Contents
Regional News
Industry News
European News
Parliamentary News
Government News
House of Commons Questions
House of Lords Questions
Media News
Regional News
2 March 2015 – Bristol Airport has announced a National Express service for transport to and from South Wales following the withdrawal of coach operator First Group. The service will operate 12 times a day in each direction
2 March 2015 – The airline operator easyjet is to cut its service between Newcastle and London Gatwick blaming poor interest from the London leg of its route. An easyJet spokesperson said that, ‘the route will cease to operate from 27 March because passenger demand has not been at a viable level to maintain it’.
2 March 2015 – The campaign group Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) have said that they are opposed to the plan to switch more daytime flights to a route from Stansted Airport to Clacton, flying over north Essex and south Suffolk. The route change has been put forward by air traffic control organisation NATS in a bid to reduce flight congestion on the London to Dover corridor. NATS has now submitted its proposals to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for approval. But SSE has written to the CAA to highlight what it says are shortfalls in the NATS consultation process.
3 March 2015 – Birmingham Airport are aiming to bring further flights from China to the West Midlands to supplement their existing service to Beijing.
3 March 2015 – A group of Liverpool leaders including the city’s Mayor Joe Anderson have said that expansion at Heathrow Airport would help business in Liverpool. The group also includes the Chief Executive of Liverpool John Lennon Airport Andrew Cornish, the Chief Executive of Merseytravel and local Members of Parliament Louise Ellman (Liverpool Riverside) and George Howarth (Knowsley).
4 March 2015 – Stansted Airport has committed to push for improvements to the A120 in Essex as part of its blueprint for the next 15 years.
5 March 2015 – A study, by the parking app JustPark, has found that air passengers in the UK pay the most expensive airport car parking rates in the world. The study found that London City Airport had the highest car park charges in the world of any airport at £315 a week followed by Heathrow at £167. Seven of the world’s ten most expensive airport car parks are in the UK – Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Stansted, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham comes 11th.
6 March 2015 – Plans to test unmaned ‘drones’ at Newquay Airport are being opposed by the Government.
6 March 2015 – Contractors Carillion and Morgan Sindall are holding a number of exhibitions to inform people about how the construction of the road will affect the area. Exhibitions are being held to inform the public about how the construction of the A6 to Manchester Airport relief road will affect the area. Work is expected to start on the £290m road later this month.
6 March 2015 – Durham Tees Valley Airport have opened of a new suite of offices in the terminal building in a plan to attract new businesses to the site.
8 March 2015 – Environmental Director of Heathrow Airport Mr. Matt Gorman spoke at a meeting of around 80 residents at the Christ Church Centre in Henley in an attempt to address local concerns about aircraft noise. The meeting was called by the Member of Parliament for Henley, Mr. John Howell who was also in attendance.
Industry News
1 March 2015 – International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) is to make ‘concrete proposals’ to the Irish Government to try and convince it to sell its 25 per cent stake in the airline operator Aer Lingus. British Airways owner IAG made a €1.36bn bid for Aer Lingus in January, its third takeover approach, and the Irish carrier’s board recommended that offer to shareholders. The sale has however met with political opposition.
2 March 2015 – The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has published its second regular update to confirm its work in the area of General Aviation. The CAA said that in the last 60 days it had:
- Launched a formal consultation on the proposal to introduce an ICAO Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) for gyroplanes. This will see type-certified, factory-built gyroplanes qualify for a C of A rather than a Permit to Fly as at present.
- Removed the long-standing requirement for periodic re-weighing of microlights.
- Published guidance to enable operators to make the most of the new deregulatory approach and principles outlined in the GA policy framework.
- Revised the requirement for some private pilots to have completed three take offs and landings in the past 90 days before they can fly with a passenger. This allows private pilots with a UK PPL and UK NPPL to fly as pilot in command with a single passenger (who is also a suitably qualified pilot on the aircraft to be used for the flight) without having completed three take offs and landings in the past 90 days.
- Organised a joint CAA/Government GA Event to take place at the Imperial War Museum Duxford on 28th March. Key players in the GA world will be speaking including Grant Shapps MP, Minister Without Portfolio; Patrick Ky, EASA Executive Director and; Andrew Haines, CAA Chief Executive. The event is open to anyone involved in GA and will provide an opportunity to hear an update on the Future Airspace Strategy VFR implementation plan and the latest work underway through the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and UK GA programmes.
- Relaxed the need for GA aircraft to carry certain equipment when flying under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) which means that aircraft flying on IFR private flights do not necessarily need to comply with the equipment levels laid out in schedule 5 of the Air Navigation Order. Instruments such as VOR, DME or ADF are no longer required just because an aircraft is flying IFR in controlled airspace, but must be carried when the route or airfields to be used demand them.
- Consulted UK helicopter schools that conduct private pilot training on what changes they would like to see to the PPL(H) syllabus and provided a consultation response document.
- Identified an improvement for air display repeat applications which will be implemented before the summer season.
All of the changes support the CAA’s new top level principles for GA regulation:
- Only regulate directly when necessary and do so proportionately
- Deregulate where we can
- Delegate where appropriate
- Do not gold-plate, and quickly and efficiently remove gold-plating that already exists
- Help create a vibrant and dynamic GA sector in the UK.
Similar 60 day updates will be published throughout 2015 on 1st May;1st July; 1st Sep; and 2nd Nov.More detail on the CAA’s GA activities and the work of the GA Unit are available at www.caa.co.uk/ga
4 March 2015 – The CAA has confirmed it will retain the Small Business ATOL in a modified form and will introduce a number of other measures to ensure all ATOL holders meet a proportionate level of financial resilience. In its response to the ‘Rebalancing ATOL’ consultation the CAA has set out a series of key decisions, which also include improved financial reporting arrangements. In reaching these decisions the CAA has taken into account the 167 responses it received from travel firms, travel industry associations and other interested parties, as part of the consultation paper issued in June 2014. The original proposals set out to ensure all ATOL holders passed a financial test and to extend the risk based approach to licensing, which already applies to larger ATOL holders. The aim was to reduce the likelihood that consumers of ATOL protected holidays would be affected by insolvency. There was a broad acceptance that all ATOL holders should be subject to financial vetting, however some responses suggested the proposals could be unaffordable for smaller businesses and create barriers to entry in the market. In response the CAA has decided to retain the SBA licence in a modified form, with the following features:
- All SBA holders will still have a 500 passenger limitation.
- All SBA holders will have to meet a basic solvency test.
- All SBAs will be limited to no more than £1million of ATOL turnover per annum. Firms which exceed this limit will need to become standard ATOL holders.
- All new SBA applicants will be required to have paid up share capital of £30,000.
- All new SBA applicants will be required to provide a minimum bond of £50,000.
In addition, all new standard ATOL applicants will be required to provide a minimum bond of £50,000. All these changes will come into effect on 1 October 2015. The CAA will also be proceeding with three other proposals from the consultation.
- First, all ATOL holders with licensable revenue of between £1million and £5million will be subject to a new and more sophisticated financial test. This test will allow the CAA to ensure that firms have sufficient financial resources. The details of the test will be announced in May and they will be introduced from 1 October, 2015.
- Secondly, all accountants reporting on ATOL holders must demonstrate their competence to sign off on ATOL reports to their professional accountancy body. The CAA has worked with all accountancy bodies involved with ATOL reporting and this requirement will become effective from 1 October, 2015.
- Thirdly, the CAA will continue to develop the ATOL online self-service facility which will allow ATOL holders and their reporting accountants to submit licence applications and financial reports online.
4 March 2015 – The UK-based air traffic control company NATS, and the airport and air traffic management (ATM) technology provider Lockheed Martin, have entered a strategic partnership. The partnership comes after the two organisations already announced an extension of the ongoing support agreement for a number of NATS operational systems, as well as a new arrangement that has seen Lockheed Martin UK take on the support of NATS business IT systems. Among the aims of the increased commitment is to support NATS’ deployment of the next generation of air traffic control technologies over the coming five years in support of the Single European Sky initiative. The programme will see NATS move to a new technology platform. For Lockheed Martin, the collaboration is intended to be an additional capability that consolidates its suite of airport and air traffic technology solutions that are key in managing the passenger journey.
European News
2 March 2015 – Chief Executive of The UK Board of Airline Representatives Dale Keller has warned that the Government risks making Air Passenger Duty (APD) ‘massively complex’ following publication of plans to devolve the tax to Wales. The Government outlined proposals for devolving powers to the Welsh Parliament, including control of APD – along with plans for a review of options to mitigate the impact of APD devolution.
Parliamentary News
3 March 2015 – Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster, and Finance Minister, Simon Hamilton, have published an assessment of the economic impact on the Northern Ireland economy of short haul Air Passenger Duty (APD). The report has been produced by the Northern Ireland Centre for Economic Policy (NICEP), following its detailed economic assessment on the impact of air passenger pricing, including short haul Air Passenger Duty. Arlene Foster said, ‘The central conclusion from the report is that, when the cost to the public finances in Northern Ireland is taken into consideration, APD is not considered to be a strong economic development tool. The NICEP report identifies that full abolition of APD would be unlikely to deliver a positive net benefit to the local economy and, while there could potentially be a small positive economic impact resulting from a reduction in the rate of APD, this depends on the scale of the cost to the public finances, which could be larger than assumed. ‘The report also highlights that targeted interventions, such as that currently being offered through the UK Regional Air Connectivity Fund, have the potential to present more appropriate options for securing economic benefits. I have asked my officials to monitor the outworkings of applications to the UK fund and to scope the potential for a specific Northern Ireland air route development fund’. Minister Hamilton said, ‘According to EU rules, any reduction in APD rates in Northern Ireland alone would have to be funded from our own public finances. This tax is imposed and set by the UK Government and the onus is on it to deal with this at a national level. We will continue to stress to the Government that APD is an unfair tax which has an adverse impact upon travellers departing Northern Ireland’s airports.’
Government News
27 February 2015 – The UK Government has published the St David’s Day agreement which it states will ‘provides a blueprint to create a more stable, clearer and long lasting Welsh devolution settlement’ – The agreement includes a potential new deal on Air Passenger Duty for Welsh airports. A summary is presented below with a fuller description of the St. David’s Day agreement here.
Background. On 17 November 2014 the Secretary of State for Wales Stephen Crabb announced the Wales Devolution Programme with a commitment to publish the results of the programme by St David’s Day 2015. On 27th February, Mr Crabb published the outcomes of the St David’s Day process which represents a blueprint for taking forward Welsh devolution in the next Parliament.
What are the proposed new powers? The St David’s Day agreement sets out a strong package of additional powers for the National Assembly, based on political consensus and implements many of the recommendations that the Silk Commission made in its second report. They include extra powers in areas such as transport, energy, the environment and elections to the National Assembly and local government elections in Wales.
The Model of Devolution for Wales. Wales should move to a ‘reserved powers model’ with the law clearly setting out which responsibilities are devolved to Wales and which remain at Westminster. The UK Government has already begun work on a reserved powers model. Once this work is completed we will discuss the proposed model with interested parties, including the Welsh Government and Assembly Commission.
Constitutional Matters. Assembly structural and institutional arrangements including elections to the Assembly and local government should be devolved. The Assembly should have also the ability to lower the voting age at Assembly elections to 16 if it wishes. Taken together, this means the Assembly will be responsible for almost all aspects of its business, from deciding how Assembly Members are elected to determining how its Committees are organised.
Transport. Speed limits, port development and bus and taxi regulation should be devolved to the National Assembly. This would complement the powers which the Assembly already has over transport. The UK Government is already devolving the Wales and Border rail franchise.
Smith Commission. The UK Government will examine the non-fiscal Smith recommendations that are relevant for Wales. This will enable the new government to take decisions early in the next Parliament on whether any further Smith recommendations should be implemented for Wales. Licensing of onshore oil and gas extraction in Wales (fracking) should be devolved.
Air Passenger Duty (APD). The UK Government will consider the case and options for devolving further powers to the National Assembly over APD.
What happens now? The outcomes of the St David’s Day process provide a blueprint for a clearer and more stable devolution settlement for Wales. The UK Government hopes that implementing them will end the ongoing debate in Wales on the distribution of powers, and enable the devolved institutions to focus their efforts on delivering economic growth, jobs and more efficient public services. This political consensus provides a firm foundation a new Wales Bill early in the next Parliament to legislate for a new devolution settlement for Wales.
2 March 2015 – The Airports Commission has published an update to the consultation ‘Increasing the UK’s long-term aviation capacity’. The update states that,
‘The Airports Commission received more than 68,000 responses in total to its public consultation on the shortlisted options for expansion at Gatwick and Heathrow. The diversity and geographical spread of respondents has been extremely wide and democratic representation has been strong at all levels, Members of Parliament and local elected representatives, as well as city, county, borough, district and parish councils, have responded in significant numbers. Groups representing local communities, business interests and the environment and heritage have also participated actively. The Commission is now in the process of analysing all the responses to inform its final recommendations to Government, which it shall deliver this summer. The responses to the consultation can be broken down as follows,
- Approximately 63,000 campaign responses, with the majority of responses attributable to eight substantive campaigns;
- Approximately 5,000 responses from individual members of the public;
- 0ver 30 responses from Members of Parliament;
- over 500 responses from organisations, including, o over 180 responses from local, national and international businesses or business organisations; o over 130 responses from local or regional government;
- over 40 responses from environment or heritage groups; o over 30 responses from academic groups;
- over 30 responses from community action groups; and o over 70 responses from other representative groups.
The Airports Commission is grateful for this very high level of engagement with its consultation, and wishes to recognise the hard work that so many individuals and organisations have put into their responses. A great deal of material was published for consultation – a reflection of the complexity of the task that the Commission is engaged in – and challenging questions were put to the public. It is clear that respondents put much time and thought into their responses. Full details of the consultation will be published alongside the Commission’s final report’.
5 March 2015 – Transport Minister John Hayes has announced that the Government will appoint a consultant to undertake a review of the process so far on decisions about the future of Manston Airport. The Kent airport closed on 15 May 2014 and Thanet District Council has subsequently been seeking a deal to secure its future. The Prime Minister made a commitment to do everything he can to help. Creating more jobs so more people have the security of a regular wage is a part of the government’s long-term economic plan for South Thanet, and Manston Airport has a vital role to play. John Hayes was at Manston to meet those at the heart of the process, including leader of Thanet District Council Iris Johnston and Member of Parliament for Thanet Roger Gale. Mr Hayes said, ‘I recognise the strong interest in keeping Manston Airport open which is why the government is leaving no stone unturned in the battle to secure its future. I can confirm my department will appoint a well-established consultant to review the process so far on decisions about the airport’s future. While it is down to Thanet District Council ultimately to agree a deal, the government is doing everything possible to support them in finding a way forward. The council considered the suitability of a compulsory purchase order on the site, but was unable to agree a suitable indemnity partner. The Department for Transport will now commission an independent consultant to review the process on its behalf. An invitation to tender for this work will be issued on the 6 March’.
House of Commons Questions
3 March 2015
Angus Brendan MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the relationship between direct air connectivity between UK airports and overseas locations and tourism from the overseas locations so connected.
Robert Goodwill (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Scarborough and Whitby, Conservative): The Government has set up the Airports Commission to examine the question of how best to maintain the UK’s international hub connectivity. As its Interim Report shows, the Airports Commission is taking account of economic benefits to the UK of aviation connectivity when making recommendations. The Commission’s final report is due to be submitted to Government in summer 2015. The Government’s principle concern is to protect the integrity and independence of the Commission through to the final report and will not be commenting on its ongoing work.
MacNeil, A.B – Benefits to businesses of direct aviation connectivity
3 March 2015
Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the comparative benefits to businesses of direct aviation connectivity between two locations and connectivity requiring a stopover at a hub airport.
Robert Goodwill: The Government has set up the Airports Commission to examine the question of how best to maintain the UK’s international hub connectivity. As its Interim Report shows, the Airports Commission is taking account of economic benefits to the UK of aviation connectivity when making recommendations. The Commission’s final report is due to be submitted to Government in summer 2015. The Government’s principle concern is to protect the integrity and independence of the Commission through to the final report and will not be commenting on its ongoing work.
3 March 2015
Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the contribution made by the direct connectivity of UK airports to emerging markets to tourism from such locations in the medium and long-term.
Robert Goodwill: The Government has set up the Airports Commission to examine the question of how best to maintain the UK’s international hub connectivity. As its Interim Report shows, the Airports Commission is taking account of economic benefits to the UK of aviation connectivity when making recommendations. The Commission’s final report is due to be submitted to Government in summer 2015. The Government’s principle concern is to protect the integrity and independence of the Commission through to the final report and will not be commenting on its ongoing work.
3 March 2015
Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons it is not a requirement to monitor and detect in real time organo-phosphate compounds in the cabin air of aircraft operating in and out of UK airports.
Robert Goodwill: It has not been shown that cabin air exposures, either in general or following specific incidents, cause ill-health. Responsibility for introducing any additional monitoring or detection system on board a commercial aircraft is the responsibility of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
3 March 2015
Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the number of direct flights from Scottish airports to emerging economies which have commenced since 2010.
Robert Goodwill: The number of air transport movements at Scottish airports on direct routes outside Western Europe or North America, which have commenced since 2010 is available here.
Evans, J – Engine fumes in aircraft
4 March 2015
Jonathan Evans (Cardiff North, Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that adequate measures are in place to assess the toxicity of fumes entering aircraft cabins from aircraft engines; what steps he has taken to ensure the prevention of adverse effects on pilots, cabin crew and passengers caused by toxic levels of fumes; and if he will make a statement.
Robert Goodwill: The Department has completed four research studies into cabin air which involved close cooperation with airlines to facilitate the research. The main study was published by Cranfield University in May 2011 and concluded there was no evidence for pollutants occurring in cabin air at levels exceeding available health and safety standards and guidelines. The Department has also engaged with the Committee on Toxicity who considered the Department’s four published reports during 2013. The Committee concluded that there is no evidence that fume events are causing ill health in passengers or crew.
Randall, J – Rail connectivity to Heathrow Airport
5 March 2015
Sir John Randall (Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Conservative): Notwithstanding whichever decision the Davies commission comes to, does my right hon. Friend agree that connectivity to Heathrow is now being sorted pretty efficiently through Old Oak Common and that there is no further need for the Heathrow spur should HS2 go ahead?
Patrick McLoughlin (Secretary of State for Transport, West Derbyshore, Conservative): This may be the last time I am able to address my right hon. Friend in this Chamber. It has been a great pleasure to work with him over many years. He has made a huge contribution, not only to the House of Commons and the Conservative party, but in standing up for his constituents in Uxbridge. I agree with my right hon. Friend that these matters need to be addressed very carefully. Of course, at the moment the whole question of HS2 is being studied by a Committee. I am not going to trespass on the valuable and important work it is doing, but my right hon. Friend makes some valid points. The importance that Old Oak Common will have to the infrastructure of this country is vast indeed, and I hope to be able to say a bit more about that shortly.
Gillan, C – Cumulative impact of any runway extension at Heathrow
5 March 2015
Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham, Conservative): Has the Secretary of State asked the Airports Commission to examine the cumulative impact of any runway extension at Heathrow and how it would affect the local area if it coincided with other projects, such as the construction of HS2, the Amersham waste transfer station and the development of Newland park? What assessment has been made of the impact on the local area?
Patrick McLoughlin: The commission is doing a comprehensive piece of work looking at all the options relating to aviation capacity in the south-east and the associated infrastructure projects that any project it suggests will affect, so I am sure it will have considered the points made by my right hon. Friend.
Macleod, M – Recent progress by the Airports Commission
5 March 2015
Mary Macleod (Brentford and Isleworth, Conservative): What recent progress has been made by the Airports Commission.
Mr Patrick McLoughlin: The Airports Commission recently completed a consultation on 3 February on its assessment of proposals for additional runway capacity. The commission is continuing to undertake further analyses on the shortlist of runway options before publishing its final report in the summer of 2015.
Mary Macleod: May I congratulate the Government on their policy on no third runway at Heathrow? Does the Secretary of State agree that the aviation industry would be best served by a solution that encourages competition; can be delivered sooner, cheaper and easier; takes into account the impact on local residents; and does not require billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money?
Patrick McLoughlin: My hon. Friend has been very consistent in her opposition to any third or fourth runway at Heathrow, and I know she supports the expansion of other airports. I look forward to receiving the commission’s recommendations and report this summer and to my hon. Friend’s comments on it.
Fitzpatrick, J – Lead in time for decision on aviation expansion
5 March 2015
Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Limehouse, Labour): Have we not just wasted another five years? The coalition has delayed building new runway capacity for the south-east because the Liberal Democrats are in denial about aviation being a very important economic instrument. I think the Conservative party now get it. Why have we had to wait another five years?
Patrick McLoughlin: I will not take any lessons from a party that wasted 13 years in not doing anything about extra capacity. It is a bit rich of the hon. Gentleman to accuse the Government of not taking action. The truth is that all the options that are being discussed by the commission are very different from the proposals considered by the previous Government.
Marsden, G – Discussions with EU about effects of repeated exposure to toxins inside aeroplanes
5 March 2015
Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South, Labour): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in other EU Member States on encouraging the European Aviation Safety Agency to investigate the potential effects of repeated exposure to toxins inside aeroplanes.
Robert Goodwill: The Department wrote to the European Aviation Safety Agency in March 2014 informing them of the publication of four scientific studies on cabin air that had been commissioned by the Department. No further discussions have taken place.
Marsden, G – Tests for pilots of effects of repeated exposure to toxins inside aeroplanes
5 March 2015
Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ensure that public health facilities and resources are made available for the testing of pilots for genetic conditions which might make them susceptible to the potential effects of repeated exposure to toxins inside aeroplanes should the Civil Aviation Authority decide to institute such tests.
Robert Goodwill: The Civil Aviation Authority are currently reviewing the evidence for the possibility of genetic factors which might influence individual susceptibility to environmental toxins.
House of Lords Questions
Lord Berkeley – Whether smaller airports are required to consult on changes to airport charges
2 March 2015
Lord Berkeley (Labour peer): To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Civil Aviation Authority regulations require small airports owned by local authorities, such as St Mary’s in Scilly, to consult stakeholders and users on proposed increases in airport charges.
Baroness Kramer (Minister of State for Transport, Liberal Democrat Peer): The Civil Aviation Authority regulates airport charges through the Airport Charges Regulations 2011. These regulations apply to airports with more than 5 million passengers in the year two years prior to the current year. They require such airports to consult airlines about airport charges annually and to give at least 4 months’ notice of proposed changes to airport charges (unless there are exceptional circumstances). All airports that have less than 5 million passengers in the year two years prior to the current year, including St. Mary’s airport in Scilly, are not bound by these regulations.
Media News
3 March 2015 – The Member of Parliament for Hammersmith Andy Slaughter has written a blog supporting opposition to expansion at Heathrow Airport.
SASIG Parliamentary News Bulletin 1 March – 8 March
SASIG Regional & Industry News Bulletin 1 March – 8 March
The Parliamentary information in this Bulletin is sourced from De Havilland Information Services plc .