SASIG Aviation Bulletin: July 2022
SASIG’s Aviation news and policy bulletin aims to provide its members and associate members, with a comprehensive overview of what has been happening in Parliament and Whitehall as well as in the sector itself in the preceding month.
Highlights
- SASIG/AGM meeting held (virtual). Guest speakers were from DfT and ACOG and their presentations may be seen in the members’ area on our website. (6 July)
- Prime Minister resigns as Conservative leader. (7 July).
3. Government launches the Jet Zero Strategy at Farnborough International Airshow. (19 July)
4. Parliament rises for the summer (on 21st July) and returns on 5th September 2022.
Potential Actions for LAs
- The Jet Zero Strategy is a sister document to ‘Flightpath to the Future’ and merits careful scrutiny.
- Advancing airborne autonomy: use of commercial drones in the UK – important report from BEIS on how the use of drones in the UK is expected to develop. This will become an issue of increasing significance to LAs over the next 2-3 years.
SASIG Activities
- SASIG AGM: Held virtually (6 July)
- Providing expert advice and support to Doncaster MBC following announcement by Peel Airports that the future of Doncaster Sheffield Airport is under review.
Contents
The Aviation bulletin includes the subsidiary section, setting out in more detail the month’s news and policy development:
Editorial
Monthly Aviation Highlights
Events, Meetings and Conferences
House of Commons Transport Questions
House of Lords Transport Questions
Parliamentary Questions
National and Regional Aviation News
Other Aviation Industry News
SASIG Library Additions
For local authorities in England and Wales who are not members of SASIG but would like access to the Bulletin, please contact us at the address below to inquire about Membership and being added to the circulation list.
SASIG Secretariat
Strategic Aviation Special Interest Group (SASIG)
14 Monarch Terrace
Kings Hill
West Malling
Kent
ME19 4NP
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 0207 1934231
Editorial
The month’s major news has been political rather than industry-related with PM Boris Johnson’s resignation firing the starting gun for a Tory leadership contest that will see a new PM appointed in September. This in turn is likely to result in a comprehensive reshuffle of the Cabinet and so prospectively a new Secretary of State for Transport and a new Aviation Minister. This is potentially very significant for the industry as the current incumbents have been very stalwart supporters of aviation, and it cannot be certain their replacements will take the same approach.
The three biggest policy announcements were:
- first, the retention of existing temporary slot rules for another season, allowing airlines to focus on optimising their services at congested airports rather than focus on slot retention;
- second, the publication of the Jet Zero strategy at the Farnborough Air Show and;
- third, a major ‘special mission’ aviation announcement, namely the granting of a new ten-year contract to Bristow for Search and Rescue Services commencing in 2024 at a total cost of £1.8bn.
Finally, Parliament rose for the summer recess on 21st July and will return on 5th September.
Chris Cain
Policy Director
SASIG
Monthly Highlights
6th July – SASIG/AGM meeting held (virtual). Guest speakers were from DfT and ACOG and their presentations may be seen in the members’ area on our website.
7th July – Prime Minister resigns as Conservative leader.
11th July – Climate Change Committee publishes ‘Understanding Climate Risks to UK Infrastructure’. For more details and to download the document – see here.
17th July – Government issues an update to the Aviation 2050 consultation with regard to Chapter 5 ‘Enhance the Passenger Experience’. See also here.
19th July – Government launches the Jet Zero Strategy at Farnborough International Airshow. See also, Secretary of State for Transport’s statement here.
21st July – Aviation Minister, Robert Courts announced Bristow are to provide the next decade of search and rescue aviation services – 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).
20 October 2022: 10:30: SASIG meeting, Westminster Suite, LGA or virtual (TBC)
External Conferences: (please note: due to the continuing impact of the pandemic, some changes may have occurred).
16-17 August 2022: International Conference on Sustainable Aviation: London (digital)
16-18 October 2022: Routes World 2022: Las Vegas, USA.
19-20 October 2022: International Airport Summit 2022: Airports Re-imagined: London & Hybrid
3-4 November 2022: Aviation World Conference 2022: online.
9-11 May 2023: Routes Europe 2023: Lodz, Poland.
19-20 August 2023: International Conference on Sustainable Aviation: London
Parliamentary and Government News
Both Houses rose on 21 July and will return on 5 September 2022.
15th July – Levelling Up Fund: Second Round of Applications launched – see here.
17th July – Government issues an update to the Aviation 2050 consultation with regard to Chapter 5 ‘Enhance the Passenger Experience’. See also here.
19th July – Government launches the Jet Zero Strategy at Farnborough International Airshow. See also, Secretary of State for Transport’s statement here.
21st July – Aviation Minister, Robert Courts announced results of 18-month procurement process to procure the next decade of search and rescue aviation services – see here.
Transport Questions: House of Commons:
21st July – Net Zero Strategy: High Court Ruling. An urgent question was asked by Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy asking for provision of a response to the High Court ruling that the net zero strategy is unlawful.
Transport Questions: House of Lords
14th July – The Grand Committee was asked to consider the Airports Slot Allocation (Alleviation of Usage Requirements) (No. 2) Regulations 2022.
19th July – Airports and Airlines: Staff. Government was asked what steps they are taking to ensure that (1) airports, and (2) airlines, in the UK have enough staff to ensure that British holidaymakers do not have their holidays cancelled or delayed this summer.
19th July – Airports Slot Allocation (Alleviation of Usage Requirements) (No. 2) Regulations 2022. Baroness Vere of Norbiton asked that the draft Regulations laid before the House on 21 June be approved.
21st July – Net Zero Strategy: High Court Ruling. Lord Callanan (BEIS) repeated the answer to an Urgent Question in the other place given by Greg Hands MP.
Parliamentary Questions:
Q.1. Question (HL1423) asked by Lord Blunkett on 4 July 2022: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish their new Aviation Passenger Charter, as specified at point 9 of the guidance on UK government action to minimise disruption in the aviation sector and protect passengers, announced by the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority on 30 June; and what consultation they will conduct prior to its publication”.
A. Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 12 July 2022: “We are working with industry, consumer and disability groups to develop and publish an Aviation Passenger Charter. The charter will provide a single point of information on their rights and responsibilities whilst travelling by air, from booking to if things go wrong. We aim to publish this soon”.
Q.2. Question (30163) asked by Munira Wilson (Twickenham) on 4 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has commissioned research on the health impacts of living under concentrated flight paths in the context of airspace modernisation”.
A. Robert Courts on 11 July 2022: “All major airports are required to map their noise impacts on a common basis every five years. However, there is no definition of ‘highly concentrated flightpath’ so no specific assessment has been made of the number of people impacted by such flightpaths.All proposals to alter flightpath arrangements must follow the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) airspace change process (CAP 1616) which was revised in 2018 following the publication by the department of revised air navigation guidance. This guidance sets out the Government’s objective to limit and, where possible, reduce the total adverse effects on people as a result of aviation noise.
A key requirement in the guidance is the need for airspace change sponsors to consider the use of multiple flightpaths to disperse air traffic, as well as undertaking a full assessment of the airspace options they are considering. Noise impacts must be assessed using the Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance which includes a module for valuing the impacts of noise on health and quality of life.
The Government accepts that there are health impacts associated with aircraft noise and keeps all relevant evidence under review. The Department has previously commissioned research on the effects of aviation noise on annoyance, health and wellbeing and has tasked the CAA to carry out a further survey in the next year.
The airspace modernisation programme is a critical national infrastructure project that aims to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys to the benefit of all airspace users and those impacted, including communities. Airports are responsible for the specific arrangements for low-level flightpaths. Engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including communities, is an important part of CAP1616 and is crucial to the success of the airspace modernisation programme. It is the responsibility of every airspace change sponsor (usually an airport or Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP)) to ensure engagement meets the needs of local stakeholders. The majority of sponsors in the programme are currently at Stage 2 of the CAP1616 process. Once approved by the CAA, each sponsor will move to Stage 3. It is at this stage that sponsors will undertake a full options appraisal before undertaking a formal public consultation with all interested stakeholders, including local communities. We expect that the majority of sponsors will be in a position to consult publicly from 2023 onwards”.
Q.3. Question (30159) asked by Munira Wilson (Twickenham) on 4 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impacts of highly concentrated flight paths on overflown communities”.
A. Robert Courts on 11 July 2022 – same answer as Q.2 above.
Q.4. Question (30146) asked by Ruth Jones (Newport West) on 4 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the trends in the cost of air travel”.
A. Robert Courts on 12 July 2022: “ More than in any other country, UK aviation operates in the private sector and in a competitive environment. The aviation market is regulated by the CAA to ensure that practices and policies of airlines comply with UK consumer legislation. The Department assesses the possible long term trends in the cost of air travel as part of the process of generating long-term passenger demand forecasts. The most recent assessment of the long term trends in the cost of air travel was conducted as part of the analysis to support the Jet Zero Strategy further technical consultation, published in March 2022”.
Q.5. Question (28896) asked by Clive Lewis (Norwich South) on 1 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendations in their report published on 29 June 2022, for the Jet Zero Strategy”.
A. Robert Courts on 6 July 2022: “We will consider recommendations from the Climate Change Committee’s June 2022 progress report in further detail as we finalise and implement our Jet Zero Strategy. Ministers and officials regularly meet with members of the CCC and considered recommendations from their June 2021 progress report in the development of the Jet Zero Consultation which was published in July 2021 and considered all available evidence for the development of the Jet Zero Strategy, which we are aiming to publish later this year. As a responsible government, we recognise that we will need to keep our strategy under review and therefore, intend to regularly assess the progress of aviation’s emissions reductions and update our strategy where necessary through five-year reviews. Our ambition is to decarbonise aviation in a way that preserves the benefits of air travel”.
Q.6. Question (31187) asked by Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) on 5 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will consult the public on any proposals in respect of the relaxation of the night flights regime at London airports”.
A. Robert Courts on 11 July 2022: “The Government accepts that there are health impacts associated with aircraft noise and keeps all relevant evidence under review. The Department for Transport has previously commissioned research on the effects of aviation noise on annoyance, health and wellbeing and has tasked the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to carry out a further survey in the next year. The Department has also commissioned an Aviation Night Noise Study, to understand specifically how impacts associated with exposure to aviation noise vary by time of night.
The Government sets noise and night flight controls at the designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted). At other airports, these controls are agreed locally.
Following consultation, the Government announced in July 2021 that the existing night flight movement limits at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted are to be rolled over for a period of three years – until October 2025.
We expect to consult publicly on proposals for the regime from 2025 onwards by the end of 2023. The Department has regular engagement with representatives of community groups overflown by night flights, including through our formal Airspace and Noise Engagement Group (ANEG)”.
Q.7. Question (31185) asked by Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) on 5 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on health of a future increase in night flights at (a) Heathrow and (b) other UK airports”.
A. Robert Courts on 11 July 2022 – same answer as Q.6. above.
Q.8. Question (31087) asked by Steve Baker (Wycombe) on 5 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ease queues for passport checks at airports”.
A. Robert Courts on 11 July 2022 – same answer as Qs.6 and 7 above.
Q.9. Question (31185) asked by Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) on 13 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the calculated benefit-cost ration was for HS2 (a) in its original conception, including a link to HS1 and a spur to Heathrow airport, (b) as originally envisaged but without the link to HS1, (c) as originally envisaged but without the link to HS1 and without the Heathrow link, (d) in the configuration following the deletion of most of the eastern leg, and (e) in its present configuration with the deletion of the link from HS2 to the west coast main line just south of Wigan”.
A. Trudy Harrison on 18 July 2022: “Benefit Cost Ratios for the HS2 programme have been published within business cases at different stages of the scheme’s development. A list of relevant business cases is provided below. It is important to note that the BCRs set out below have been developed over a significant period of time and will reflect different inputs and assumptions as well as changes to the network assessed. This includes changes in exogenous forecasts such as GDP and population forecasts, which are inputted into the models and which impact on benefit and revenue estimates. Cost estimates have also been developed over time, reflecting changing levels of cost maturity. These factors mean that direct comparison between the BCRs for the different HS2 networks set out below is not possible. It should also be noted that there is an inherent degree of uncertainty in developing a single BCR for a programme being developed and delivered over several decades.
Nevertheless, the below are available as publicly assessable documents. The BCRs requested are provided below as is a link to the documents they were published in:
(a) In its original conception, including a link to HS1 and a spur to Heathrow airport
(b) As originally envisaged but without the link to HS1
(c) As originally envisaged but without the link to HS1 and without the Heathrow link
(d) In the configuration following the deletion of most of the eastern leg
We do not have a BCR for the full HS2 network which accounts for the commitments on the Eastern Leg made in the Integrated Rail Plan, as options are being developed. The BCR for the full network for HS2 which includes Phase One, 2a and 2b Western Leg was published in the January 2022 business case: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1051209/hs2-phase-2b-western-leg-crewe-to-manchester-an-update-on-the-strategic-outline-business-case.pdf(opens in a new tab)
(e) In its present configuration with the deletion of the link from HS2 to the West Coast Main line just south of Wigan.
As above, we do not have a BCR for the full HS2 network which accounts for the commitments on the Eastern Leg made in the Integrated Rail Plan, as options are being developed. However there is a BCR for the full network for HS2 which includes Phase One, 2a and 2b Western Leg (excluding the link from HS2 to the west coast main line (known as the Golborne Link)) which was published in the June 2022 business case:
Q.10. Question (33793) asked by Mike Kane (Wythenshawe & Sale East) on 11 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he received representations from representatives of industry on continuing the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme beyond January 2022”.
A. Robert Courts on 14 July 2022: “We have received a large number of representations on a variety of issues from industry, all which are considered carefully. Since the start of the pandemic, DfT estimates that the air transport sector (airlines, airport and related services) have benefitted from around £8bn of support, including grant awards made by the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme.
Since the UK became the first major economy in the world to remove all COVID-19 travel rules for anyone entering the UK on 18 March, now is the right time to start looking ahead to the future. We continue to take a flexible approach and keep all impacts and policies under review”.
Q.11. Question (36826) asked by Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Heeley) on 14 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding from the public purse Peel Holding has received for operating Doncaster Sheffield Airport in each year since 1999”.
A. Robert Courts on 22 July 2022: “Subsidies provided by Government over certain amounts are published online. In 2021 the Department for Transport provided £1,758,720 to Doncaster Sheffield Airport in grant payments as part of the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme. During the pandemic the government has also provided around £8bn in support through package of measures during the pandemic to support the air transport sector. This includes support through loan guarantees, the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Doncaster Sheffield Airport may have drawn from that wider support. During the UK’s membership of the European Union and the EU Exit Implementation Period, any subsidies exceeding an amount of approximately €500k made available to organisations were published on https://ec.europa.eu/transparencyregister/public/consultation/search.do?locale=en.
Following the United Kingdom’s departure from the EU, any subsidies exceeding an amount of approximately £368k are now published on https://www.gov.uk/guidance/view-subsidies-awarded-by-uk-government.
Q.12. Question (36016) asked by Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Heeley) on 14 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his department has taken steps to support the workforce at Doncaster Sheffield Airport”.
A. Robert Courts on 20 July 2022: “I recognise that Doncaster Sheffield Airport’s (DSA) review into the future of the airport will be concerning for passengers and people who work at the airport. The Department was notified on the 13 July along with other local stakeholders about the announcement. My officials are in contact with the airport to understand its plans and I am due to meet Peel Group later this week. It would be inappropriate to comment whilst the review is ongoing. However, we hope that the review will be able to ensure a future for aviation at DSA. Since the start of the pandemic, we estimate that the air transport sector (airlines, airport and related services) has benefitted from around £8bn of government support. This includes support through loan guarantees, support for exporters, the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and the Airport and Ground Operations Scheme (AGOSS) from which DSA was awarded £1,758,720 in grant payments. Ministers and officials engage extensively with the Aviation industry on a regular basis. As the Aviation Minister, I visited Doncaster Sheffield Airport on 3 June meeting with the Chairman of Peel Airports and the leadership team of the airport. Officials from the Department continue to meet with representatives from DSA as part of routine engagement on a range of matters”.
Q.13. Question (36840) asked by Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) on 14 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of the increase in night flights from Heathrow airport since April 2022 on the London Boroughs of (a) Richmond upon Thames and (b) Kingston upon Thames”.
A. Robert Courts on 20 July 2022: “No assessment has been made of the impact of the increase in night flights from Heathrow Airport.The Department does not hold data on the number of flights that have departed Heathrow after 23:00”.
Q.14. Question (36013) asked by Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Heeley) on 13 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has received any information on the future of Doncaster Sheffield Airport from (a) that airport or (b) the Peel Group”.
A. Robert Courts on 20 July 2022: see answer to Q.12 above.
Q.15. Question (HL1576) asked by Baroness Randerson on 7 July 2022: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to incorporate the World Health Organization
noise guidelines, published in 2018, into legislation related to aviation”.
A. Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 20 July 2022: “The Government has no current plan to legislate to incorporate the World Health Organisation (WHO) Environmental Noise Guidelines into UK law. Following the 2018 publication of the WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines, the Government convened the DEFRA-led Interdepartmental Group on Costs and Benefits Noise Subject Group. This group continues to review the evidence underpinning the WHO’s guidelines, together with more recent evidence and it will consider whether there are any necessary updates to relevant government guidance”.
Q.16. Question (35963) asked by Mike Kane (Wythenshawe and Sale East) on 13 July 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Statement of 30 June 2022 entitled 22-point plan to tackle aviation disruption, when he plans to launch the Generation Aviation campaign to increase the number of people applying for jobs in the sector”.
A. Robert Courts on 18 July 2022: “The Department for Transport will launch the Generation Aviation campaign in due course. The campaign will aim to work with industry to raise awareness of aviation careers and increase the number of people applying for jobs in the aviation sector”.
National and Regional News
1st July – Heathrow provides initial feedback on CAA’s H7 final price control proposal.
1st July – London City airport is seeking to overturn its Saturday flight ban. It wants to raise by 40% the limit on its passenger numbers.
2nd July – Flights to Liverpool take off from Belfast City Airport with easyJet – see here.
2nd July – BA and Heathrow welcome ‘slot amnesty’. Government will allow a one-off “amnesty” on airport slots rules to help minimise disruption at airports.
3rd July – DfT speeds up staff security checks as disruption continues at UK airports.
4th July – Eastern Airways have increased capacity on their route from Gatwick to Cornwall Newquay Airport over the busy summer holiday period – see here.
5th July – British Airways cancels more flights at ‘most challenging period’ in history. It said it would now reduce its April-October schedule by 11% instead of 10% as it stated in May.
6th July – East Midlands Airport awards local hospices £60,000 for investment in renewable energy. It’s committed to placing environmental sustainability at the forefront of its operations.
6th July – Farnborough Airport aims for net zero by 2030. It’s revealed its Net Zero Roadmap, a plan which aims to cut these emissions by 91% within the next eight years.
7th July – Latest Manchester Airport Group results show recovery under way – see here.
8th July – New figures show mandatory aviation sector security checks are being processed in record time as the industry hires more staff for the summer holiday season.
9th July – Charity run at Luton Airport nets £4000. 200 people met up at 3:30am to run up and down the landing strip in order to raise money for the charity partners of the airport.
9th July – Heathrow’s foreign shareholders could be forced to fund cash injection into it. The prospect follows ruling last month by CAA asking Heathrow to reduce its passenger charges.
10th July – Delayed Heathrow flights making sleep ‘impossible’ for surrounding areas.
11th July – Analysis reveals worst UK airports for delays – see here.
11th July – Heathrow apologises for chaos but warns of more cancellations. It said 6 million passengers travelled through in June: the equivalent of 40 years of growth in just 4 months.
11th July – Government inaction contributed to the “predictable” and “preventable” delays and cancellations that have crippled UK airports says boss of Menzies Aviation – see here.
12th July – Heathrow caps passenger numbers over summer. It’s limiting the number of passengers who can depart each day to 100,000 over the summer.
13th July – Gatwick’s consultation includes amended plans for two new flyovers to separate local and airport traffic if Northern Runway plan is successful – see press release here.
13th July – Doncaster Airport: Directors say it is not a viable proposition and could be set to close. Owners say it had “never achieved the critical mass required to become profitable”.
14th July – Emirates refuses Heathrow’s demand to cut flights. It’s called the move “unreasonable and unacceptable”.
14th July – Stansted bosses issue new advice to passengers in bid to avoid chaos seen at other airports. For details see here.
14th July – New Manchester Airport boss warns ‘don’t expect a great summer experience’.
But he does expect “the vast majority” of passengers to have a reasonable experience.
15th July – Newcastle Airport issues renewed advice to travellers ahead of summer. It’s so far avoided chaos seen at other locations like Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester Airports.
15th July – MAG has let 33,000 sq ft of its warehouse space at World Freight Terminal, Manchester Airport to 3PL and freight forwarder Blacksmith Freight Services – see here.
15th July – easyJet is to resume its link between Liverpool and Paris. A new winter route will launch in October.
17th July – Government issues an update to the Aviation 2050 consultation with regard to Chapter 5 ‘Enhance the Passenger Experience’. See also here.
17th July – Ex-BA chief slams Heathrow chief about airport chaos, claiming airport was ‘unprepared’ – see here.
18th July – Luton Airport shuts due to record-breaking temperatures causing ‘surface defect’. Flights were diverted from the airport whilst repairs took place.
18th July – Leeds Bradford Airport steps closer to net zero by 2030. It’s been awarded new accreditation from the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme for the reduction of the CO2 emissions it controls.
18th July – Heathrow and Emirates reach deal after row over capacity cuts – see here.
19th July – Government launches Jet Zero Strategy at Farnborough International Airshow.
19th July – Heathrow Airport Chairman has laid the blame for travel chaos on airlines failing to recruit enough baggage handlers. He said wages were not being paid at market rate and that had led to a shortage of staff.
19th July – Newcastle International Airport celebrates its two millionth passenger.
20th July – Nearly 75,000 people have now signed petitions against the closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Local politicians hold crunch talks with airport owners.
20th July – See here for statement from Heathrow’s Chief of Staff and Carbon reassuring passengers of their commitment to deliver a good service.
21st July – Transport Secretary suggests mayor of South Yorkshire could follow example of Tees Valley and take Doncaster Sheffield Airport into public ownership – see here.
21st July – Gatwick Airport tells passengers to arrive better prepared as it boosts security staff numbers. It is hoped paying more attention to security rules will ease disruption.
22nd July – Bosses at Exeter Airport say staff are prepared for summer. They are confident there will be no delays.
22nd July – Luton Airport runway meltdown shows airports are vulnerable to climate change. Ways of tackling this are discussed within the article.
22nd July – Embraer E195-E2 becomes largest airliner to touch down at London City Airport. It used a 39% blend of sustainable aviation fuel.
23rd July – Southend Airport offers to host flights being cancelled by bigger, struggling airports. It says it has the capacity and wants the business.
23rd July – Article titled: ‘Queues, cancellations, chaos: what has gone wrong at Heathrow?’ is here.
24th July – An article titled: ‘‘The skies are clogged with traffic, I’ve never seen it so busy’: 48 hours at Luton Airport’ can be read here.
24th July – War of words between former Heathrow Chair and former BA boss re: the current chaos within aviation – for details see here.
25th July – Fresh call to review Heathrow expansion plan in light of new Jet Zero Strategy.
25th July – Emirates to operate additional daily but temporary flight to/from London Gatwick. It will run 27 July until 3 August 2022.
25th July – London Stansted unveils refurbished international departure lounge.
26th July – Heathrow reduces losses as passenger numbers soar. It says it remains loss-making and does not forecast paying dividends to shareholders this year.
26th July – Public Account Committee says Covid restrictions contributed to this summer’s travel chaos. New report questions whether £500m spent on travel policies was worth it.
26th July – Councillors face action regarding bid to block Stansted Airport from expanding to 43million passengers a year – see here.
27th July – Heathrow bolsters ‘Here to Help’ team to improve passenger experience. 750 of its non-operational staff will be volunteering 10,000 hrs and over 2,200 shifts this summer.
28th July – See interesting article titled: ‘What should the Gatwick region be known for?’ Research commissioned by the airport has been published looking at how other successful Airport Economic Zones (AEZs) across the world define, organise, and promote themselves.
28th July – Southampton Airport welcomes Flybe services to Avignon and Toulon in France.
29th July – HyPoint is to test its hydrogen fuel cell technology at Manston Airport – see here.
30th July – Heathrow extends cap on passenger numbers due to shortage of ground handlers. It will now end on 29 October instead of 11 September as originally planned.
30th July – It’s not often you see a whale at Luton Airport…..During the week London Luton Airport was visited by a massive Airbus Beluga XL on a training sortie.
31st July – Petition against Doncaster Sheffield Airport Closure reaches 80,000 – see here.
Other Aviation Industry News
1st July – An article titled: ‘Aviation’s sustainable future: Transforming commitment into action’ can be read here.
1st July – For details of results on a SITA passenger IT survey highlighting what passengers wish to see, please read here.
1st July – An article in Airport Technology titled: ‘Could sustainable aviation fuel (finally) drive the global travel industry towards carbon neutrality?’ is here.
2nd July – Alderney’s top committee backs runway expansion proposals. They would also involve improving infrastructure at the airport terminal.
2nd July – ‘Thousands’ of NI travellers could face travel disruption. Travel experts say most passengers will still be able to fly but not necessarily on date they’d originally booked.
4th July – Easyjet Chief Operating Officer has stepped down amid growing anger over flight disruption. EasyJet has been one of the worst hit for cancellations in recent months.
4th July – Edinburgh Airport publishes its 2021 Sustainability Report – see here and here.
5th July – An article titled: ‘Airport design and construction must be driver towards net zero target’ can be read here.
5th July – Dublin Airport seeks passenger charges hike to fund expansion – more details here.
6th July – MAG announce the merging of its American and digital divisions – MAGO and MAG USA – to form a new business, CAVU. It is designed to improve customer experience.
6th July – Kerry Airport returns to profit on State supports and private jet business. Passenger numbers, which had fallen to 83,000 in 2020, rose to more than 115,000 in 2021.
6th July – Flybe has axed several flights from Belfast City Airport this summer and announced it is operating a reduced schedule for others. The airline blamed “late aircraft deliveries”.
7th July – Easyjet to be investigated by regulator over claims that it deserted passengers during recent chaos at airports.
8th July – easyJet has started flights from Glasgow Airport to Pula in Croatia and Chania on the Greek Island of Crete – see here.
8th July – An article titled: ‘Ten airports designed with sustainability in mind’ is here.
9th July – New services to Cardiff and Southampton have taken off from George Best Belfast City Airport with Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Emerald Airlines – see here.
9th July – An article in Travel Radar titled: ‘Scotland’s busiest airports of 2022’ is here.
11th July – Record shows reducing flights or bringing in Army support to prevent Dublin Airport failing were viewed as “extreme measures” that would “have enormous reputational consequences” – more details here.
11th July – Wizz Air to cut summer flight schedule amid travel chaos. It said it would trim its capacity by another 5% as part of efforts to avoid flight cancellations and delays.
11th July – Climate Change Committee publishes ‘Understanding Climate Risks to UK Infrastructure’. For more details and to download the document – see here.
12th July – CE of AGS Airports, which owns Aberdeen International, Glasgow and Southampton airports, announces he’ll step down from his position next year – see here.
12th July – Europe is seeing a hiring boom in airport industry IoT roles. The number of roles in Europe made up 26.3% of total IoT jobs – up from 12.3% in the same quarter last year.
12th July – Competition and Markets Authority publishes its consultation: Regulatory appeals rules and guidance’ – see here.
13th July – ACI Europe welcomes the EC’s proposal to finally return to normal slot usage rules for the upcoming Winter 2022/23 season.
13th July – A City A.M. article titled: ‘Plenty of sympathy for aviation chiefs but time for excuses is running out’ can be read here.
14th July – Nearly 3,000 jobs lying unfilled at UK airports. The pandemic caused vast numbers of cancellations to flights, as well as huge numbers of workers leaving the industry.
14th July – ACI councils jointly urging State representatives at ICAO High-level Meeting to reach agreement on Long-term Aspirational Goal for CO2 emissions reductions, aligned with Paris Agreement 1.5°C goal and the industry objective of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
15th July – An article titled: ‘Opportunities and challenges for urban aviation mobility’ can be read here.
15th July – IATA has revealed concerns that a premature return to pre-pandemic slot use rules in the EU this winter risks continuing disruption to passengers – see here.
16th July – An item in ‘This is Money’ titled: ‘What’s Behind the Airport Chaos’ is here.
17th July – Mechanic shortage threatens to disrupt aviation even further. Not only the airline industry but repair shops and suppliers are scrambling for graduates to take up positions.
18th July – British consortium to build world first AAM flight ecosystem. Consortium made up of Vertical Aerospace, Virgin Atlantic, Atkins, Skyports, NATS, Connected Places Catapult, Cranfield University and WMG, University of Warwick.
18th July – A Travel Radar article titled: “What exactly is SAF?” (sustainable aviation fuel) can be read here.
19th July – First vertiport operator joins ACI EUROPE membership. Urban-Air Port is joining the association.
19th July – MAG’s five new pledges for Jet Zero Strategy can be seen here.
20th July – An article titled: ‘10 things your IT team should check before buying airport software’ can be seen here.
21st July – An article titled: ‘Government remains committed to airport expansions’ is here.
22nd July – Dublin Airport wants to use runway from 6am to 12pm instead of 7am to 11pm. ANCA has recommended in favour of proposed amendments to the planning permission being made.
22nd July – CAA opens public consultation: Assessment of Environmental Effects: Virgin Orbit and Spaceport Cornwall. See here for details.
22nd July – An article titled: ‘The ‘Great Resignation’ and how it affects the aviation ecosystem’ post-pandemic can be read here.
22nd July – Article in Money Week titled: ‘What’s gone wrong in the aviation sector?’ is here.
23rd July – BBC article about airport workers and what’s going on behind the scene is here.
23rd July – Big gap between what DAA wants to charge airlines for passengers over next 4 years and what regulators think it should charge. DAA told Commission for Aviation Regulation that it needs to increase passenger levies from €8.24 to €14.77 by 2026.
24th July – Ministers told airlines at Dublin Airport ‘they should have plans in place’.
25th July – Survey shows at least 40% of airport workers are thinking of quitting. Reasons include wanting better pay and less stress. Only 5% blame the current airport chaos.
26th July – Ryanair swings back to profit but warns of ‘fragile’ market. Profits were still “well below” levels seen in the same quarter before the pandemic in spite of the bounceback.
26th July – Flight disruptions cost easyJet £133 million in Q3 – see here. Now it wants airports to foot the bill.
26th July – An article titled: ‘The logistical considerations for SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) mandates’ can be seen here.
27th July – Wizz Air first-quarter operating loss is €285 million – from €109 million the year before. They say cause is higher fuel costs, airport disruption and lingering C-19 restrictions.
27th July – Dublin Airport and Aer Lingus at odds over arrival time advice – see here.
28th July – Irish airports top European list for traffic recovery. The number of travellers grew 1125% in the first 6 months of 2022 compared with the same period last year.
28th July – An article in Aviation Source titled: ‘Why do Airports and Airlines Fight over Chaos When Government is to blame?’ can be read here.
29th July – BA owner IAG reports first profit since pandemic began. They also issue warning about the state of the industry.
30th July – Aer Lingus slashes fare as it flies from Manchester to US and Caribbean. It will use Manchester as its secondary base alongside its main hub, Dublin Airport.
SASIG Library Additions
A presentation given at the SASIG AGM held (virtually) on 6 July 2022, by guest speakers Cheryl Monk and Chris Barnes from the Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG) may be seen here and in the members’ area on the website. A presentation given by another of our guest speakers, Jenny Ward, Deputy Director, Aviation Strategy, Consumers and Innovation at DfT can also be seen in the members’ area of the website and here.
Finally, notes from the Airspace Strategy Board meeting held on 16 May 2022, chaired by the Aviation Minister and attended by SASIG, are in the members’ area of the website and here.