EDITORIAL
Well, all the newspapers said that no-one knew about Theresa May’s announcement but in the Secretariat we had the inside track and held the newsletter front page to get the splash!
What the announcement means is aviation policy work in Government has shut down; the Transport Select Committee hearings are cancelled; officials are late booking holidays in anticipation of the election result. Maybe the third runway won’t be as certain as it might seem; my inside sources tell me the only thing that will stop R3 is if by some miracle the Opposition unseat the incumbent MP in Maidenhead by tactical voting.
The long awaited aviation strategy document will now be delayed until July but the other ongoing consultations are likely to maintain their current timetable. Draft SASIG responses will be circulated in early May.
Reports from the recent Brexit Round Table hosted by Chris (call me King Arthur) Grayling and attended by all the biggest names in the aviation industry (e.g. O’Leary, McCall, Holland-Kaye and Wingate), left many of those participating nervous about the likely continuation of EU Single Skies and the apparent willingness to use what Government believes is a strong hand with regards to aviation in negotiations about other sectors. As they say “we live in interesting times” but my crystal ball is a bit cloudy at the moment.
Chris Cain,
Head of Secretariat
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CONTENTS
- Monthly Highlights
- Meetings & Conferences
- Parliamentary News
- London and South East News
- Regional News
- National and Other Industry News
- European News
- SASIG Library Additions
- Print this newsletter
MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS
Events:
A calendar of planned open public consultations has been published on ‘Your voice in Europe’. The direct link to the calendar is: http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/consultations/docs/planned-consultations-2016_en.pdf
MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES
SASIG Future Meetings
– 7th April: Full SASIG meeting and Workshops: Venue: CIHT, London.
– 25th May: Technical Working Groups: Surface Access (am) and Environment, Planning & Airspace (pm) Venue: CIHT, London. (Note: these meetings have now been postponed until further notice).
– 7th June: Technical Working Group: Airports, Cities & Economic Growth. Venue: East India Club, London.
– 6th July: SASIG AGM/Full meeting: Venue: CIHT, London.External Meetings and Conferences
– 6th April 2017: Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum: Regional Airports in the UK: priorities for connectivity, capacity and investment – Central Birmingham.
– 23rd-25th April 2017: Routes Europe 2017 – Belfast Northern Ireland.
– 15th – 17th May 2017: ACI Europe’s 10th Regional Airports Conference & Exhibition: Cork, Ireland.
– 7th-8th June 2017: 2nd British-Irish Airports Expo: NEC, Birmingham
– 4th-6th July 2017: LGA Annual Conference & Exhibition: International Convention Centre, Birmingham. This is the local Government event of the year.
Transport Questions:
House of Common: 22nd March 2017
Aviation Security: New security measures were put in place on 21st March affecting all inbound direct flights to the United Kingdom from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.The full HOC debate can be seen here.
House of Lords: 28th March 2017
Aviation Security: The full Lords debate can be seen here.
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
Q.1. Question (66489) asked by Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge & Malling) on 3rd March 2017: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2017 to Question 65245, on Gatwick Airport night flying, when he plans to establish the Commission on Civil Aviation Noise; which groups he plans to consult on that Commission’s remit; and what opportunities he plans to provide for public engagement”.
A. John Hayes on 13th March 2017: “We will establish an Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise (ICCAN) following consideration of the consultation responses regarding its function, structure and governance. Any group or individual can engage with the consultation and provide responses to our proposals on ICCAN through our current UK Airspace Policy consultation. More details on how to submit a consultation response are available at the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-policy-on-the-design-and-use-of-uk-airspace
Q.2. Question (66637) asked by Kelly Tolhurst (Rochester & Snood) on 6th March 2017: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to commission economic research to provide an update on the General Aviation Strategy published in March 2015”.
A. John Hayes on 13th March 2017: “The General Aviation Strategy published in March 2015 was supported by research that the Department for Transport commissioned from York Aviation entitled “The Economic Value of General Aviation in the UK” and published on 26 March 2015. We consider this research to still be valid but will keep thus under review in light of emerging trends”.
Q.3. Question (66193) asked by Tom Elliot (Fermanagh & South Tyrone) on 1st March 2017: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to bring forward legislative proposals to give the Government power to ring-fence landing slots at Heathrow Airport to protect connections to regional airports as was proposed in the Airports (Amendment) Bill [HL] 2010-12”.
A. John Hayes on 10th March 2017: “Under European Union regulations airport slot allocation in the UK is managed by a designated co-ordinator which is independent of the Government, the Civil Aviation Authority and other interested parties. The Government will consider how all UK airports, including those in the South East, can best utilise their existing runways to allow the growth of both domestic and international connectivity as part of the new Aviation Strategy. This will be an ambitious programme of work, and we will be consulting widely throughout 2017, leading to publication of an Aviation Strategy White Paper at the end of 2018. The draft Airports National Policy Statement, currently out for consultation, sets out that expansion at Heathrow would be an opportunity to not only strengthen the frequency of existing domestic routes, but also to develop new domestic connections, including to regions currently unserved. Government would expect Heathrow to add at least six more domestic routes by 2030 bringing the total to 14”.
Q.4. Question (HL5875) asked by Lord Berkeley on 7th March 2017: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the requirements for surface access improvements to meet the demands of the third runway at Heathrow; what is their estimate of the cost of those improvements; and what is their policy on who will pay for them”.
A. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 16th March 2017: “The Government is currently consulting on a draft Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) which will set the framework for any planning process, should the NPS be designated. The draft NPS proposes targets to increase the number of airport users accessing the airport by public transport. As part of any planning application the promoter would need to set out in detail how it would achieve these targets as part of its plans for mitigating the impact of expansion. The Government expects, as set out in the Aviation Policy Framework 2013, the cost of any surface access works required solely to enable airport expansion to be met by the promoter. In the case of Heathrow expansion, this would mean that Heathrow Airport Limited, will meet the cost of the surface access improvements necessary to allow expansion of the airport, including re-alignment of the M25, the A4 and A3044, as well as airport and terminal access roads. Where proposed projects have wider beneficiaries, such as Western Rail Access and Southern Rail Access, the Government will expect Heathrow to fund an appropriate proportion of the costs based on the direct benefits for the airport”.
Q.5. Question (66841) asked by Grahame Morris (Easington) on 7th March 2017: “To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of devolving Air Passenger Duty to the Scottish Parliament on airports in the North of England”.
A. Jane Ellison on 15th March 2017: (Group answer to this question and to 66842/66843/66844): “The Government considered various options on how to support English regional airports against the impacts of Scottish devolution as part of the consultation “Options for supporting English regional impacts of air passenger duty devolution”. There was no stakeholder consensus for a structural change to the way that Air Passenger Duty (APD) is levied. The Government response to the consultation was published at Autumn Statement 2016. This indicated that the Government would keep the issue under review and would return to it once the UK leaves the European Union. Rates of APD are kept under review and the Chancellor announces any changes at fiscal events. Rates for 2019-20 will be set at Autumn Budget 2017”.
Q.6. Question (HL6082) asked by Lord Berkeley on 15th March 2017: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government who is responsible for funding surface road and rail access to major airports in England”.
A. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 21st March 2017: “The Government expects, as set out in the Aviation Policy Framework 2013, the cost of any surface access works required solely to enable airport expansion to be met by the promoter. Where proposed projects have wider beneficiaries, the Government will expect the airport operator to fund an appropriate proportion of the costs based on the direct benefits for the airport”.
Q.7. Question (HL5799) asked by Baroness Randerson on 2nd March 2017: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to publish a full analysis of the improvements to surface access required by Heathrow expansion; what are the estimated costs of those improvements and which bodies will be responsible for meeting those costs”.
A. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14th March 2017: “The Government is currently consulting on a draft National Policy Statement (NPS) for airport expansion. This will set the framework for any planning process, should the NPS be designated. The draft NPS proposes targets to increase the number of airport users travelling by public transport. As part of any planning application the promoter would need to set out in detail how it would achieve these targets as part of its plans for mitigating the impact of expansion. The government expects, as set out in the Aviation Policy Framework 2013, the cost of any works required solely to enable airport expansion to be met by the promoter. For Heathrow this would be expected to include the cost of any works to the surrounding road network. Where proposed improvements had a wider benefit to non-airport users the government would consider these on a case by case basis”.
Q.8. Question (HL5800) asked by Baroness Randerson on 2nd March 2017: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to improve infrastructure around Heathrow airport to accommodate the expected increase in freight traffic once a third runway is built”.
A. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14th March 2017: “The Government is currently consulting on the draft Airports National Policy Statement (NPS). This will set the framework for any planning process, should the NPS be designated. Heathrow Airport has said that if it expands it will limit the number of freight vehicles to a level similar to today. As part of any planning application the promoter would need to set out in detail how it would achieve this as part of its plans for mitigating the impact of expansion. We welcome views on the proposed planning framework in response to the consultation”.
Q.9. Question (68729) asked by Henry Smith (Crawley) on 21st March 2017: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reform airspace policy”.
A. John Hayes on 27th March 2017: “On 2nd February the Government launched a consultation on UK Airspace Policy. The consultation period began on 2nd February and will run until 25th May 2017. The Government wishes to support airspace modernisation in order to deliver benefits for the UK economy, passengers and communities affected by aircraft noise. The proposals in this consultation aim to strike a balance between unlocking the economic and social benefits of modernised airspace, and addressing the local impacts of aviation. The Government is also working on a new Aviation Strategy that will set out the Government’s vision for the wider aviation sector. This will replace the 2013 Aviation Policy Framework (APF) and will be subject to a separate consultation process. The consultation on UK Airspace Policy forms a key pillar in the development of the Aviation Strategy”.
Q.10. Question (68732) asked by Gavin Shuker (Luton South) on 21st March 2017: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what account his Department has taken of the volume of air passengers from London Luton Airport in its work to define the scope of the forthcoming East Midlands rail franchise consultation; and what assessment he has made of the potential (a) economic, (b) social and (c) environmental benefits to that airport from improved rail services related to that franchise”.
A. Paul Maynard on 27th March 2017: “The Department is currently undertaking a process of information gathering to develop the specification for the next East Midlands rail franchise. All options for future East Midlands services are subject to analysis of the potential benefits and consultation with stakeholders. We are considering the case for additional services to Luton Airport and are working collaboratively with Luton Airport to understand their proposals. Any outcome will seek to secure the best value for money for the taxpayer and be in the best interests of passengers. We are due to begin a formal public consultation soon to inform the specification and I would strongly encourage the honourable member to make his views known through the consultation process when it opens”.
Q.11. Question (67008) asked by Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes South) on 8th March 2017: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the costs and benefits of the UK remaining a member of the European Aviation Safety Agency after the UK has left the EU”.
A. John Hayes on 17th March 2017: “The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for the continued participation in the European Aviation Safety Agency system”.
GOVERNMENT NEWS
9th March – Britain will need its aviation industry ‘more than ever’ post-Brexit, says Aviation Minister, Lord Ahmad. He announces this during his speech at the AOA annual dinner. The full speech can be read here.
LONDON AND SOUTH EAST NEWS
2nd March – Over 1,000 seasonal jobs available this year at Gatwick. The announcement marks 40% uplift in seasonal summer jobs at the airport compared to last year.
4th March – £150m bid race for Luton Airport light rail link. It’s appointed designers to press through the mass passenger transport scheme which will be in two main packages.
6th March – London Luton is easyjet’s fastest growing London airport. There are five new routes for 2017.
10th March – MP for Chelsea & Fulham wants complete ban on Heathrow night flights. MP Greg Hands has urged DfT ministers to impose a ban on all night flights at Heathrow.
10th March – Heathrow pledges to create over 500 airport apprenticeships this year. Along with 31 airport-based businesses it has pledged to recruit, train and develop 516 new apprentices in 2017 – up from 455 last year.
15th March – Questions to be asked about how Londoners are affected by airport issues. Tomorrow, the London Assembly Environment Committee will question Heathrow representatives on their proposals for expansion, air pollution, noise and carbon emissions.
15th March – London City Airport is opening new Business Lounge. The business lounge will open on March 20th at £35 per person.
17th March – 77% MPs back Heathrow expansion says new poll. In new ComRes poll released today, nearly 80% of MPs are now backing the project.
17th March – Plans for transit system for Luton Airport. Tendering has opened for the contracts to supply an automated transit system to connect Luton Airport and Luton Airport Parkway railway station.
21st March – Anti Heathrow expansion campaigners step up their fight. A total of 18 local groups including HACAN have come together to form the No Third Runway Coalition.
21st March – Ryanair is to launch first flights from Stansted to Ukraine. The airline will fly five times a week to Kiev and twice weekly to Lviv as of October this year.
22nd March – Stansted Airport/Cambridge M11 upgrade could be scrapped. It’s thought to be one of 16 schemes that must be reconsidered to ensure it is deliverable and affordable, the National Audit Office said.
23rd March – Gatwick Airport and DHL opens new waste management plant. Gatwick becomes first airport in the world to turn Category 1 airline waste into energy onsite.
26th March – Flybe begins flights to Heathrow from Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Flybe now operates 7% of all weekly seats between London and Scotland according to OAG schedules.
28th March – Fog, once again, brings chaos to London airports. London City Airport appeared to be worst affected with many flights cancelled or diverted to other airports.
30th March – £650 million is to be invested in Heathrow over the course of 2019. New funds set to be spent on further improvements to passenger experience and resilience.
REGIONAL NEWS
4th March – Passengers at Manchester Airport delayed by tow truck getting stuck under aircraft. Two easyJet flights were delayed following the incident.
4th March – M1 near East Midlands Airport closed due to Jet2 aircraft emergency. Police closed M1 in both directions to allow “a clear flight path” for the plane which landed safely.
6th March – Newcastle Airport makes Government plea on APD. It is urging the Government to announce specific measures to support English regional airports from the impacts of APD devolution to Scotland.
6th March – New partnership could see flight from Wales to Heathrow. Agreement set to be signed today could boost Welsh economy by over £6billion and deliver over 8,000 new skilled jobs.
7th March – Final £9m phase of Doncaster Airport’s link road set to begin. £9.1m is being contributed by the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund and the rest of the balance will come from Doncaster Council’s Capital Programme.
9th March – Blue Air announced 8th new route from Liverpool Airport. Flights to Larnaca, Cyprus will commence on 17th June, with departures on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
13th March – New operator found for Cardiff-Anglesey route. Eastern Airways has stepped in to run the service after Citywing went into liquidation.
14th March – Flybe launches new summer weekend connections via Southampton . The new schedule opens up 76 connections to regional France and Italy on Saturdays and Sundays.
14th March – Dundee/London air route secured by Government. UK government announces over £1.8 million to secure the air link between Dundee Airport and London Stansted for another 2 years.
15th March – easyjet celebrates record 2016 at Bristol Airport. Airline flew more than 4million from the airport – up 11% on the previous year.
16th March – Southend Airport could run its own train service. The airport’s boss has voiced his support for running a train service, specifically tailored for airport passengers.
20th March – Manchester within Europe’s top 20 airports. Records show 26 million passengers passed through the airport’s facilities in the past 12 months since February 2016.
21st March – Probe launched over claims of smell from aviation fuel at Doncaster Airport. Airport chiefs confirmed they have received complains and launched an investigation.
24th March – Blue Air launch their latest European base at Liverpool Airport. Liverpool is now Blue Air’s eighth European base.
27th March – Improvements to Leeds Bradford Airport terminal are on schedule. More than £2.5m is being invested in the terminal and a number of enhancements have already been delivered ahead of schedule.
NATIONAL AND OTHER INDUSTRY NEWS
6th March – Dublin Airport wins Global Quality Award. It was joint third best airport in Europe for customer service last year in the ACI World Airport Service Quality Awards.
17th March – BA owner launches new airline. IAG, the owner of British Airways is launching a new long-haul budget airline called Level, to be based in Barcelona.
21st March – Britain follows US in banning electronic devices in cabin baggage on certain flights. The British government will introduce a ban on some devices including laptops and iPads – on UK-bound flights from a number of Muslim-majority countries.
22nd March – Norwegian joins UK Government roster of preferred airlines. The appointment will give over 300,000 employees from 18 departments reduced air fares over the next two years.
23rd March – Electric flights between London and Paris ‘in a decade’. Wright Electric intends to develop a plane which would carry 150 people on journeys of less than 300 miles.
27th March – Easyjet is to announce location of new EU base. It’s expected to announce the location of a new air operator’s certificate in April to allow it to fly between EU member states.
28th March – Non-stop transatlantic flight confirmed from New York to London City Airport. Bombardier Commercial Aircraft said that a C Series aircraft with a representative payload successfully flew non-stop from London City Airport to JFK Airport in New York City.
29th March – Ryanair issues warning about Brexit. The low-cost airline said aviation should be treated as a matter of urgency in Brexit negotiations.
EUROPEAN NEWS
6th March – UK flights cancelled as French Air Traffic controllers strike. Flights to and from the UK are among more than 1,000 likely to be scrapped this week.
22nd March – ACI Europe urges Brexit negotiators to prioritise aviation. Warning is given by ACI Director General at the 9th ACI Airport Economics & Finance Conference in London.
28th March – Lufthansa warns UK airlines of Brexit clouds ahead. Lufthansa C.E. expects France and Germany to take a hard line against the UK aviation industry in Brexit negotiations, threatening to disrupt flight connections across Europe.
Two visual items of interest regarding airspace which appear on The Sky’s The Limit website:
Future Airspace Strategy – Creating Airspace Fit for the 21st Century – Vimeo
We need to modernise UK airspace now – Vimeo.