Editor’s Highlights

There is an important truism about aviation that those who have been in the industry long enough will appreciate only too well, and that is it is never out of the news and if it has been for a few days you can be sure it will reappear shortly. 

With much of the population apparently keen to grab any opportunity for a summer getaway, the Government’s oft criticised traffic light system for international travel is rarely out of the news; and with the G7 and COP26 on the horizon neither is the trope that aviation is the primary cause of climate change. A further media interest has also developed in the emergence of new aviation technologies and related air mobility concepts. And so while there has been little by way of badly needed sector specific support from the Government to report, or indeed any concrete progress on the major policy holes left by COVID, the stalled Aviation 2050 Green Paper process, and the confusing  assortment of planning decisions, appeals and associated judicial reviews that have occurred over the winter months,  ‘policy light’ initiatives such as the GA roadmap, the Fly Zero initiative and the Coventry vertiport, offer no shortage of columns inches to read as this Newsletter will exemplify.

The machination of the Global Travel Task Force and the Road Map for leaving the COVID lockdown have attracted most attention, but the Prime Minister announced from now on aviation emissions would be included in the UK’s official carbon budget and the fact an Aviation Decarbonisation Strategy consultation is imminent are also noteworthy landmarks on the horizon. There are also signs that DfT is stirring itself to begin work again on the Aviation Recovery Plan, Regional Connectivity Study and other longer term strategic issues, which promises a busy summer and 3^rdQuarter to the financial year, especially with Night Noise and APD consultations ongoing and the delayed Spending Review due in the Autumn.

As ever this Newsletter takes you through all the Government, Parliamentary and Industry news you need to know, identifies key publications to be aware of and highlights future meetings (both SASIG and external) that are likely to be of interest.

Chris Cain

Policy Director
SASIG

Monthly Highlights

5^th April  – Government presents its Roadmap Reviews: Update including an update on Global Travel Taskforce and a return to international travel – see here. 

7^th April – CAA updates its review on Airspace Classification – see here and here. 

9^th April – Local election campaigning put on hold following death of Prince Philip.

23^rd April – Government publishes its GA road map – see here.

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).

21 July 2021: 10:30-1pm: SASIG full meeting/ afternoon workshop – Westminster Suite, LGA or virtually via Zoom – to be decided.

29 September 2021: 10:30-1pm: SASIG full meeting/ afternoon workshop – Westminster Suite, LGA. 
15 December 2021: 10:30-1pm: SASIG full meeting/ afternoon workshop – Westminster Suite, LGA

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

2^nd September 2021: 2^nd International Hydrogen Aviation Conference, Glasgow.

10-12 October 2021: World Routes 2021: Milan, Italy.

W/b: 11 October 2021: ABTA Travel Convention: Virtual meeting.
1-2 December 2021: 9^th European Aviation Conference: Heilbronn, Germany

5, 6 & 7 April 2022: Passenger Terminal Expo & Conference: Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Paris, France.

18-22 May 2022: Routes Europe: Bergen, Norway. 

Parliamentary and Government News

Both Houses rose on 25 March 2021. The Commons returned on 13 April 2021 and the Lords on 12 April 2021.

5^th April  – Government presents its Roadmap Reviews: Update including an update on Global Travel Taskforce and a return to international travel – see here. 

Transport Questions:  House of Commons: 

27^th April – General Aviation in the UK
Statement made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Aviation), Robert Courts regarding setting out of the Government road map for GA can be seen here.

Transport Questions:  House of Lords

19^th April – Planning: Net Zero Emissions Targets
The Government was asked whether they plan to revise planning rules to ensure that all planning decisions are aligned with the UK’s net zero emissions targets. Aviation was referenced within the debate which can be seen here.

20^th April – Domestic Travel
The Government was asked further to the passing of a law by the National Assembly of France to prohibit domestic flights to destinations that can be reached by train in two and a half hours or less, what consideration they have given to reducing domestic air travel in the United Kingdom. See here.

21st April – Net Zero Carbon Emissions
The Grand Committee was asked to take note of the case for the integration of policy-making in (1) national, and (2) local, government to achieve net zero carbon emissions in the United Kingdom. See here.

Parliamentary Questions:  

Q.1. Question (179020) asked by Henry Smith (Crawley) on 12 April 2021: “To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish his Department’s policy on new homes being built near to existing airports; and what assessment he has made of the compatibility of that policy with the Government’s aim to reduce the number of people significantly affected by aircraft noise”.

A. Christopher Pincher on 20 April 2021: “It is for local authorities to determine the most appropriate location for new housing, and they should do this having regard to the local circumstances that they know best. However, in determining the most appropriate locations, the National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that planning decisions and policies should avoid noise giving rise to significant adverse effects on health and quality of life. In a situation where new homes are proposed near an airfield, and therefore could be affected by noise from air traffic, the Framework’s ’agent of change’ principle makes clear that the applicant ’or ‘agent of change’ should be required to provide suitable mitigation to address adverse effects of noise. This principle is in place to avoid unreasonable restrictions being placed on existing facilities”.

Q.2. Question (HL14971) asked by Lord Macrea of Magherefelt and Cookstown on 15 April 2021: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to prevent significant delays for returning travellers arriving at airports in the UK”.
A. Baroness Williams of Trafford on 28 April 2021: “We are in a global health pandemic, and people should not be travelling unless absolutely necessary. To protect the public and our vaccine rollout from new variants, Border Force checks every passenger has complied with current health measures when arriving at the border. We are not going to abandon or compromise these vital public health measures and put the public at risk, and as long as these checks are necessary passengers should expect longer queues when arriving into the UK. Queues and wait times will be longer if passengers have not completed the necessary requirements to enter the UK, and airlines are responsible for making sure that their passengers have completed all the necessary requirements. We are, however, working hard to avoid extensive wait times, and every airport, has a responsibility to comply with social distancing and Covid measures on site”.

Q.3. Question (181207) asked by Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) on 15 April 2021: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of domestic passenger flight routes in operation in the UK that would take less than two and a half hours to complete by train”.
A. Robert Courts on 20 April 2021: “UK domestic air routes with more than 1,000 passengers in 2019 that are within a two-and-a-half-hour range by train, as well as the number of passenger journeys on these routes in 2019, are presented in the table below.

Departure airport	Arrival airport	Domestic passengers
Heathrow	Manchester	283,063
Manchester	Heathrow	270,044
Heathrow	Leeds Bradford	50,930
Leeds Bradford	Heathrow	48,953
Exeter	London City	17,307
London City	Exeter	15,007
Manchester	London City	1,862
London City	Manchester	1,325

The Department holds data on passenger numbers on a direct basis only. Rail journey times on routes between these cities can be variable between services and train operators, so some services could take longer than the indicative two-and-a-half-hour threshold used here. Data on passenger movements on all UK domestic routes for 2019 are published by the Civil Aviation Authority on their website in table 12.2.”

Q.4. Question (181194) asked by Sir Greg Knight (East Yorkshire) on 15 April 2021: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) level of risk of catching covid-19 posed to passengers on aeroplane flights and (b) effect of leaving all middle seats vacant on the level of that risk; what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on the additional steps that could be taken to reduce that risk; and if he will make a statement”.
A. Robert Courts on 20 April 2021: “The Government expects all airlines to manage the risks of COVID-19 transmission as far as possible and published guidance to provide safer services for passengers. The Safer Transport guidance for operators, which was developed with industry, is clear that robust social distancing, regular cleaning, and good hand and respiratory hygiene are the best ways of protecting against the transmission of coronavirus. Where social distancing is not possible, airlines are advised to carry out a risk assessment and implement appropriate risk controls. For example, wearing a face covering can play a role in helping us to protect other passengers, which is why it is now mandatory to wear one on board aircraft. It is also worth noting that passengers are seated facing forwards in the same direction on board aircraft, which avoids the increased transmission risk of being seated face to face. In addition, air conditioning systems on modern aircraft filter cabin air every few minutes through High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters. These filters are very effective at capturing airborne microbes in the filtered air and, when coupled with the drawn in fresh air, can help to mitigate the longer-range risk of transmission. Officials continue to engage with the aviation sector to ensure they are supported in implementing best practices”.

Q.5. Question (180627) asked by Charlotte Nichols (Warrington North) on 13 April 2021: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to ban short haul domestic flights; and whether his Department has made any assessment of the potential merits of such a policy”.
A. Robert Courts on 20 April 2021: “We have no plans to ban domestic flights. The aviation sector is vital for the whole of the UK economy in terms of connectivity, direct economic activity, trade, investment and jobs, particularly where viable alternative modes of travel are limited. We are committed to enabling the recovery of the sector to support our levelling up agenda through regional connectivity and strengthen ties within the Union. We recognise the importance of maintaining a thriving and competitive aviation sector in the UK to deliver connectivity. The Government is already supporting a variety of technology, fuel and market-based measures to address aviation emissions, and we will consult on a Net Zero Aviation Strategy in the coming months, setting out the steps to reach net zero aviation emissions by 2050”.

Q.6. Question (179056) asked by Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) on 12 April 2021: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department’s forthcoming decarbonisation strategy will include carbon reduction targets for the (a) aviation and (b) shipping sectors”.
A. Rachel MacLean on 19 April 2021: “The Transport Decarbonisation Plan will include plans to tackle emissions in every form of transport, including maritime and aviation, and how these plans come together to deliver transport’s contributions to carbon budgets and net zero”.

Q.7. Question (178899) asked by Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) on 12 April 2021: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the inclusion of a roadmap for decarbonising international aviation and shipping in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan”.
A. Rachel MacLean on 15 April 2021: “We have worked across government throughout the drafting of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP), including on aviation and shipping”.

Q.8. Question (182021) asked by Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) on 16 April 2021: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the most popular UK domestic flight routes were in 2019-20”.
A. Robert Courts on 21 April 2021: “Data on passenger movements on all UK domestic routes for 2019 are published by the Civil Aviation Authority on their website in Table 12.2.The top 10 domestic flight routes in terms of passengers (excluding for routes to and from UK Crown Dependency airports) in 2019 were:

1. Heathrow – Edinburgh
2. Heathrow – Glasgow
3. Gatwick – Edinburgh
4. Heathrow – Aberdeen
5. Heathrow – Belfast City
6. Gatwick – Glasgow
7. Stansted – Edinburgh
8. Gatwick – Belfast International
9. Stansted – Belfast International
10. Heathrow – Manchester

Q.9. Question (HL15027) asked by Baroness Worthington on 16 April 2021: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to include international aviation and shipping emissions in the Sixth Carbon Budget, as recommended by the Climate Change Committee in their report The Sixth Carbon Budget, published in December 2020”.
A. Lord Callanan on 29 April 2021: “We have laid legislation for the UK’s sixth carbon budget, proposing a world-leading target, which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. This is in line with the latest science as the level recommended by our expert advisers at the Climate Change Committee (CCC).We have set the sixth carbon budget to include international aviation and shipping emissions, as recommended by our independent climate advisors, the Climate Change Committee.We remain fully committed to global action to tackle IAS emissions through international processes at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and International Maritime Organisation (IMO)”.

Q.10. Question (181440) asked by Ruth Jones (Newport West) on 15 April 2021: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK aviation sector makes a strong recovery once the domestic economy opens up as covid-19 restrictions are eased”.
A. Robert Courts on 21 April 2021: “The report of the Global Travel Taskforce, published on 9 April, clearly sets out how, when the time is right, we will be able to restart international travel safely while managing the risk from imported cases and variants of concern. It has been created following extensive engagement with the international travel and tourism industries, and we are grateful for their valuable contributions to the development of the report’s recommendations. The government is also currently developing a strategic framework for the recovery of the aviation sector, which will focus on how the sector can build back better to deliver a world leading aviation sector for the UK. We expect to publish this framework later this year”.

Q.11. Question (HL15188) asked by Baroness Scott of Needham Market on 21 April 2021: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 19 April (HL Deb, col 1639), what assessment they have made of the need to review the Airports National Policy Statement to bring it into line with domestic and international climate targets”.
A. Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 28 April 2021: “On 16 December 2020, the Supreme Court overturned the earlier Court of Appeal decision and declared that the Airports National Policy Statement is lawful. We are carefully considering the Court’s judgement. The Government have always been clear that Heathrow expansion is a private sector project which must meet strict criteria on air quality, noise and climate change, as well as being privately financed, affordable, and delivered in the best interest of consumers. In the coming months, we will launch a consultation setting out the steps to reach net zero aviation emissions by 2050”.

Q.12. Question (HL15153) asked by Lord Hay of Ballyore on 21 April 2021: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of current support available for (1) the aviation sector, and (2) its supply chain”.
A. Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 28 April 2021: “The Government recognises the challenging circumstances facing the aviation industry as a result of Covid-19 and businesses across the sector can draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor. We continue to take a flexible approach and keep all impacts and policies under review. In total, we estimate that by the end of April 2021 the air transport sector (airlines, airports and related services) will have benefited from around £7 billion of Government support since the start of the pandemic. This includes support through loan guarantees, support for exporters, the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. The extension of Government-backed loans and furlough payments announced at the budget build on this and will help ensure this vital and vibrant part of the UK economy is ready to bounce back in the wake of the pandemic”.

National and Regional News

1^st April –Stansted Airport calls for the UK’s travel corridor list to be more than doubled. It says the case for restarting international travel safely and at earliest opportunity is clear.
1^st April – Leading climate scientists say recent Court ruling made on Heathrow expansion will cause serious damage to global environment. They urge government to respect 1.5°C limit internationally agreed to rein in global heating.
2^nd April – Plans to expand Southampton Airport divides Test Valley leaders. See details here. 
2^nd April – Blackpool Airport update means commercial flights now even more unlikely. 
2^nd April – Teesside Airport ‘optimistic’ about COVID recovery. Vaccination roll-out and string of carrier signings is giving confidence says airport leaders.
2^nd April – An interesting article in Simple Flying titled: ‘Why London Heathrow does not have a Terminal 1’ can be seen here. 
2^nd April – An article titled: ‘Achieving net zero by 2030 will be impossible if the Leeds Bradford airport expansion goes ahead’ by Hilary Benn, MP can be seen here. 
3^rd April – Southend Airport CEO wants more clarity on travelling post-lockdown. He feels they get ‘a degree of mixed messages from government’.
4^th April – Thousands sign ‘Save Southampton Airport’ petition. They are in favour of its runway being expanded.
4^th April – Airspace Change Proposal for Manston does not gain approval for next step. Site owner says documents will be ‘re-evaluated’.

5^th April – Stansted boss looks forward to better days after ‘a year like no other’ – see here. 

6^th April – Leeds Bradford Airport development plan ruling delayed. Communities Secretary wants more time to consider it.  
7^th April – MP wants night flights scrapped at Southend Airport. Sir David Amess, MP for Southend West has written to council leader asking for support for the sake of residents. Meanwhile the airport’s been ordered to pay compensation over runway extension noise.
7^th April – Gatwick introduces drop-off charge in South Terminal. £5 charge will start next week. 
8^th April – Record number of airlines to fly from Cornwall Newquay Airport this summer. Total number of ten airlines will fly passengers across UK and abroad. Also PM visits Newquay Airport as PSO put on hold – see here.  
8^th April – Climate campaigners call for halt to regional UK airports expansion – see here.

9^th April – Bournemouth Airport objects to Southampton Airport runway extension. It is concerned about the impact the runway extension will have on its own operation.
10^th April – Southampton Airport planning application permitted. Decision taken in the early hours of this morning.
11^th April – Heathrow Airport Board of Directors are challenging proposed action of raising airport prices in order to raise additional funds – see here. 
12^th April – Mixed reaction to Southampton Airport expansion approval. It has caused waves of mixed reaction among local parties, MPs and campaigners.
12^th April – Easyjet CEO says they may consider flights operating out of Heathrow. They currently only fly out of Luton and Gatwick.
13^th April – Newquay – London link still unresolved. Cornwall Council said it was working with the DfT and “expects to reinstate a scheduled PSO service to London later in the year”. 
14^th April – Heathrow says airport queues are becoming ‘untenable’.  They are caused by extensive COVID checks.
16^th April – Loganair confirms summer route from Teesside Airport has been scrapped. They say demand for the flights have been “below expectations.” 
16^th April – Manchester Airport staff facing more pay cuts and redundancies. Union and airport bosses are working together to protect jobs and rates of pay.
16^th April – Southampton Airport: campaigners take row to Secretary of State. They want the Government to call in the plans. 
18^th April – Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) campaign group to rebrand. It’s changing its name to “refocus and rejuvenate” its campaign for the longer term.
18th April – Heathrow Airport: Covid tests could be offered at half the normal price on some airlines – further details here. 
18^th April – Some families unhappy at missing out on Southend Airport compensation. Other families have received certain level of compensation with regards to noise/pollution issues.  
19^th April – Six-hour queues at UK airports ‘could be cut if airlines help check Covid paperwork’ say border force officials – see here.
19^th April – See here for an article in Passenger Terminal Today titled: ‘How can airports find new sources of growth?
20^th April – Esken concludes sale of Stobart Air and Carlisle Lake District Airport. The deal is expected to complete by early May. 
20^th April – London City Airport launches new travel portal. It will help passengers make informed travel plans. 
21^st April – MAG boss calls for ‘restriction-free travel’ and an end to COVID testing to ‘safe’ countries. Passenger numbers dropped 90% across the first 12 months of the pandemic.
21^st April – An article highlighting Bristol Airport’s journey to net-zero carbon emissions can be seen here.
21^st April – Newquay Airport to fly new route to Belfast. This new flight will start from June. 
21^st April – Campaigners say Heathrow third runway plans are ‘dead’ because of Government’s new carbon emissions target announced yesterday. 
22^nd April – An article titled: ‘Could a green recovery help Crawley take off? referencing Gatwick Airport can be seen here.  
23^rd April – Government publishes its GA road map – see here.
23^rd April – Teesside Airport’s ‘hated’ passenger facility fee to be scrapped within weeks. The tax is levied on every passenger flying out of the airport and will go on June 1^st.
23^rd April – An article in the Yorkshire Post by Rob Light, Head Commissioner of ICCAN titled: ‘Turning down the volume on aviation noise as flights take off again and Leeds Bradford Airport plans expansion’ can be seen here.
24^th April – An article in Simple Flying titled: ‘East Midlands Airport – The UK’s Busiest Non-London Cargo Hub’ can be seen here.
24^th April – EasyJet and Jet2 flights from Bristol Airport this summer – see here.
26^th April – Business Secretary pays a visit to the site of a potential gigafactory at Coventry Airport. There are hopes the project may soon get government backing. 
26^th April – Green Party Mayoral candidate says she will close London City Airport if she is elected. She would use the site to build home and generate business. 
27^th April – CAA publishes package of measures relating to their economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited. It rejects Heathrow’s bid to raise £2.6bn through higher charges.
27^th April – Doncaster Sheffield Airport aim to unlock its economic potential. It is collaborating with Peel L&P and the University of Sheffield.

27^th April – Yorkshire Party say it has won support for direct rail link to Leeds Bradford Airport. Public backed the idea in a recent consultation. 
28^th April – An article in Aviation Business News titled: ‘Airports: emerging prepared’ about regional airports emergence and recovery from the pandemic can be seen here. 
28^th April – Flybe 2.0 set to launch with 86 Heathrow slots – see here. 
28^th April – Campaigners hit out at ‘misleading’ claims about Leeds Bradford Airport expansion plans – see here. 
29^th April – Newcastle Airport confirms new flights to Turkey with Corendon. The Turkish airline will fly to Antalaya and Dalaman.
30^th April – London City Airport now fully controlled by remote digital ATC tower. It is the first major international airport in the world to do so.
30^th April – MAG seeks waiver on £1.96bn financial facilities due to pandemic. The group includes Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands Airports.
30^th April – An article on how Gatwick and Heathrow got their names can be seen here.

 

Other Aviation Industry News

1^st April –Derry & Strabane Council to seek £15 million in financial aid to secure the future sustainability of City of Derry Airport. It also hopes to retain financial support for PSOs.  
1^st April – A BBC article titled: ‘Should airports be allowed to expand?’ can be seen here. 
2^nd April – An article in Airport World titled: ‘Build and Grow’ about recent developments in the expansion of some airports can be seen here.  
3^rd April – More people flew into Dublin Airport in week after hotel quarantine was introduced than previous seven days – see here for further details.
4^th April – New digital platform launched targeting travellers with range of wellness experiences and resources – see here.

5^th April  – Government presents its Roadmap Reviews: Update including an update on Global Travel Taskforce and a return to international travel – see here. 
5^th April – An article in Wales Online about why flights are still coming in and going out of Cardiff Airport, can be seen here. 
6^th April – Departing Belfast City Airport boss says regional air sector will ‘recover quickly’. 
6^th April – Easyjet boss warns PM’s travel plan won’t open up foreign holidays for everyone. He says it may only be for ‘people who can afford it’. 
7^th April – Airports raise concerns around pandemic recovery after Scottish Government’s ‘scarce engagement’ – see here. 
7^th April – Major landholding near Dublin Airport is now on sale – see here. 
7^th April – An article in Airport Review titled: ‘The value of data analytics for airports: Use cases and novel methods’ can be seen here. 
7^th April – CAA updates its review on Airspace Classification – see here and here. 
8^th April – IATA chief slams ‘monopoly’ airport fee hikes. Willie Walsh is vowing ‘strong and aggressive’ opposition against any airport fee increases.
9^th April – An article in the Guardian titled: ‘Aviation shutdown shows we can clean up our air’ can be seen here.  
9^th April – An article in Airport Review by MAG about the establishment of the Combined Aerodrome Safeguarding Team (CAST) which SASIG is also part of, can be seen here. 
9^th April – Local MP criticises lack of local representation on HIAL board. He’s unhappy with Scottish Government’s failure to make local representation on public bodies a priority.
10^th April – Passengers arriving at Cork and Shannon are taken to Dublin to quarantine. This is due to a lack of capacity in the Munster region.  
12^th April – An article in Airport Technology titled: ‘Q&A: Implementing open architecture responsibly at airport checkpoints’ can be see here.
13^th April – Taxpayers left with £60m bill from the 2017 collapse of budget airline Monarch. Monarch’s owners are unable to contribute anything towards the bill as originally promised.
13^th April – An article in Airport Review titled: ‘2021: A signal for the aviation industry to enter stand-by’ can be seen here.

14^th April – ‘Significant progress’ made at Swansea Airport which had its licence suspended in 2019 over ‘long-standing issues’ – see here. 
14^th April – New service launched to help residents living near Dublin Airport track noisy aircraft. The system was established in collaboration with the Irish Aviation Authority.
14^th April – Cork Airport to close for ten weeks to allow major runway construction. Drop in passenger numbers provides ‘unique opportunity’ to carry out work faster.
14^th April – Flybe to fly again this summer. It collapsed last year and there are fears whether the new venture will succeed. 

14^th April – France bans short-haul domestic flights in favour of trains – see here.
15^th April – An article in Airport Technology titled: ‘Should airlines make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for travel? Can be seen here.

16^th April – Edinburgh Airport boss urges forthcoming new Scottish Government to engage with aviation industry. A road map urgently needed out of restrictions to help the sector. 

16^th April – An article in Air Cargo Eye titled: ‘Will airports finally pay respect to their cargo businesses? can be seen here.

19^th April – Loganair chief says sustaining huge infrastructure needed to make an airport secure alongside reduced number of passengers will be difficult post pandemic – see here.
19^th April – Irish regional airports to share €11m in exchequer funding for capital projects. Funds will be used for capital investment purposes at Shannon, Donegal, Kerry and Knock.
19^th April – New cargo operation to be established at Cork Airport – see here.
20^th April – There are plans to digitally link UK travellers’ Covid documents to passports to cut airport queues – see here.
20^th April – An article on aircraft leasing titled: ‘Navigating risk in the aircraft leasing market’ can be seen here. 
22nd April – See here for an article in Airport Technology titled: ‘The sky’s the limit: how automation is transforming airside operations’.
23^rd April – ACI Europe says passenger traffic across the European airport network declined by 81.7% in 1Q2021 compared to 1Q2019 – see here.
23^rd April – An Airport Review article about how Cork Airport is facing the pandemic and how it is looking to manage the future can be seen here. 
26^th April – ACI director general urges government support for airports.
26^th April – Frequent flier tax will be needed to hit climate targets, warns leading scientist. He also feels there should be a ban on airport expansion.

26^th April – Slot system essential to rebuilding global airline networks says IATA – see here.
27^th April – An article in Airport Technology titled: ‘Outbound air travel from UK may not fully recover until 2024’ can be seen here.
28^th April – An article in The Herald titled: ‘Scottish election: Where is the plan for our stricken airports? can be seen here.

28^th April – Former Scottish Enterprise CE Lena Wilson has been appointed chairman of AGS Airports. They own and manage Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports.

29^th April – Significant losses expected as daa publishes annual report for 2020. CE reported last September that the airport operator was losing close to €1m a day during pandemic.

29^th April – An article in Airport Technology titled: ‘Will airline start-ups rise from the ashes left by Covid-19?’ can be seen here.
30^th April – Hydrogen-powered plane crashes during test flight at Cranfield. The aircraft is part of the Government’s HyFlyer project to research low carbon power for aircraft.

SASIG Library Additions

Notes from the SASIG workshop on aviation capacity in the south-east, held following the main members’ meeting on 23 March 2021 along with a presentation given by SASIG Policy Director Chris Cain, may be seen in the members’ area of our website.   

A new report just published titled: ‘Europe’s future aviation landscape: The potential of zero-carbon and zero-emissions aircraft on intra-European routes by 2040’ can be seen on our website here.