Editorial
Monthly Highlights
Forthcoming Events (SASIG Meetings & External Conferences)
Parliamentary News
Parliamentary Questions
London & South East News
Regional News
National & Other Industry News
European News
SASIG Website Additions (July)
Editorial
The post-Brexit leadership battle in the Conservative party has been likened to a ‘Game of Thrones’ so many times that I have almost been tempted to sign-up for a Sky dish to see what all the fuss is about; surely this was just the plot-line of a House of Cards?
“You might say that, but I could not possibly comment?”
But then suddenly the plotting and intrigue was over almost as soon as it began and a new Government, with changes to many senior and junior ministerial positions, was in place leading to the inevitable pause in policy and decision-making to allow new Ministers get themselves up to speed (a full list of new Cabinet and junior ministerial meetings can be found on the SASIG website) and the civil service seeks to tune in to the priorities and requirements of a new administration.
Yet despite (or possibly because of) this sea-change in Whitehall, there remains no clarity about the timing of a South East capacity decision – the rumour mill suggests October (after the party conferences) for an announcement, with a ‘free vote’ on the issue to follow. This sounds plausible but we have been here before!
Meanwhile, DfT has established a Brexit Division and we were told at an ‘extraordinary’ meeting of the Department’s External Advisory Group on 8 July that Aviation was likely to be treated as a high priority in Brexit negotiations. There were assurances offered by DfT about ‘business as usual’ in relation to other important policy areas (e.g. Night Noise, airspace change etc), but this was said without seeming conviction and any real understanding of the scale of the Brexit related work. John Parkinson (ex Aviation) is in charge of DfT’s Brexit Unit, and Dan Micklethwaite is now in post as Director of Aviation.
In September a new round of Technical Working Group meetings is planned, the intention being to begin the process of developing a policy manifesto under each Group’s area of interest, to be brought together in the New Year for discussion with DfT and subsequent publication. All members are welcome to attend.
Chris Cain,
Head of Secretariat
Monthly Highlights
The Government re-shuffle which made Chris Grayling Transport Secretary and Lord Ahmed Aviation Minister.
SASIG’s response to an informal focus group consultation following engagement with DfT on Night Noise.
A DEFRA meeting on noise nuisance and the Extraordinary DfT EAG meeting on Brexit.
Forthcoming 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
Please note for September – Targeted review of the General Block Exemption Regulation (State Aid): extension to ports and airports.
SASIG Meetings
8th September – Next TWG-Surface Access, LGA, London
22nd September – Next TWG-Environment, Planning & Airspace, LGA, London
6th October – Next TWG-Airports, Cities & Economic Growth, LGA, London (following CAG meeting)
4th November – Full SASIG Meeting – LGA, London
External Conferences
5th Sept 2016: Implementing Airport Expansion in the South East – Westminster Energy, Environment and Transport Forum. A SASIG representative has been invited to speak at this keynote seminar.
26th September 2016: Runways UK 2016, London. (Please note this event has been cancelled).
24th-27th September 2016: The 22nd World Route Development Forum, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. In 2016 World Routes will return to China, hosted by Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.
17th-18th November 2016: 5th European Aviation Conference: Istanbul, Turkey. Changing Hub Dynamics: New Models and Airlines Evolution. This conference investigates the changing dynamics of hubs, both from airport and airline points of view.
21st-22nd November 2016: AOA Annual Conference 2016: Hilton Metropole, London.
Parliamentary News
(Please note: Parliament is in recess from 21st July to 5th September)
Transport Questions – 5th July 2016
Airports: Runways
Lord Spicer: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their plans for the future development of runways at Gatwick and Stansted airports, in addition to their plans for Heathrow airport”.
Viscount Younger of Leckie: “My Lords, the Airports Commission shortlisted three airport schemes in its interim report—two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. The commission did not include a scheme at Stansted on its shortlist. The Government accepted the commission’s shortlist in December and have since been undertaking a programme of further work to support a decision on a preferred scheme”.
Lord Spicer (Con): “My Lords, for one magical moment I thought I would get a substantive reply. But I quite understand that the Government are putting a brave face on an emerging crisis that could be made worse if we are heading towards a recession. Will my noble friend have a quiet word with his Secretary of State and ask him whether he will put the question of Heathrow direct to the Cabinet—because they might be so busy sorting themselves out that they might say yes? Failing that, will he accept that those of us who have taken an interest in this matter will add to our list of good causes Stansted and Gatwick? Those airports are now filling up and running out of space—and it is only 30 years ago that I turned the first sod for Stansted”.
Viscount Younger of Leckie: “My noble friend has been assiduous in beating the drum on this subject, and today is no exception. The Government are fully committed to delivering the important infrastructure projects they have set out—including runway capacity—on the timetable set out in the Airport Commission’s report. My noble friend will know that my right honourable friend Patrick McLoughlin in the other place made a Statement on 30 June. I have no doubt he is in close touch with the Cabinet on this issue. He made it clear that he was not in a position to make a decision on airport capacity this summer”.
Viscount Waverley (CB): “My Lords, what guarantees have been received from Gatwick Airport that the current operational disruption and operational scheduling will be permanently resolved?”
Viscount Younger of Leckie: “ On the question of Gatwick or Heathrow, the noble Lord will know that three shortlisted schemes have been put forward—two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. That continues to be the main focus. At some point an announcement will be made—but the Statement from the Secretary of State on 30 June was very clear”.
Lord Clinton-Davis (Lab): “When do the Government expect to make a decision on this issue? It has been delayed for so long, and every delay results in grievous loss to this country in world markets. What are the Government going to do about it?”
Viscount Younger of Leckie: “It is fair to say that the expression “long-running saga” can be redefined. On a serious note, the Government made it clear that rolling out the new runway was extremely important. In December 2013, the Airport Commission’s report stated that the need was acute and that by 2030 we needed to address the capacity issue. Failing to address it could cost passengers £21 billion to £23 billion in fare increases and delays, and £30 billion to £45 billion for the wider economy. I am unable to give a timetable at the moment, but the noble Lord will be aware that there are issues such as air quality that are being analysed at present”.
Lord Tebbit (Con): “My Lords, is it not clear that the Government cannot direct international airlines to which airport they will go? The alternative to Heathrow is not Gatwick, Stansted or Boris Island but Frankfurt, Schiphol and Paris”.
Viscount Younger of Leckie: “I am very aware that airports in Europe have been developing, but the transport network within the UK is exceptionally good, and we should always remember that. There is now a great opportunity—even more so after the result of the EU referendum—to spread ourselves more to markets abroad, and that is exactly what we are doing”.
Baroness Randerson (LD): “My Lords, BA operates the majority of Heathrow services. Recently, Willie Walsh stated that the costs of a third runway were prohibitive. He suggested, instead, that we look again at extending the existing northern runway, which the commission suggested was an option. Have the Government taken that into consideration or will they do so now, given the financial and economic emergency we now face as a country?”
Viscount Younger of Leckie: “I can confirm that there has been no change and that the three schemes remain on the table. We will continue to roll out this programme of looking at the schemes, including analysis on issues such as air quality. That is very important if one thinks about the number of employees at Heathrow and Gatwick: 70,000 at Heathrow. We must get these things right—which is why we are not yet at the stage where we can make a decision”.
Baroness Smith of Basildon (Lab): “My Lords, I know that the Minister is a naturally calm person, but he sounds rather complacent about the seriousness of this problem. We were told that the decision was delayed because of the election and the referendum. We are now told that because of the leadership campaign it cannot be announced. Does the Minister understand that British business is feeling very insecure and nervous and needs A. reassurances? If the Government cannot make a decision on this we will start to wonder whether they can make a decision on anything”.
Viscount Younger of Leckie: “Yes, I fully understand. I am sure the noble Baroness will agree that it is very important that such a major decision is made properly and with all the facts. We are not that stage. I have already explained that there are matters of great importance that are being looked at, and I have laid them out. We must get this right”.
Lord Trefgarne (Con): “My Lords, does the outcome of the referendum have implications for the decision that my noble friend is telling us about?”
Viscount Younger of Leckie: “I refer my noble friend to the announcement made by my right honourable friend Patrick McLoughlin. He said: “I had hoped that we would be able to announce a decision on airport capacity this summer. Clearly, any announcement on airport capacity would have to be made when the House was in session … given recent events, I cannot now foresee that there will be an announcement until at least October”.—[Official Report, Commons, 30/6/16; col. 452.]
Lord McKenzie of Luton (Lab): “My Lords, I draw attention to my interest in the register. I may have mentioned to the Minister’s colleague the strong growth and expansion plans for London Luton Airport, which is just 22 minutes by train from London and serves some 23 million people within a two-hour travel time from the airport. Notwithstanding the Government’s prevarication on Heathrow or Gatwick, will the Minister confirm their continued support for Luton’s expansion and the funding which has been allocated?”
Viscount Younger of Leckie: “I can reassure the noble Lord that Luton, as well as other regional airports in the south-east, is very much being considered. I have already mentioned the three preferred schemes, but Stansted and Luton airports are incredibly important for providing a south-east hub with links to Europe and further abroad”.
Parliamentary Questions
Q1. Question (40474) asked by Jim Shannon (Strangford) on 14th June 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with airline companies on the provision of bad or adverse weather training for airline staff”.
Q2. Question (40475) asked by Jim Shannon (Strangford) on 14th June 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with airline companies on the provision of training for pilots on the use of radar”.
Questions (40474) and (40475) group answered by Robert Goodwill on 1st July 2016: “As the independent aviation safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) monitors training standards as part of its oversight of UK airlines. Over the course of their training programme, pilots are trained in the use of weather radar equipment and weather avoidance procedures. Airline training instructors and examiners are regularly audited by the CAA to ensure the quality of training meets the highest licensing standards”.
Q3. Question (40767) asked by Martin Docherty-Hughes (West Dunbartonshire) on 15th June 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidelines there are for the flying of unmanned drones in the proximity of airports”.
Answered by Robert Goodwill on 1st July 2016: “Article 166 of the UK Air Navigation order 2009 (ANO) requires operators of small unmanned aircraft to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels and structures for the purposes of avoiding collisions. It also states that an operator may only fly the aircraft if they are reasonably satisfied that the flight can safely be made. In addition, Article 138 of the ANO 2009, which also applies to small unmanned aircraft, states that “a person must not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property”. This includes persons within another aircraft, and of course the aircraft that those persons are within. The Civil Aviation Authority issues CAP 722 which is guidance for operating drones in the UK”.
Q4. Question (40768) asked by Martin Docherty-Hughes (West Dunbartonshire) on 15th June 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with airport operators on responding to incidents involving unmanned drones and aircraft”.
Q5. Question (40657) asked by Martin Docherty-Hughes (West Dunbartonshire) on 15th June 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with airline operators in response to incidents between unmanned drones and passenger airlines”.
Questions (40768) and (40657) group answered by Robert Goodwill on 1st July 2016: “The Department for Transport (DfT) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of industry partners across the aviation sector, (including manufacturers, airports, and airlines), to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date. Further work is underway to better understand the risk posed by flying drones close to commercial planes to ensure that regulations remain fit for purpose”.
Q6. Question (41425) asked by Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield) on 28th June 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for (a) the UK aviation sector and (b) his Department’s aviation policies of the outcome of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU”.
Answered by Robert Goodwill on 6th July 2016: “It is too early to assess the impacts of the outcome of the EU Referendum for any particular sector, including aviation. The Prime Minister has made it clear that at present we remain a member of the EU with all the rights and obligations this entails and that it will be for the next administration to determine the terms of our exit from the European Union”.
Q7. Question (41452) asked by Stewart Malcolm MacDonald (Glasgow South) on 29th June 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on implementation of the Single European Sky programme”.
Answered by Robert Goodwill on 6th July 2016: “It is too early to assess the impacts of the outcome of the EU Referendum for any particular sector, including aviation. The Prime Minister has made it clear that at present we remain a member of the EU with all the rights and obligations this entails and that it will be for the next administration to determine the terms of our exit from the European Union”.
Q8. Question (41569) asked by Nigel Dodds (Belfast North) on 30th June 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment she has made of the effect on Northern Ireland of postponing the decision on extra runway capacity in South East England”.
Answered by Mrs Theresa Villiers on 8th July 2016: “The Government had hoped to announce a decision on airports capacity this summer. Any announcement on airports capacity would have to be made with the House in session and we cannot foresee an announcement until at least October. The Government is committed to delivering the important infrastructure projects it has set out, including delivering runway capacity on the timetable set out by the Airports Commission’s report”.
Q9. Question (41587) asked by Jim Shannon (Strangford) on 30th June 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to advise people in the UK of their continuing rights to travel freely within the EU”.
Answered by James Brokenshire on 7th July 2016: “The Government has been clear that there will be no immediate changes in the circumstances of European nationals entering or currently residing in the UK”.
Q10. Question (42056) asked by Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield) on 6th July 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July to Question 41425, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the UK aviation sector on the implications for (a) that sector and (b) the priorities for his Department’s aviation policies of the outcome of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU”.
Answered by Robert Goodwill on 11th July 2016: “Officials in my Department have regular discussions with representatives of the aviation sector on a range of issues. The Government’s position on the outcome of the EU referendum is clear: the British people voted for the UK to leave the European Union on 23 June and their will must be respected and delivered. And as My Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister has said, it will be for the Government, under a new Prime Minister, to begin negotiations to exit the EU. Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation. There will be no immediate changes to our aviation priorities as a consequence of the vote, and the Government will continue working to deliver its agenda”.
Q11. Question (HL842) asked by Baroness Randerson on 28th June 2016: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to introduce measures for airspace modernisation”.
Answered by Lord Ahmed of Wimbledon on 11th July 2016: “The UK’s airspace modernisation plan is set out in the Future Airspace Strategy which was agreed in 2011. This long-term strategy is now being implemented by the aviation industry and overseen by the Future Airspace Strategy Deployment Steering Group which is jointly chaired by the Civil Aviation Authority and NATS”.
Q12. Question (42271) asked by Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield) on 8th July 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of existing regulations on drones and if he will make a statement”.
Answered by Robert Goodwill on 13th July 2016: “The Government’s primary responsibility is the safety and security of our citizens. That is why we apply one of the highest regulatory safety standards for commercial aviation in the world. There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. The Department and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of industry partners across the aviation sector, (including manufacturers, airports, and airlines), to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date and mitigations effective. Further work is underway to better understand the risk posed by flying drones close to commercial planes to ensure that regulations remain fit for purpose. Awareness and education on current restrictions are vitally important. The Civil Aviation Authority is undertaking activities to raise awareness of the basic safety requirements, including an ongoing ‘Dronecode’ safety awareness campaign, issuing safety leaflets at the point of sale, publishing an animated video on their website, and running ‘small UAS’ Risk and Hazard workshops with industry as part of the Mid Air Collision Programme”.
London and South East News
1st July – New security area open today in North Terminal at Gatwick Airport. It forms part of transformation of the North Terminal, following successful implementation of the technology in the South Terminal.
1st July – CEO at Gatwick responds to the announcement from the Transport Secretary that a decision on airport expansion has been delayed. He says: “It is now clear that only Gatwick can deliver the expansion we need and do so by 2025”.
1st July – Campaigners against expansion at Gatwick say it would be the biggest destruction of British heritage since the Blitz if it happens. Unveiling a new report the groups say Gatwick’s own submission to the Airports Commission detailed 17 listed buildings which would be destroyed.
1st July – easyjet says it has no plans to move from London Luton Airport following result of EU referendum. The news comes despite the airline admitting that it has started the formal procedure to acquire an air operator certificate (AOC) in a European country.
2nd July – Hundreds of people living near Heathrow call for expansion at the airport. The rally held at Kempton Park racecourse called for the government to back the building of a new runway at the airport.
4th July – Stansted’s MP calls for better links to airport as Government delays on new runway. Uttlesford’s MP, Sir Alan Haselhurst, has again pressed the case for better road and rail links to Stansted Airport in the wake of the Government’s delay to runway decision.
5th July – London City Airport boss calls for immediate airport expansion decision. CE Declan Collier has called for the government to put together the “best possible deal for the country” amid post-Brexit uncertainty.
5th July – Balfour Beatty bags £170m Heathrow Airport project. The project awarded through the Heathrow Airport Limited Delivery Integrator Framework, will involve upgrading and installing baggage screening/handling systems at Heathrow’s eastern baggage facility.
6th July – Gatwick wins ‘European airport with the most new long haul routes’ award. It has been officially recognised as the European airport with the most new long haul routes in the last twelve months, by leading aviation news and analysis organisation anna.aero.
7th July – Heathrow Chairman says third runway is “huge growth opportunity” for UK small businesses. Speaking to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Manchester, Lord Deighton said Heathrow’s expansion is a “huge growth opportunity” for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in every part of the UK.
8th July – Airports Commission Chair, Sir Howard Davies pushes hard in the media for a Heathrow runway. Says the economic case for a 3rd runway has been strengthened by the Brexit vote.
10th July – Council leaders tell Government – Make a bold decision, expand Heathrow. The Leaders of 34 councils around the UK have all signed a letter to the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, urging the Government to expand Heathrow.
11th July – Long-haul growth rockets 24% in busiest-ever June. Gatwick Airport has seen long-haul routes rocket 24% year on year, as the airport achieved its busiest-ever June.
11th July – Cargo growth confirms Heathrow expansion mission critical for Brexit Britain. Heathrow CEO says: “With cargo volumes at Heathrow growing, our next Prime Minister has a real opportunity to secure Britain’s legacy as an outward-looking trading nation”.
12th July – Gatwick flight delayed as crew member is arrested. A flight to Corfu was delayed by more than 4 hours after a cabin crew member was arrested on suspicion of being drunk.
12th July – Theresa May tells Medway MP that she won’t revive plans for Thames Estuary airport. Rehman Chishti revealed Mrs May confirmed she did not support the concept of an airport on the Isle of Grain, developed by architect Lord Foster.
12th July – London Luton Airport’s passenger numbers grow. The number of passengers using London Luton Airport (LLA) has increased for the 27th month in a row.
13th July – Increase in Stansted Airport traffic statistics. The airport saw nearly 2.2 million passengers pass through in June, up 6.3% on the same month last year. In the 12 months ending June 2016, the total number of passengers grew to over 23.4 million, up 8.9% over the previous year.
14th July – Heathrow Airport expansion in doubt after new P.M. promotes critics to top cabinet posts. Expansion of Heathrow Airport appears increasingly unlikely after Theresa May appointed to her Cabinet a series of opponents to a third runway.
14th July – Heathrow tells new Transport Secretary: ‘listen to the Conservative grassroots and choose Heathrow’. Heathrow releases new ComRes polling today showing Chris Grayling that Conservative councillors across the country believe the new Government should make a decision on aviation capacity in the South East as soon as possible.
15th July – Stansted has sights on second runway. The airport plans to start discussions with government in a couple of years about a 2nd runway.
15th July – London Mayor hails Gatwick’s decision to boost £1.2bn capital investment plan. Sadiq Khan today visited Gatwick to hail its decision to boost investment in the airport by an additional £200 million and he called for swift Government decision in favour of a new runway at Gatwick.
17th July – New Transport Secretary says runway decision could be made within weeks. Interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend, he said: “I am very clear that I want to move rapidly with a decision on what happens on airport capacity”.
18th July – Flybe begins route from London City Airport to Rennes in France. There is no competition on the 401-kilometre sector, which will operate until early September.
18th July – Betting firm Betway cuts odds on Gatwick beating Heathrow to expansion. Odds have been cut to 4/7. Meanwhile, Heathrow Airport’s odds have lengthened to 5/4.
19th July – Top UK investor, USS, tells new PM to “’Green light’ Heathrow and we will help you build your vision for a better Britain”. Writing to Theresa May today, it has reiterated the shareholders’ pledge to boost the economy, create jobs and leave a legacy of skills across the country if the Government gives the go-ahead to Heathrow expansion.
19th July – Armed police escort ‘violent passenger’ off BA flight at London City Airport. The drama unfolded on a flight from Glasgow after the man was overheard threatening violence at travellers sat in the row in front.
19th July – Gatwick is to spend £200 million on transformation scheme. This will include the upgrade of shopping facilities and the expansion of the north and south terminals.
20th July – Long-haul destinations soar as Gatwick is set for busiest-ever summer. Gatwick Airport expects 8 million passengers to travel through the airport this summer holiday, +6.6% on summer 2015.
22nd July – Heathrow boss says Brexit has bolstered Heathrow’s fortunes. Falling pound has attracted foreign investment and strengthened case for 3rd runway, says John Holland-Kaye.
23rd July – MPs warn Heathrow delay is harming economy. 36 Conservative MPs, led by former party chairman Grant Shapps, demand urgent decision on Heathrow airport’s expansion. (For additional information, see SASIG Library Additions).
25th July – Luton Airport flight path changes “unfair to Hertfordshire residents”. Complaints about plane noise from Luton Airport have leapt by 78%, with residents saying their lives have been “devastated” by detrimental flight path changes.
27th July – The Government has approved a £344m expansion programme at London City Airport. Transport secretary, Chris Grayling, said “London City Airport … providing a vital link to our regional airports and the rest of the country.”
27th July – Poll shows MPs see Heathrow expansion as top priority for the economy. 55% of them ranked expansion of the west London hub as the first priority compared with just 14% who chose a second runway at Gatwick.
28th July – A look back at seven decades of Heathrow Airport. What started as a 150-acre plot has grown into one of the world’s busiest international airports. This year marks 70 years since the first civil flight flew from Heathrow Airport.
Regional News
1st July – Birmingham Airport CE says it is ‘business as usual’ following Brexit vote. He says it will not mean that we will disconnect with our European partners overnight and it is far too early to speculate about any of the important issues.
1st July – Decision on airport car parking scheme deferred. Bournemouth Airport bosses have been critical of the plans, citing the lack of regulation companies that offer ‘meet and greet’ parking are subject to.
1st July – Cardiff Airport unveils three new Oshkosh fire appliances. The airport’s fire team has completed an intensive 12-week training programme to become familiarised with the appliances and describes them as a “step change in technology.”
3rd July – ‘Thousands’ respond to Edinburgh Airport’s flight path consultation. Says it has already received thousands of responses to its 14-week Let’s Go Further airspace consultation in the three weeks since launch.
4th July – Fifth daily weekday flight from Leeds Bradford to Belfast takes to the skies. Flybe today started operating a fifth daily weekday flight between Leeds Bradford and Belfast City airports that, due to increased demand, will operate year round.
5th July – Angry holidaymaker shares pictures of ‘chaotic’ scenes at Manchester Airport. Says Home Office staff struggled to cope with large number of arriving passengers. Pictures show passport control queues, piled up baggage on belt and traffic gridlock outside.
5th July – Half-year passenger numbers soar at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. More than 2.3m passengers have used the airport in the first six months of this year – a 15% rise on same period last year.
7th July – Hundreds of homes are to be built near Newcastle Airport. The airport which is less than a mile away, has objected to the proposed layout, but the council report says aircraft noise levels inside homes can be “adequately mitigated”.
7th July – Passenger numbers increase at Newquay Airport. Cornwall Airport Ltd has released its latest passenger figures, showing numbers for June ‘16 up by 51% on June ‘15.
8th July – Belfast International Airport back in UK’s top 10. This is for the first time in a decade. The boost follows a 16 per cent jump in passenger numbers in April.
10th July – A38 trunk road to Bristol Airport could become dual carriageway. Transport leaders say it cannot cope with the current amount of traffic, let alone the volume in the future with the predicted growth of Bristol Airport, employment and more housing.
11th July – Almost 1.2 million passengers used Edinburgh Airport in June. The airport experienced the busiest June on record out of any Scottish airport.
12th July – Cardiff named as UK’s fastest growing airport. Cardiff is now the UK’s fastest growing airport that regularly handles over one million passengers annually.
12th July – Manston Airport public enquiry is to be held on its future. Planning Inspectorate has ruled an enquiry will be held into plans to change the use of buildings on site to non-aviation use. Thanet council told an appeal hearing to consider 4 planning applications will not go ahead.
12th July – Glasgow Prestwick Airport one step closer to sending flights into space. Plans for a Spaceport are moving forward as a deal is signed with a company making space planes.
13th July – Drop in passenger numbers continues at Aberdeen International Airport. AIA suffered again in June as passenger numbers at the terminal continued to reflect the region’s economic downturn.
13th July – Passenger numbers down at East Midlands Airport. During the 12 months to March 31, 2016, 4.5 million people travelled from EMA – a 2.2 percent drop from 4.6 million in the previous year.
13th July – Glasgow Airport records busiest ever June. Glasgow Airport has achieved its busiest-ever June, handling nearly 950,000 passengers.
13th July – Over 1.1 million people were welcomed to Birmingham Airport during June. This gives the Midlands gateway its sixteenth consecutive month of record breaking growth.
14th July – Belfast City Airport awards ATC Contract to NATS, which began 1st July. It is the first time the airport has awarded a contract for air traffic control services to an external company.
18th July – Two sites adjacent to Doncaster Robin Hood Airport go on market. Both suitable for commercial and residential development, they are on the outskirts of Auckley, a village approximately 5.5 miles south east of Doncaster town centre.
19th July – Biggest Scottish airports owned in tax havens. Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports – once in public ownership – are all wholly or partially controlled through secretive offshore jurisdictions.
19th July – Pilots arrested at Glasgow Airport for being under the influence of alcohol. Air Transat pilots were preparing to fly transatlantic passenger jet from Scotland to Canada.
19th July – Ryanair set to grow by over 20% this winter in Bristol Airport. It has launched over 50 routes since making Bristol a base in 2007.
20th July – Cardiff Airport is preparing for 25% increase on summer 2015 traffic. This start to the school holidays comes following the Airport recently becoming the fastest growing UK airport that handles over a million passengers annually.
20th July – Edinburgh Airport scoops industry award for best waste food collection system. Airport CE says: “..this award is a great reflection of the whole team’s commitment to delivering on and exceeding in our environmental responsibilities.”
22nd July – Leeds Bradford Airport expects its busiest weekend. This weekend is expected to be one of the busiest of the year with around 24,000 passengers departing over the next three days.
22nd July – The number of delayed and cancelled flights at Norwich Airport rises by more than 160% over one year. From January to June last year, there were 67 services cancelled or delayed for more than 3 hours, meeting the EU threshold at which passengers can lodge a compensation claim. But according to data from EU Claim, during same period this year the number more than doubled, with 175 affected flights – a rise of 161%.
22nd July – Dublin Airport opens new passenger lounge after US Preclearance in Terminal 2. The new lounge, known as 51st&Green, is named to reflect the theme of connecting Ireland and the US at Dublin Airport before departure.
28th July – Prospectus is launched to promote Bournemouth Airport business park. Almost £40million is being spent on transport and infrastructure improvements around the park and neighbouring Bournemouth Airport.
29th July – Leeds Bradford is to gain links to four European capitals in winter 16/17. Traffic is up 26% since 2010 and is on track for 3.6 million passengers in 2016.
29th July – Passengers have taken off from Doncaster Airport to Cluj in Romania, via a new service with Wizz Air. Passengers can now fly to the city in north-west Romania, considered to be the unofficial capital of Transylvania with links to the fictional character Count Dracula.
29th July – Land around Bristol Airport could become a no-go area for illegal car parks. Nearly 40 square miles of land around the airport could soon become a no go area for illegal car parks as part of a new council crackdown.
National and Other Industry News
2nd July – Ryanair targets share buybacks after Brexit. Airline is seeking permission to buy back more of its shares to take advantage of market volatility after Brexit caused the value of its stock to drop sharply.
4th July – Flybe calls on Government to ease APD stranglehold on regional economic growth. In light of current financial turmoil, leading regional airline says Government can no longer ignore damaging impact of Air Passenger Duty.
5th July – Airlines demand action on French ATC disruption. British Airways and Ryanair have called for unions and management to begin talks after the 12th day of strikes in three months in a dispute that centres over pay and staffing levels.
4th July – A ground-breaking seminar discussing the impact of aircraft noise on mental health held in Parliament today. The seminar, by HACAN and the Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) brought together experts from across Europe to explore the issue.
6th July – Airbus lags behind arch-rival Boeing in sales. Ends the first half of the year with 227 aircraft orders compared to 309 for Boeing.
7th July – IATA says Brexit ‘shockwaves’ hitting airline industry. IATA’s CEO Tony Tyler said that the increase in global air traffic was already “slipping back” in May – before the UK vote to leave the EU last month – after a “very strong start” to 2016.
11th July – Boeing signs £3bn deal for nine marine patrol planes. The UK government will buy nine new marine patrol planes from Boeing in a decade-long deal worth £3bn and which will double the number of jobs in its UK workforce.
12th July – Revealed at Farnborough Air Show – the world’s best airline. Emirates named the best airline in the world at the annual World Airline Awards held today by Skytrax at the Farnborough International Air Show in Hampshire.
12th July – Norwegian Air Shuttle says Brexit not affecting bookings. Norwegian has a large base at London Gatwick Airport flying to destinations across Europe and to the US.
13th July – Manchester Airport Group (MAG) reports most successful year ever. Overall, passenger numbers grew by 7% to 51.9 million at MAG’s four airports, Stansted, Bournemouth, East Midlands and Manchester.
14th July – Jet2.com owners report a doubling in operating profit. Dart Group has reported a doubling in operating profit mainly due to the success of its leisure travel business.
18th July – British Airports and NATS consider replacing air traffic controllers with remote system. Several major British airports are considering scrapping ATC towers in favour of a digital set-up, where cameras relay information from the runway to a remote control room.
20th July – Budget airline Wizz Air says it will shift additional capacity intended for the UK in the second half of this year to other countries. Said its plans to halve its UK growth were a direct result of the vote to leave the EU and the fall in the value of sterling.
20th July – EU funding is on the way for General Aviation. The UK CAA today confirmed that, subject to contract, EU funds will be made available to the CAA to help GA pilots and private aircraft owners move to 8.33 kHz radios. All aircraft registered in the EU that use radios need to be equipped with 8.33 kHz equipment by December 2017.
21st July – Easyjet warns of turbulent summer after Brexit and terror attacks. Airline says it’s facing the most difficult summer holiday season for years.
25th July – Ryanair to axe UK flights as it plans to cash in on Brexit. The Irish airline, which campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU, said it would grow its business away from UK airports.
25th July – UK Airlines support Aviation Industry Code of Practice on Disruptive Passengers. BATA, AOA, the Airport Police Commanders Group, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers and the UK Travel Retail Forum have joined together to create the UK Aviation Industry Code of Practice on Disruptive Passengers. A copy of the code is available here.
26th July – The Government and Amazon are looking at trials for delivering goods by drones. Amazon’s paying for the programme, which will look at the best way to allow hundreds of robotic aircraft to buzz around Britain’s skies safely to deliver goods.
27th July – Flybe reveals immediate impact of Brexit. Flybe today warned that the result of the EU referendum will knock £2.5 million off its annual profit.
29th July – Airport alcohol crackdown after more than 400 arrested for being drunk. New Aviation Minister Lord Ahmad has announced he will examine the way alcohol is sold at airports amid a spate of incidents on planes involving drunken passengers.
29th July – British Airways owners IAG slashes profit forecast and cuts targets. IAG CE Willie Walsh warned a day after the poll that the group wouldn’t meet the earlier target as economic uncertainty after the ‘Leave’ victory, puts people off travel.
European News
1st July – European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Annual Safety Review 2016 published. The full report can be seen here. The summary of the report can be seen here.
7th July – European airport trade association, ACI EUROPE today released its traffic report for May 2016. This is the only air transport report which includes all types of civil aviation passenger flights to and from Europe: full service, low cost, charter and others.
SASIG Library Additions
- The Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) publishes a report on the benefits of aviation. Called “Aviation: Benefits Without Borders” the full report can be found here.
- Government response to the Transport Select Committee’s latest report on South East Airport expansion is published. It is available to read here.
- This British Infrastructure Group (BIG) Report titled “Gate Now Closing” is a final call for UK airport expansion to protect Britain’s businesses, economy and jobs.
- For reference by SASIG members, here is the Appeal Decision regarding the refusal by Cheshire East Council to grant planning permission in Mobberley. The development proposed was a hybrid planning application for mixed-use redevelopment. Planning permission was refused due to the effect of noise from overhead aircraft on the external amenity areas of the residential development with impacts on health and quality of life.
- A list of the new Government Ministers can be found here.
- A list of links to the Surface Access strategies of UK airports can be found here.