Contents
SASIG 2013/14 Meeting Dates
Regional News
Industry News
Media News
SASIG 2013/14 Meeting Dates
25 October 2013
7 March 2014
Meetings are held at Local Government House, Smith Square, SW1P 3HZ, location map.
Regional News
17 August 2013 – London Southend topped a survey by consumer group ‘Which?’ to find the UK’s best and worst large and small airports. The airport heading a list of 35 terminals. Newcastle Airport was rated the best large airport, while Cardiff Airport has been named the worst terminal for passenger experience among small airports. In a poll of more than 11,500 passengers, London Southend fared best for the overall airport experience with a score of 84 per cent. They were followed by Humberside (81 per cent) and Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield (78 per cent). Luton Airport had the lowest rating based on overall experience with its terminal receiving a customer score of just 43 per cent. Luton was followed by London Heathrow’s Terminal 1 (45 per cent) and Terminal 3 (46 per cent). The rating score included factors such as: speed of check-in, passport control queues, airport design, airport security, passport control queues, information and navigation, airport design and hygiene and cleanliness. The full lists of best and worst airports are available from the ‘Which?’ website but require a membership subscription at the site.
19 August 2013 – Guernsey States, which owns and runs Alderney Airport, will vote next month on prioritising the refurbishment of the runway within the next four years.
20 August 2013 – A planning application by the owners of Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport for a pub, office, and industrial land, as well as space for education and training on land east of Poplars Farm in Hurst Lane is to be considered by local councillors. Access to the site has already been provided in the construction of the Robin Hood Airport road, which provides a route for all modes of transport including buses, taxis, cycling and walking. Objections to the proposals have been received by Auckley Parish Council which is concerned about the loss of a public footpath. A further objection has been raised by LDF Environmental Ecology.
Industry News
15 August 2013 – The latest figures from the International Passenger Survey show that the first half of 2013 saw record levels of spend and the strongest visitor numbers to the UK since 2008. Over 2.89 million overseas visitors arrived in June, an increase of 12 per cent compared with last June. Expenditure over the same period saw overseas visitors spend a total of £1.84 billion, an increase of 13 per cent from June 2012.
16 August 2013 – London’s Heathrow Airport will be the first airport in Europe to use new gas-to-liquids (GTL) aviation fuel this summer. Swiss-based, Dutch-owned energy and commodity trading firm Vitol has supplied GTL aviation fuel to be used by aircraft flying from London Heathrow Airport.
17 August 2013 – Stop Stansted Expansion has been calling for the resignation of Geoff Muirhead, the former chief executive of Manchester Airports Group (MAG) from the Airports Commission. The campaign group claims Mr. Muirhead’s participation in the inquiry represents a conflict of interest as MAG, which bought Stansted for £1.5bn in February, has submitted proposals to build at least one extra runway at the Essex airport.
17 August 2013 – A study by consumer group ‘Which?’ has shown that queues at bag-drop desks can often cancel out any benefits of using online check-in.
22 August 2013 – A bus service linking Bristol city centre to the airport is to be re-routed from the start of September.
Media News
16 August 2013 – A motion has been lodged with the Scottish Parliament between 12 August and 16 August 2013 to give praise to the Glasgow Airport FlightPath Fund. The motion requests that the Parliament congratulates the Glasgow Airport FightPath fund on awarding over £550,000 to more than 150 community groups since its establishment in 2010; recognises that the fund focuses on the four local authority areas around the airport, Renfrewshire, Glasgow and both East and West Dunbartonshire councils; understands that funds for the charity are drawn from the airport itself and donation boxes; notes the range of organisations that have benefited from the charity, including £7,500 for Loud’n’Proud, which is a Paisley-based youth project that helps to develop young musicians; commends Glasgow Airport on the establishment of the fund, and wishes the project, which it considers worthwhile, every success. The motion is supported by eight members of the Scottish Parliament.
19 August 2013 – Birmingham Airport has published a post consultation report following the closure of its airspace change consultation on 17th May, for changes to the Standard Instrument Departure (SID) [1] routes for Runway 15. A full post consultation analysis report, together with a report is available here. The report considers the comments raised by stakeholders and members of the local community during a comprehensive five month consultation period.