was Mar Properties, a Northern Ireland-based property developer. The minority shareholder, Blackpool Borough Council, is supportive of the change. In January 2007 Balfour paid £60m for Exeter Airport. Blackpool airport’s users include Jet2.com, Ryanair and Manx2.com. (Contract Journal)
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Airline emissions ‘far higher than previous estimates’
The aviation industry's failure to curb its soaring carbon emissions could lead to the "worst case scenario" for climate change, as envisaged by the United Nations. An unpublished study has revealed that airlines are pumping 20% more CO2 into the atmosphere than estimates suggest, with total emissions set to reach between 1.2 billion and 1.5 billion tonnes annually by 2025. (Independent)
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Oil hits $120 a barrel milestone
The price of a barrel of oil has risen above $120 for the first time, driven by concerns about the situations in Nigeria and northern Iraq. In Northern Iraq, Turkish forces have renewed cross-border raids against Kurdish insurgents. Meanwhile in Nigeria, rebels have attacked oil wells and pipelines which feed an export terminal. (BBC)
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Planes over Chilterns would be a ‘safety risk’
Proposed changes to flight paths that would result in planes flying at low altitude over The Chilterns pose a significant safety risk, the county council's cabinet member for strategic planning has warned. The council would press NATS to look again at the need for planes to fly at low altitudes of 3500 to 5000ft across The Chilterns. (UK Airport News)
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Newmarket Council raise Stansted flightpath concerns
Newmarket Town Council has backed the growing campaign against proposals which could see planes waiting to land at Stansted Airport ‘stacked’ over some of the town's most important stud land. At a meeting last week, town councillors agreed to submit an objection to the NATS plan, which could see planes put in a holding position close to Newmarket. (UK Airport News)
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The impact of soaring fuel costs will dominate easyJet's interim results on Wednesday, with the airline's guidance on outlook and fuel costs seen as a key indication of how the aviation industry is coping with record oil prices. It has revealed a potential £45 million hike in fuel costs last month. (UK Airport News)
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Munich Airport
Munich Airport - some information and news
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Ferrovial put Belfast City airport on the block
Ferrovial is preparing to sell Belfast City airport. They are understood to have appointed KPMG to run an auction of the airport, named after Northern Irish football star George Best and valued at about £100m. Interest has been shown from Bridgepoint, HG Capital and Balfour Beatty, among others. (Sunday Times)
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