Editor’s Highlights

In a month where Parliament sat only briefly, the most notable developments on the aviation policy front during April were:

• the substantial news coverage given to the delays suffered by passengers using larger airports over the Easter break, largely as a result of the inability of airports to recruit and train sufficient security and immigration staff quickly enough to deal with the peaks associated with the school holidays;
• the launch of a delivery body to ensure that policy developed and funding offered by the Jet Zero Council is being used effectively; and
• The publication of the TSC’s latest report on the sector.

In industry news, the new Flybe and recently formed Emerald Airways (flying as Aer Lingus Regional), both began UK domestic operations; Bournemouth announced expansion of its cargo activity and Luton’s proposed expansion from 18-19mppa was called in.

Chris Cain

Policy Director
SASIG

Monthly Highlights

17^th April – Aviation minister has written to aviation industry executives pledging government will shortly end a requirement that companies must have completed background checks on new hires’ past employment before they begin training courses. This is with a view to preventing more travel delays and disruption. More here.

20^th April – Government launches Zero Emissions Flight Delivery Group which will sit under the Jet Zero Council. See here for more details and press release.

25^th April – Transport Select Committee publish their report: ‘UK aviation: reform for take-off’.

Events, Meetings and Conferences

SASIG Meetings

(To note: depending on any restrictions continuing, some of these meetings may be held virtually. It is therefore advised to check with the Secretariat first before making any travel arrangements).

12 May 2022: 10:00: SASIG meeting: via Zoom

6 July 2022: 10:00: SASIG meeting/AGM: via Zoom.

External Conferences (please note: due to the pandemic, some changes may have occurred).

 4 May 2022: Airports Development & Future of Aviation Conference: Concorde Conference Centre, Manchester.

 17-18 May 2022: Connect Skies Summit: British Science Museum, London

 18-20 May 2022: Routes Europe: Bergen, Norway.

16-18 June 2022: AeroExpo UK: Cotswold Airport.

22-23 June 2022: 5^th British-Irish Airports Expo: ExCel, London.

23-24 June 2022: Aviation World Congress, Kensington, London.

28-30 June 2022: LGA Annual Conference, Harrogate Convention Centre, Harrogate.
18-22 July 2022: Farnborough International Air Show.  Farnborough Airport.

Parliamentary and Government News

The House of Commons rose on 31 March for the Easter recess period and returned on 19 April whilst the House of Lords rose on 7 April and returned on 25 April.

17^th April – Aviation minister has written to aviation industry executives pledging government will shortly end a requirement that companies must have completed background checks on new hires’ past employment before they begin training courses. This is with a view to preventing more travel delays and disruption. More here.

20^th April – Government launches Zero Emissions Flight Delivery Group which will sit under the Jet Zero Council. See here for more details and press release.

25^th April – Transport Select Committee publish their report: ‘UK aviation: reform for take-off’. The Government has two months to respond.

28^th April – Parliament prorogued. State Opening of Parliament for the 2022-23 session of Parliament will be on 10 May 2022. Also, see Queen’s speech here.

Transport Questions:  House of Commons:

There were no Transport Questions in the House of Commons this month.

Transport Questions:  House of Lords

There were no Transport Questions in the House of Lords this month.

Parliamentary Questions: 

Q.1. Question (156440) asked by Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) on 20 April 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help expand the use and take up of sustainable aviation fuel”.

A.Robert Courts on 26 April 2022: “Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a vital tool in decarbonising aviation and helping the UK reach our net zero goals by 2050.

Since 2014, the department has awarded grant funding to SAF plants through a series of advanced fuels competitions, namely the Advanced Biofuel Demonstration Competition (ABDC), the Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition (F4C) and more recently the Green Fuels, Green Skies (GFGS) competition through which eight companies are receiving a portion of £15m. The Net Zero Strategy, published on 19 October, announced that a further £180m will be made available to support SAF production in the UK, building on the progress made through previous advanced fuels competitions. This includes £168m for a multi-year grant funding competition to produce advanced fuels suitable for aviation and heavy goods vehicles. A further £12m is allocated for the continuation of our SAF clearing house project to accelerate new SAF to the market. The Net Zero Strategy also confirmed our ambition to see 10% SAF blended into the UK fuel mix by 2030”.

Q.2. Question (154460) asked by Beth Winter (Cynon Valley) on 14 April 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the outcomes of funding awards provided by the Future Flight Challenge to date”.
A. George Freeman on 26 April 2022: “The Future Flight challenge has to date supported 48 ambitious R&D projects, committing £32m of funding, most of which is supporting smaller businesses. The evaluation is underway, and we are seeing promising signs such as high levels of industrial support, the creation of skilled jobs and several industry ‘firsts’ being delivered”. 

Q.3. Question (154458) asked by Beth Winter (Cynon Valley) on 14 April 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to develop the regulation of (a) trials and (b) use of electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles”.

A. Robert Courts on 25 April 2022: “The Department for Transport recently explored how current legislation relates to new aircraft such as electric vehicle take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) and found that eVTOLs fit within existing broad legislation. The Department has recently conducted a consultation on the Future of Flight as part of the Future of Transport regulatory review and supports the Civil Aviation Authority to work with innovators to certify eVTOL aircraft and their uses. The licensing regulations that apply to the trial and use of eVTOLs are retained EU regulations as amended by an increasing amount of UK law, the Civil Aviation Act 1982, the Aircraft Navigation Order 2016 and the Chicago Convention 1944. The Department for Transport and the CAA, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, are continually working on ensuring the right regulatory environment for any new industry requirements that arise”.

Q.4. Question (154457) asked by Beth Winter (Cynon Valley) on 14 April 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what licensing regulations apply to the (a) trial and (b) use of electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles”.
A. Robert Courts on 25 April 2022: “The Department for Transport recently explored how current legislation relates to new aircraft such as electric vehicle take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) and found that eVTOLs fit within existing broad legislation. The Department has recently conducted a consultation on the Future of Flight as part of the Future of Transport regulatory review and supports the Civil Aviation Authority to work with innovators to certify eVTOL aircraft and their uses. The licensing regulations that apply to the trial and use of eVTOLs are retained EU regulations as amended by an increasing amount of UK law, the Civil Aviation Act 1982, the Aircraft Navigation Order 2016 and the Chicago Convention 1944. The Department for Transport and the CAA, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, are continually working on ensuring the right regulatory environment for any new industry requirements that arise”.

Q.5. Question (153710) asked by Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) on 14 April 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the number of ghost flights departing the UK each month”.
A. Robert Courts on 25 April 2022: “Since the start of the pandemic, government policy has reduced the risk that airlines operate unnecessary ‘ghost flights’ just to retain historic rights to slots. Carriers must in normal times operate at least 80% of their slots during the current season to retain them for the next equivalent season, the so called ‘80:20’ rule.The rules requiring airlines to use slots in order to retain them were fully suspended for the Summer 2020, Winter 2020/21 and Summer 2021 seasons.

For the Winter 2021/22 Season, the usage requirement was set at 50% and airlines were able to hand back slot series that they were not intending to use before the season started, to allow other airlines to use them. For the Summer 2022 Season, the usage requirement has been set at 70% and ‘Justified Non-Use’ provisions have been expanded to provide further protection and flexibility where there are ongoing COVID-19 related restrictions.

The Government has engaged and consulted with the aviation industry and considered all the available evidence, including the potential impacts of different measures. We are considering whether further alleviation measures will be needed for the Winter 22/23 Season. During the pandemic some flights may have operated with a low number of passengers for reasons unrelated to government policy on slots, such as carrying vital cargo such as medical supplies and helping people return home when COVID-19 related restrictions were introduced”.

Q.6. Question (156563) asked by Dr Rupa Huq (Ealing Central & Acton) on 20 April 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a frequent flyer levy”.
A. Robert Courts on 25 April 2022: “Taxation is a matter for HM Treasury (HMT) which includes consideration of a frequent flyer levy. Last year, the Government consulted on aviation tax reform and as part of this sought views on whether a frequent flyer levy could replace APD as the principal tax on the aviation sector. Following the consultation, the Government published a response which outlined that it was minded to retain APD as the principal tax on the aviation sector”.

Q.7. Question (157540) asked by Fleur Anderson (Putney) on 21 April 2022: “To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the (a) potential merits and (b) potential environmental and financial impact of implementing a frequent flyer levy”.

A. Helen Whately on 26 April 2022: “Air Passenger Duty (APD) is the UK’s principal tax on the aviation sector. The tax raised £3.6 billion in 2019-20 and its primary objective is to ensure that airlines make a fair contribution to the public finances. Last year, the Government consulted on aviation tax reform and as part of this sought views on whether a frequent flyer levy could replace APD as the principal tax on the aviation sector. In the responses received to the consultation, the Government received a wide range of views on a frequent flyer levy, which it considered carefully.

Following the consultation, the Government published a response which outlined that it was minded to retain APD as the principal tax on the aviation sector, noting in particular continuing concerns around the possible administrative complexity of a frequent flyer levy and around data processing, handling and privacy. However, in its response to the consultation, the Government announced plans to introduce two new APD distance bands for both domestic and ultra-long-haul flights. The ultra-long haul band will see an additional £4 charged on top of the revised long-haul rate for flights greater than 5,500 miles – ensuring those who fly furthest, and have the greatest impact on emissions, incur the greatest duty. These changes are due to take effect from April 2023, allowing time for the industry to plan for the changes.

More broadly, the Government has put in place a wide range of measures to support the decarbonisation of the aviation industry, including investment of £180 million to support the commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plants in the UK and the launch of the Jet Zero Council which is a partnership between industry, government and academia to drive the delivery of new technologies and find innovative ways to cut aviation emissions.

Furthermore, the UK’s new Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) covers participants from the aviation, power and industrial sectors. It sets a total annual cap on greenhouse gases emitted by these sectors. It covers domestic flights within the UK and flights from the UK to the EEA”.

Q.8. Question (156441) asked by Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) on 20 April 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria his Department uses to select Jet Zero council members; and what the gender and regional balance is of those council members”.

A. Robert Courts on 26 April 2022: “The Jet Zero Council is jointly chaired by the Transport and Business Secretaries, who are supported by Heathrow Airport’s Emma Gilthorpe as the Jet Zero Council CEO. The Council brings together government with senior leaders in aviation, aerospace, and academia to drive the delivery of new technologies and innovative ways to cut aviation emissions. When the Council was established in July 2020, we sought to ensure that all relevant parts of the industry were represented, from airlines, airports, and aerospace manufacturers, to NGOs, academics, and start-ups. The Council membership has diverse geographical representation reflective of the aviation and aerospace industry, with members who have regional, national and international reach. The Jet Zero Council and its two Delivery Groups have a diverse membership from a range of backgrounds. Nearly 40 members are in the full Jet Zero Council and 195 members from 83 organisations are in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Delivery Group, chaired by Jonathon Counsell of IAG. On 20 April, we launched the Zero Emission Flight Delivery Group, chaired by Rachel Gardner-Poole, and we will seek to ensure that its membership is also reflective of all parts of the industry”.

National and Regional News

1^st April – Passengers travelling through UK airports have been warned to expect longer queues during peak periods over the next few weeks in the run-up to Easter -see here.
2^nd April – A lack of staff at Manchester Airport has led to people facing long waits for baggage collection. This is as a result of the impact of the pandemic meanwhile….

3^rd April – Passengers stuck in long queues at Heathrow Airport. The airport says it is mainly due to the impact of the pandemic and higher volumes of traffic.

4^th April – Bristol’s congestion charge could be bad for Bristol Airport. It comes into force later this year.

5^th April – London Stansted expecting a busy Easter weekend.

6^th April – New operator is ready to depart from Birmingham Airport. Corendon Airlines will operate flights twice a week to Dalaman, Turkey and three times a week to Antalya, Turkey.

6^th April – MD of Manchester Airport resigns. Karen Smart has been at airport for 8 years.

7^th April – Luton Airport expansion decision called-in by government. The airport wants to increase its capacity from 18m to 19m passengers a year.

8^th April – Leeds Bradford Airport reacts to passenger numbers surge as aviation industry faces disruption. Around 37,000 passengers are expected over the Easter weekend.

10^th April – Council launches tours of Coventry’s new Urban FLYING TAXI Airport – see here.
11^th April – Heathrow records busiest month since start of pandemic. It was used by 4.2m passengers in March representing almost an 8-fold increase on total in same month in 2021.

11^th April – Bournemouth Airport launches cargo handling service, Cargo First. Airport has become the fastest developing cargo airport in the UK.

11^th April – Farnborough Airport is transitioning its diesel-powered cars on-site to the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). It’s said HVO can cut net greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%. 

12^th April – Two articles from the Daily Mail about the recruitment crisis facing airlines and airports in the wake of the impact of the pandemic can be seen here and here.

12^th April – Wizz Air has acquired two more daily flight slots at Luton airport. These will be used on flights to Poland and Romania.

13^th April – The new Flybe airline officially launched with its inaugural flight from Birmingham Airport for Belfast City Airport – see more details here.

13^th April – European leisure airline Corendon Airlines marks the launch of its inaugural UK summer 2022 schedules. It flies from Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and Newcastle and all the first flights from these airports took off with over 90% capacity.

14^th April – The return in passenger demand at Heathrow has led to calls for clarity on the future of proposed rail links to the airport.

15^th April – Birmingham Airport releases updated roadmap prioritising zero-carbon airport operations while minimising the use of carbon offsets to become net zero carbon by 2033.

16^th April – Aer Lingus Regional begins operating at Newcastle International Airport. It offers flights to Dublin and connects the North East to North America.

17^th April – Aviation minister has written to aviation industry executives pledging government will shortly end a requirement that companies must have completed background checks on new hires’ past employment before they begin training courses. This is with a view to preventing more travel delays and disruption. More here.

19^th April – Manchester Airport has announced it is to fully reopen Terminal Three.

The terminal has been partially reopened since March 27 but will fully reopen on April 22.

20^th April – FedEx Express expands at Newcastle International Airport – see here.

20^th April – Aviation and aerospace manufacturing company Urban-Air Port has designed Air One, an airport for electric flying cars and large drones in Coventry. More details are here.

20^th April – A lively debate about car parking at Newcastle Airport and its comparisons to parking at other UK airports may be seen here.

21^st April – Wizz Air announces new route from London Luton Airport. A new seasonal route to Dubrovnik in Croatia will launch in July of this year.

22^nd April – Liverpool City Council says it will not take part in the latest round of investment for Liverpool John Lennon Airport. As a 10% stakeholder in the company, the authority would have had to provide £700,000 towards the airport’s latest expansion plans.

22^nd April – An article titled: ‘Are plans for Stansted Airport signs of a changing world?’ can be read here.

24^th April – Putting Teesside Airport back on the map: an article about redevelopment of the airport’s terminal building is here.

25^th April – Transport Select Committee publish their report: ‘UK aviation: reform for take-off’. The Government has two months to respond.

26^th April – Heathrow says it ‘will not make a profit in 2022’ as Covid losses exceed £4bn.

26^th April – Air Navigation Solutions partners with Liverpool John Lennon Airport – see here.

26^th April – Bristol Airport has invested in three additional electric Nissan e-NV200 vans for its landside and airside operations. This brings their total number of electric vehicles to five.

27^th April – Baggage tracking system for arrivals goes live at Birmingham Airport – see here.

28^th April – STS Aviation to open maintenance base at Manchester Airport. It will also create 200 jobs in the local area over the next 2 years.

28^th April – An article by Luton Rising CEO titled: ‘Aviation faces immense challenges, and partnerships are the key to overcoming them’ can be read here.

29^th April – Objections to extension of Southampton Airport runway, heard in High Court.

29^th April – Heathrow Recovery Plan: airport to recruit 13,000 new employees helping the surrounding communities to capitalise on its recovery – see here and also here.

29^th April – As from tomorrow London’s black cabs must pay a £5 fee to drop off at all Heathrow Airport terminals.

30^th April – An article about how London City Airport has adapted to a digital ATC tower over the last year may be read here.

30^th April – London Heathrow Airport is the largest user of sustainable aviation fuel. The airport introduced its SAF incentive programme last year. 

30^th April – New figures show that passenger numbers at Manchester Airport were 79% below pre-pandemic levels – see here. 

 

Other Aviation Industry News

1^st April – FOI request finds airlines are still operating 500 ‘ghost’ flights a month because of impact of pandemic. A ‘ghost’ flight is one that flies empty or under 10% of capacity.

1^st April – DAA to upgrade the terminals buildings at Dublin and Cork airports – see here.

2^nd April – Dublin Airport operator says ‘productivity rate’ is much improved.  Staff have been deployed from other areas to help keep the screening operation running smoothly.

4^th April – Work progresses on £14m build of train station at Inverness Airport.

4^th April – The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority says it needs more time to assess the impact of the Atlantic Joint Business Agreement on the UK-US market – see here.

5^th April – Volare Aviation has opened a dedicated helicopter maintenance, management and refurbishment facility at its London Oxford Airport home – see here for details.

6^th April – Traffic across Europe’s airport network on the rise in February according to ACI Europe’s traffic report for that month.

7^th April – Staff shortages at UK airports could prolong travel recovery – see here for details.

8^th April – Cardiff Airport CEO warns that airport was “wiped out” by Covid and could take four years to recover. He says it was kept afloat by £85m bailout by Welsh Government. Meanwhile Wizz Air have announced their fourth UK base in Cardiff – see here.

10^th April – Dublin Airport warns of delays caused by shortage of security staff as a result of the impact of the pandemic.  They may offer to treble wages if they do overtime.

11^th April – Research by a leading travel insurer reveals some airports charge as much as £1 per minute in the so-called ‘kiss and fly’ spaces close to departure terminals – see here.

11^th April – Wizz Air opens fourth UK base at Cardiff airport. There will be flights to nine routes.

12^th April – Cork Airport introduces upgrades to its website. They include a 24/7 webchat facility along with flight information details for departing/arriving passengers via WhatsApp.

13^th April – An article in Travel Radar titled: ‘How Will Technology Help Lighten The Load At The Airport?’ can be read here.

13^th April – High-tech 117,000 sqft warehouse opposite Heathrow’s cargo terminal is completed – see here.

14^th April – Newly-launched Flybe begins flights from Glasgow Airport to Belfast City Airport.

15^th April – Menzies, the Edinburgh-based aviation company, has signed a new deal that doubles the number of airports where it supports Poland’s national flag carrier LOT.

18^th April – Dublin Airport received more than 12,000 noise complaints last year from just one person. The individual filed around 34 complaints every day in 2021.

19^th April – Irish government announces €16.4m in state funding for regional airports under the Regional Airports Programme 2021-2025 with a combined €9.8m being allocated to Shannon and Cork Airports.

20^th April – Irish air passenger numbers still 76% lower than 2019 levels – see here.

20^th April – Government launches Zero Emissions Flight Delivery Group which will sit under the Jet Zero Council. See here for more details and press release.

21^st April – Airports Council International (ACI) World releases a first of its kind guide for airports, the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Management Best Practice.

21^st April – £1.5 million to be spent improving security at Guernsey Airport. Work is set to get underway later this month.

23^rd April – An article in Airport World about Ireland’s Cork Airport and its recovery from the pandemic can be seen here.

23^rd April – Emerald Airlines operating as Aer Lingus Regional inaugurates flights between Leeds Bradford and Dublin – see here.

25^th April – Aviation sector urges Government to help airports with their recovery from the pandemic. They want them to act on Transport Select Committee report published today.
26^th April – CAA figures show that passenger numbers at UK airports last year were 78% below pre-Covid levels – details here.

26^th April – An article titled: ‘How an increasing demand for larger cabin bizjets is driving changes in aircraft design’ can be read here.

27^th April – Government will allow airports to begin training staff without security clearance. Screening can take place while new staff undertake training that’s not security sensitive

28^th April – An Airport Technology article titled: ‘How ambitious are the emissions targets of companies in the airport services industry?’ can be read here.

28^th April – An Airport World article about how airport apron operations and efficiency across all the airport can be improved by integration of information and technology is here.

29^th April – An Airport World article titled: ‘People Matters’ looking at how airports reacted during after the pandemic and how that might affect their recovery, may be seen here.

 

SASIG Library Additions

A range of documents from the last meeting of the Combined Aerodrome Safeguarding Team (CAST) regularly attended by SASIG and held on 29 March 2022 can now be seen in the members’ Area of the website.