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For a daily compilation of UK articles on national and regional transport issues, see Transportinfo.org.uk | For more stories about specific airports see Aviation Environment Federation Transport & Environment Anna Aero TravelMole Press releases from CAA IATA BA Ryanair easyJet Jet2.com For climate change ECEEE news and Guardian Climate and NoAA monthly analysisCheck Hansard for reports on Parliament |
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Latest news stories:
£20 charge to drop off passengers at Heathrow airport
Drivers taking passengers to Heathrow face a £40 charge under secret plans being drawn up by the airport operator, the Standard can reveal. BAA wants to charge a £20 fee for dropping off passengers by car - on top of a daily parking fee of £20. The airport operator is also looking at a £3 congestion charge fee for lorries using roads around the airport, including the M4. (Evening Standard)
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BA jumbo flies 6,000 miles (and burns 5,400 carloads of fuel) with all its 300 seats empty
British Airways has sparked an environmental row by flying a jumbo jet 6,000 miles to Hong Kong without a single passenger on board. The Boeing 747 made the 11-hour trip manned by just four flightdeck crew, while all 300 seats behind them remained empty. (Mail on Sunday) During its journey from Heathrow, BA Flight 0027 burned a massive 140 tons of fuel – the equivalent of filling 5,400 family-sized cars – and emitted 329 tons of CO2.
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Shielding flag carriers ‘is killing airlines’
Governments shielding their national flag carriers are "killing" the aviation industry, the head of the IATA - Giovanni Bisignani - has warned. He said that protectionist attitudes towards flag carriers were exacerbating the downturn. Airlines raised capacity by buying aircraft but now struggle to fill them. (Guardiann)
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CAA wants shake-up of regulatory powers
Britain's aviation regulator will today add its voice to those clamouring for an overhaul of the regulatory system governing the nation's airports. The CAA will tell the Competition Commission that there is "a clear case for regulatory reform". (Telegraph)
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Second runway at Stansted ‘would put unbearable strain on services’
Plans to double the size of the UK's third busiest airport are to face opposition from six local authorities representing 3.2 million people. A second runway at Stansted would put "unbearable strain" on local services, according to authorities in Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire which pledged to "vigorously campaign" against a proposed expansion announced last week by the airport operator BAA. (Independent)
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At-a-glance: Heathrow’s rivals (Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Paris) compared
Those in favour of a 3rd runway and 6th terminal at Heathrow often cite expansion as the only way the world's busiest international airport can continue to compete with its rivals on the European continent. BAA argue that unless its infrastructure is upgraded it will fall behind the airports of Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris. (BBC)
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Farnborough Airport allowed to double weekend flights
The operator of Farnborough Airport, TAG Aviation, has won its planning battle to double the number of weekend flights at the airport. The Government has made its decision. The airport can now accept up to 5,000 take-offs and landings at weekends a year – twice the previous allowed total of 2,500. (Farnborough News and Mail)
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Hounslow Council says public consultation ‘fix’ prompts call for inquiry
Hounslow Council has backed urgent calls to investigate claims that BAA colluded with the Government to "fix" the recent public consultation into its plans to expand Heathrow. The storm over the alleged collusion sparked off just as Heathrow Airport enters a momentous fortnight of unprecedented expansion. (This is Local London)
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Llanbedr Airfield near Harlech – Airfield takeover by private firm
A former military airfield, Llanbedr Airfield near Harlech, within the Snowdonia National Park is to be taken over by a private company. The new operators already run Kemble Airport near Cirencester in the Cotswolds. The airfield has been offered on a 125 year lease by the Welsh Assembly Government, who acquired it in 2006. (BBC) The airfield was built in 1938 and was used during World War II. It was closed in 2004.
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Continental Airlines, Boeing and GE Aviation Announce Plans for “Sustainable” Biofuels Flight Demonstration
HOUSTON - Continental Airlines, Boeing, and GE Aviation announced plans to conduct a biofuels demonstration flight in the first half of 2009 in an effort to identify sustainable fuel solutions for the aviation industry. They want "sustainable biofuels produced through advanced biomass conversion technologies and processes that have the potential to reduce greenhouse gases throughout their lifecycle". (Continental Airlines)
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Councils take legal action on night flights
Three local authorities are to take the government to the high court in an attempt to stop night flights which they claim break noise regulations. Richmond, Wandsworth, and Windsor & Maidenhead councils claim that the transport secretary, Ruth Kelly, is "failing in her duty to protect residents from excessive night noise". (Guardian)
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BAA to raise airport landing fees at Heathrow and Gatwick
Air passengers will face a rise in ticket prices of about £2 after new landing charges for Heathrow and Gatwick airports were announced. The CAA has allowed BAA to lift its fees to pay for better facilities and more stringent security measures. Charges can rise by 23.5% at Heathrow in the year 2008/2009, and increase by 21% at Gatwick, the CAA said. (BBC)
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Carlisle – Stobart set to take over airport
Transkport giant Eddie Stobart is poised to take over Carlisle Airport as part of a series of deals worth £97.5m. Stobart Group is also set to buy city-based civil engineering firm WA Developments and one of its haulage rivals. Executives have also secured an option to buy Carlisle Airport – also owned by Mr Tinkler and Mr Stobart – within the next three months for up to £15m. (News & Star)
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Plan for Stansted runway unveiled
A controversial planning application to build a second runway at Stansted Airport has been unveiled. BAA wants to double the size of the Essex airport. If approved, the plans would see the new runway and the new terminal built by 2015, and serving 68 million passengers a year by 2030. BAA said the development would create jobs and boost the economy but opponents say it would ruin unspoilt countryside. (BBC)
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BAA raises £545m as duty-free chain is sold to Autogrill
BAA is selling a chain of 58 duty-free shops - World Duty Free - to Italy’s Autogrill in a £545 million deal. BAA has been looking to sell non-core assets as it struggles under the strain of £9 billion of debt. Ferrovial’s annual results last month showed that BAA’s £1.04 billion of operating cashflow is insufficient to cover an £824 million interest bill and fund a £1 billion-a-year capital expenditure programme. (Times)
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Travellers ignore pleas to curb air travel amid growing stampede for long-haul mini-breaks
Holidaymakers are taking more "indulgent" long-haul mini-breaks than ever before. Despite recommendations that they holiday closer to home, the number of Britons flying thousands of miles to spend less than a week in far-flung destinations was 3.7 million last year - and rising - according to a survey by Halifax. (Independent)
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Vatican lists the ‘new sins’
Thou shalt not pollute the Earth. Thou shalt beware genetic manipulation. Modern times bring with them modern sins. So the Vatican has told the faithful that they should be aware of "new" sins such as causing environmental blight. According to Archbishop Gianfranco Girotti, the Vatican's number two man. (Independent)
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Evidence fix led to third runway being approved
In the effort to push through the third runway, the government and BAA have bent the facts to fit the case. The joint endeavours of the government and BAA claimed to prove that a new airport the size of Gatwick could be bolted on to Heathrow without any adverse environmental impact. The new disclosures will raise questions over the forthcoming decision on the third runway. (Times)
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Virgin’s green idea loses its pulling power
Virgin Atlantic has quietly abandoned a plan to tow Boeing 747 jumbo jets to special "starting grids" at the end of runways after the aircraft manufacturer found that pulling the landing gear would seriously weaken it. It was sold to airline passengers as a bold, green initiative that would save thousands of tonnes of CO2 from their flights. (Times)
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Revealed: the plot to expand Heathrow
BAA colluded with government officials to "fix" the evidence in favour of a new third runway at Heathrow, an investigation has found. Documents reveal that BAA executives prevented the use of data in the consultation document which showed that the expansion would cause unlawful levels of pollution and extra noise. (Sunday Times) Instead, they gave civil servants amended data that showed the anticipated 230,000 extra flights a year at Heathrow would have a minimal impact on noise and pollution levels.
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Carlisle City Council’s Development Control committee will discuss Carlisle airport’s application on 28 March.
A special planning meeting to discuss the Carlisle Airport planning application was announced on 6 March 2008. Carlisle City Council’s Development Control committee will meet to discuss the application on Friday, 28 March. The City Council has been endeavouring to ensure that all the necessary information is received from the applicant and consultees. (Carlisle City Council)
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Exeter Airport – Clear Plan for Growth (Master plan soon)
Over £124m of investment has been earmarked for Exeter airport. The forthcoming Master Plan will set a clear plan for growth and confirm Exeter as the airport of choice for the region and the principle gateway for Devon and Cornwall. The aiport hopes to see a growth in passenger usage from its current 1 million passengers per year to an estimated 1.9m passengers by 2015 and 3.3m by 2030. (Exeter Airport website)
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Ensuring limited organic air freight is fair and ethical – Soil Association
Following an extensive first round consultation on the issue of air freight – lasting 4 months, receiving nearly 400 responses – the Soil Association’s Standards Board recommended that the organisation’s standards should be changed so that organic produce can only be air-freighted if it also meets the Soil Association’s own Ethical Trade or the Fairtrade Foundation’s standard. (Soil Association)
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Birmingham Airport backs Brazilian rainforest project
A corner of a Brazilian rainforest will be forever Birmingham after the airport invested £20,000 to protect 180 acres of endangered forest. Birmingham Airport has spent the money to both protect the trees and lock away nearly 50,000 tonnes of CO2. (* However, this amounts to the emissions of just a few % of the planes using the airport annually). (from Cheap Flights)
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Trans-Atlantic flight arrives in London with just FIVE passengers on board
American Airlines sent a plane on a 4,000-mile journey (Chicago to Heathrow)with just 5 passengers on board. With enough room to fit 245 passengers, the flight made the 9-hour trip on 22,000 gallons of fuel - a total of 4,400 gallons per passenger. Each passenger on the plane had a massive carbon footprint of 43.2 tonnes of CO2. (Daily Mail)
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Application for second Stansted runway expected next week
BAA is expected to open a new front in the battle over airport expansion next week by lodging a formal planning application for a £2.7bn second runway at Stansted Airport, as early as Tuesday 11th. Uttlesford district council, the local authority charged with processing the application, is expected to refer BAA's plans to a public consultation. (Guardian)
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Transport tickets should show carbon footprint, says report
Plane and train tickets should reveal the environmental impact of individual journeys by stating the carbon emissions released on each trip. The Institute of Mechanical Engineers said branding tickets according to their green credentials should be one of a series of measures the government should adopt, so that having a large carbon footprint became "as socially unacceptable as drink-driving". (Guardian)
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Land deal could bring longer runway to Nottingham City Airport
The city council has sold land to Nottingham City Airport - a deal that lets bosses there move forward on plans for a £30m business park and runway extension. Changes could see bigger planes use the site - but owners insist it will not mean more noise for neighbours. (Nottingham Evening News)
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Gloucester Scrutiny sees sense over Staverton airport
Protesters held a candelit vigil for common sense before the Gloucester City Council Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee meeting last night. They were delighted that the committees recommendation was not to support plans to expand Staverton Airport. (Gloucester Green Party)
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Cardiff Airport – Holiday flights flourish but none fly to business hotspot
Fewer people are now flying from Cardiff to France, knocking France out of the top 10 international destinations from Cardiff airport – below Portugal, Turkey, Cyprus, the Czech Republic and the US. Spain continued to dominate the airport’s international business, the Welsh Assembly Government’s 2007 digest of air transport statistics has revealed. (Western Mail, Wales)
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Did the Standard tell the truth about the Heathrow climate change camp?
Tomorrow the Press Complaints Commission, Britain's only arbiter of fairness and accuracy in our newspapers, is due to make a ruling on the reporting by the Evening Standard of the Climate Camp at Heathrow in August 2007. The PCC has only made a formal adjudication on 1.6% of cases put to it in the last 10 years. (George Monbiot - Guardian)
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Kelly rejects proposals to limit air travel
Ruth Kelly, the transport secretary, firmly rejected proposals to ration air travel "crudely" by halting airport expansion or imposing punitive taxes. In spite of a groundswell of opposition to a 3rd runway and 6th terminal at Heathrow, Ms Kelly underlined ministers’ support for "sustainable growth of aviation". (Financial Times)
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National Trust speaks out against Heathrow expansion
In its submission to the consultation the National Trust has expressed concerns about the potential climate change impacts of expanding Heathrow airport, the lack of a clear economic case for expansion, and that the quality of some of the most precious green spaces across large areas of London and the South East will be under threat from the proposals. (National Trust)
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Beyond Crews Control – shortage of pilots for Chinese air freight
A shortage of pilots is tripping up freighter expansion plans in Asia, and many believe the airlines' new capacity is going to get worse. In Asia, where countries have seen an upheaval in trading patterns in recent years, finding pilots has emerged as one of they toughest issues for start-ups as well as incumbent airlines. (Air Cargo News)
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Britons named world’s biggest emitters of CO2 from air travel
Britons produce more carbon emissions from air travel per head than any other country, a study reveals, (10th Oct 2007) citing the country's predilection for low-cost airlines as a major factor. The average carbon emission for each British flyer was 603kg (1329lb) a year, more than Ireland in second place and more than double that of the US at 275kg, in third place. (Guardian)
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Leeds Bradford – Protest over Yorkshire airports
Climate change campaigners from flood affected areas in Yorkshire have launched a protest against airport expansion. Fifteen people blockaded the entrance to government offices on City Walk, Leeds, demonstrating over aviation growth that is linked to flooding. (UK Airport News)
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London is out of airspace – CAA and NATS comment 2007 on ATWP 2006 expansion plans
A new swathe of residential areas could be blighted by aircraft noise and pollution for the first time after regulators warned there is not enough airspace to cope with airport expansion in southeast England. The CAA and NATS say expansion in the southeast would not leave sufficient airspace capacity. (Sunday Times)
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A revolution in the skies… a disaster for the planet
Cheap flights. More flights. Multiplying routes. At the end of a week that has seen protests against airport expansion, predictions of further airport chaos, and record oil prices, British travellers are showing no sign of shaking off their addiction to CO2-heavy cheap flights. A record number of new air links will open from the UK to Europe this summer. (Independent)
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CE Delft report on the economics of Heathrow – short summary
The Department for Transport recently held a consultation into its proposals to expand Heathrow. The main reason the Department gave to support the expansion was that it was essential for the continued success of the London economy. HACAN commissioned a study, by CE Delft, into the economic benefits of Heathrow, and this is a one page summary of its findings.
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Stansted – SSE condemns false pollution data provided by BAA to public inquiry
Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) has written to the Government Minister with lead responsibility for determining the outcome of BAA's planning application for increased throughput on the existing runway condemning BAA for making false claims at last year's Public Inquiry. The airport operator has admitted that pollution impacts of its plans would be far more serious than it originally claimed. (SSE)
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We will keep on fighting say Commons protesters
Activists who climbed onto the House of Commons roof insisted their protest was to "protect the lives of millions". The five protesters revealed they would not be deterred and were planning more direct action.
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Fortnight holidays are dying out, says Holiday Inn
Just over half of the 5,000 Brits who took part in a Holiday Inn poll said they definitely would not be going on a two-week summer holiday this year. Instead, the average family now takes approximately 4 short breaks a year. Some 72% now believe that shorter breaks are a more affordable way of treating the family. The poll also found that 15% of people can't stand flying to faraway destinations. (Travel Mole)
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Transport Committee hears from CAA and Manchester Airports Group
House of Commons Transport Committee - oral evidence on Freight. Session on 27th February dealt with air freight, with the CAA and Manchester Airports giving evidence. Audio only. (House of Commons)
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Transport Committee hears from CAA and Manchester Airports Group on air freight
The House of Commons Transport Committee discussed air freight on 27th February, and considered whether the government's approach to air freight was appropriate. Only CAA and Manchester Airports Group gave evidence. (House of Commons)
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Campaign group claims Government’s economic case for Heathrow is flawed
HACAN claimed the Government’s economic case for Heathrow is flawed, a day after almost 3,000 people attended the Westminster protest rally. The new paper, compiled by AirportWatch's Aviation Economic Group, has identified over 20 serious flaws in the Government’s economic case. (HACAN Press Release)
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Leeds Bradford Airport expansion plans – to double the number of passengers to 7 million by 2015.
Expansion plans will be on the agenda at a public meeting organised for people living near Leeds Bradford Airport. The public meeting at 7.30 on March 6th at Yeadon Cricket Club, has been organised by Yeadon Labour Party. Airport director of operations Peter Willis will speak at the meeting about proposals to double the number of passengers to 7 million by 2015.
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Runway protesters Plane Stupid take to roof of parliament
Protesters demonstrating against plans for a third runway at Heathrow airport today staged a demonstration on the roof of the Houses of Parliament. The five activists, from the campaign group Plane Stupid, had unfurled two huge banners, one saying "No third runway", and the other, "BAA HQ", in a reference to the airport's operator. (Guardian)
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327 baggage handling jobs to go at Manchester Airport
327 baggage handlers are to be made redundant at Manchester Airport after bosses decided to close their in house ground services firm. Talks had been underway to try to save some of the jobs at airport owned Ringway Handling Services after airport chiefs said the company was making a loss in a `fiercely competitive market'. (UK Airport News)
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Beijing to open Norman Foster airport terminal – world’s largest
Beijing's Capital International Airport is making final preparations for the opening of its Terminal 3, the world's largest airport building. Terminal 3 coming into operation will increase the airport's capacity to carry 82 million passengers annually, against the present 35 million, in time for the Olympics. (Telegraph)
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2,700 protesters vent fury over Heathrow ‘sham’ consultation
Environmental campaigners, politicians and residents united in a massive show of defiance over government plans to expand Heathrow. Central Hall in Westminster was packed with around 2,500 people last night while over 200 more remained on the pavement outside, or filled a second huge meeting room, for the biggest anti-Heathrow expansion rally so far. (Evening Standard)
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Heathrow Expansion Sets Business Against Environment
Plans to build a third runway at Heathrow have sparked protests and an active blogging campaign stressing a contradiction between major aviation expansion and attempts to fight global warming. More than a third of businessmen polled by London's Institute of Directors took a business flight 10 times or more last year and say work would suffer if flights were curbed. (Airwise news)
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Branson’s coconut airways – but jet is on a flight to nowhere, say critics
A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 running on jet fuel and the oil from 150,000 coconuts took off from Heathrow. Forty minutes later, the first commercial aircraft to be powered partly by biofuel touched down at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. However, Branson admitted that the biofuel mix that partially powered the flight would not be used commercially. (Guardian)
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Heathrow end-of-consultation rally – huge success!
Thousands of residents, politicians and environmentalists have pledged to resist plans to extend Heathrow. Almost 3,000 people attended a meeting at Methodist Central Hall in Westminster, addressed by many MPs including Nick Clegg, Peter Ainsworth and John McDonnell, with contributions from Ken Livingstone, Brian Paddick, Boris Johnson and Sian Berry. The overwhelming message from the rally was a concerted call for NO MORE EXPANSION AT HEATHROW.
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Do we really need a third runway at Heathrow Airport?
Burning Issue: Do we need a third runway at Heathrow? The case against by Robin Oakley, senior campaigner at Greenpeace UK - and the case for by Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of BA (Scotsman)
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Climate protest by Greenpeace on Heathrow plane
Greenpeace activists breached security at Heathrow Airport and climbed on top of an aeroplane. Four people were arrested after unfurling a banner from the top of the plane after it landed at the airport on a flight from Manchester. (BBC)
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Private jet site for Biggin Hill airport
Construction will start soon on a high-security private jet enclave at Biggin Hill airport after permission was granted. Private aviation provider Air Partner will start work on the £7m enclave this spring, with the capacity for 20 planes at the Kent airport best known for its prominent role in the Battle of Britain. (Telegraph)
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Will biofuels power tomorrow’s planes?
On Sunday, a Virgin Airlines Boeing 747 took off from London's Heathrow Airport en route to Amsterdam. This short flight may prove to be a giant leap forward for the aviation industry. The aircraft did not carry passengers - but it was the first commercial aircraft to fly partly under the power of biofuels. (BBC)
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Exeter Airport – Campaigners oppose airport plans
Environmental campaigners have been gathering support against Exeter Airport's expansion plans. Members of Friends of the Earth collected signatures in Exeter city centre for a petition to send to East Devon District Council. They say plans to increase annual passenger numbers from one million to three million by 2030 will be bad for the environment. (BBC)
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NATS proposals – How air routes may change
Major changes to flight paths in South East England are being proposed by the business responsible for the UK's airspace. A map in the consultation documents shows existing holding areas for aircraft heading for Luton, Stansted and London City airports and their proposed replacements under the Nats plan. (BBC)
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NATS Airspace plan offsets noise with emissions
Millions of people in London and south-east England will be spared a significant increase in aircraft noise, but see no reduction in CO2 emissions, under Britain's biggest airspace shake-up. The changes will redraw the airspace above 12 million people and introduce three new holding patterns for Luton and Stansted. (Guardian)
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NATS changes – Villagers face noise blight as jets are diverted from towns
Thousands of homes in rural areas will be blighted by aircraft noise under reorganisation of flight paths, which is intended to cope with the rapid growth in air travel. National Air Traffic Services (Nats), is planning to redirect aircraft over sparsely populated countryside to reduce the impact on urban areas. (Times)
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Wake up call as winners and losers emerge from proposed flight path changes by NATS
Plans to change the stacking areas and departure routes for planes using Stansted Airport are set to be a wake up call to many communities who will be blighted by overflying aircraft for the first time as both winners and losers emerge from proposals issued by National Air Traffic Systems (NATS) today. (SSE press release)
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NATS publishes consultation on changes to the Terminal Control North airspace region
NATS have put their proposals for changes to the Terminal Control North airspace region out to public consultation. This region covers a large part of London, southern and eastern England, an area with a population of 12 million people and home to some of the UK's busiest airports. (NATS)
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Birmingham International airport runway study flawed, say opponents
A cost-benefit analysis claiming that harm to the environment caused by Birmingham International Airport's runway extension will be outweighed by economic benefits to the West Midlands has been condemned as seriously flawed. (Birmingham Post)
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Thousands expected to attend end-of-consultation rally to protest against Heathrow expanson plans
The Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will head up an impressive line-up of speakers who will address a Central London Rally - on Monday 25th February - which thousands of people are expected to attend in protest against government plans to expand Heathrow. (Hacan press release)
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Windsor – Borough to totally oppose Heathrow expansion
The Royal Borough [of Windsor and Maidenhead] cabinet will recommend total opposition to plans for expansion at Heathrow. At a cabinet meeting on Thursday, councillors will finalise their response to the Government’s Heathrow proposals. (Slough and Windsor Observer)
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Scottish Government Urged to Intervene in Heathrow Plans
The UK Government' expansion plans for a third runway at Heathrow, would lead to a 180 million tonne increase in Britain's emissions from air travel between 2020 and 2060. Scottish Greens say the Scottish Government must be consulted by law, as because of the implications for Scotland's efforts to tackle climate change. (All media Scotland)
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Mayor Ken Livingstone protests against Heathrow Airport expansion
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has said there is no case to be made for expanding Heathrow or any other airport in London or the south east and new runways and more planes would cause more carbon emissions, increasing the threat of catastrophic climate change. (Transport Briefing)
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Stansted Airport amends air quality figures
New research on air quality at and around Stansted Airport has seen BAA's technical team amend air quality information from the potential Generation 1 (or G1 - maximising the use of the current runway) development. Details submitted to the G1 public inquiry in relation to the planning application has to be clarified and the Secretaries of State are being notified. (BAA and SSE)
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Outrage at new plans for airport on marshes off Medway
Campaigners are angry at new plans by Bluebase for an airport close to the Hoo Peninsula and say they are ready for a fight. The prospect of an airport off Medway is a reality once again, after a business consortium went public on a scheme, currently in the hands of officials at the DfT. (Kent Online)
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Government announces annual targets for carbon reduction
Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment announced today that the Government would set an annual target range for emissions reductions. He also said the Climate Change Committee would be asked to consider whether the 2050 target for CO2 emissions should be tightened up to 80% reduction on the 1990 level. (FoE press release)
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Future predictions by Boeing of the global air freight market
The world air cargo market has grown at 7% a year since 1970, compared with a 5% growth in passenger traffic, according to Boeing. Boeing’s least optimistic expectation is for 5.3% annual growth, which will take the sector from 200bn revenue tonne-km (RTK) today to 500bn RTK by 2025. (International Freighting Weekly)
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Edinburgh airport – “cars pollute skies more than planes”, claim airport chiefs
(Greenwash warning!) CARS are bigger polluters than planes, according to new research into air pollution at Edinburgh Airport. A new study has revealed the highest levels of nitrogen dioxide are found in the airport's car parks, forecourt and approach roads, rather than on the main airfield. (Edinburgh Evening News)
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Klimax (Sweden): climate activists in detention after trying to break into airport
Groups of activists connected to Klimax, Sweden’s direct action movement against the root causes of climate change, struck against the country’s domestic aviation industry. At Malmö Airport, 7 activists were apprehended trying to break into the runway, some of them dressed as polar bears. They were transferred to a detention centre and held for more than 60 hours. (Plane Stupid)
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Airport Noise Instantly Boosts Blood Pressure
Living near an airport isn't just irritating, it is also unhealthy, researchers said in a study that showed loud noise instantly boosts a sleeping person's blood pressure. The louder the noise, the higher a person's blood pressure went, a finding that suggests people who live near airports may have a greater risk of health problems, said Lars Jarup, who led the European Commission-funded study. (Air Wise News)
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Expansion of Heathrow ‘will not boost economy’
The expansion of Heathrow is unlikely to boost the economy of London and the South-East, a report claims. It says the Government's projections of a £4.4 billion windfall are greatly exaggerated and based on flawed assumptions. It also questions the claim by ministers that the economy will suffer if expansion does not go ahead. (Evening Standard)
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Heathrow economic analysis ‘seriously flawed’
Opponents of plans to build a third runway at Heathrow airport have claimed that the government had based its support for the project on "seriously flawed" economic analysis. A report published by CE Delft, the Dutch consultants, cast doubts on the government estimates that expansion would bring economic benefits totalling £5bn. (Financial Times)
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Manston Airport – KCC chief backs Manston over new Thames Estuary airport
Kent County Council leader, Paul Carter, has hit back at Boris Johnson's call for a new airport in the Thames Estuary and suggests Manston instead. Mr Johnson is calling on the Government to reconsider plans for a new airport in the estuary instead of going ahead with the widely opposed plans for a third runway at Heathrow. (Kent Messenger)
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The Economic Benefits of Expanding Heathrow ‘Negligible’ – says new independent research
A major new report, published on 14th February by independent economic consultants CE Delft, undermines the economic case for expansion at Heathrow. It challenges Government claims that its current proposals to expand Heathrow will benefit the economy to the tune of £5 billion. The report argues the Government’s figures are based on flawed research which overestimates the importance of aviation to the economy. (HACAN Press Release)
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AIRBUS has said it is holding talks with a number of customers interested in converting its superjumbo A380 - the world's biggest passenger plane - into a flying casino. (News.com Australia)
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