SASIG Aviation Bulletin: June 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 relation to aviation related policy in Parliament and Whitehall the preceding month alongside the key developments and news stories about the sector from across the UK
Key Highlights
1. The Levelling up and Regeneration Bill was read for second time (8 June).
2. ATI & ACI World launch new Report on the integration of SAF into the air transport system (9 June). Further details and a link to the document may be seen here.
3. Govt publishes a statement of intent and corresponding draft legislation setting out their initial approach to the implementation of the offsetting requirements of CORSIA in UK law. It covers obligations in respect of 2021 emissions only. See here for details (23 June).
4. Government sets out 22-point plan to support the aviation industry as it calls on sector to avoid a repeat of Easter and half term disruption – also see here. (30 June)
5. Gatwick publishes its 2021 Decade of Change sustainability report (27 June) – also see here.
6. SASIG attends 5th British-Irish Airports Expo at ExCel in London and met the Aviation Minister Robert Courts for discussions about next steps with regard to Flightpath to the Future (22-23 June).
Also, this month the Climate Change Committee published their document: ‘Progress in reducing emissions: 2022 report to Parliament’ – see details here and document here.
Potential Actions for LAs
- Items 2&3 above merit closer scrutiny.
- The Secretariat’s report to the SASIG AGM on the 6 July about the Expo (see 6 above) merits review because of the meeting with Robert Courts and DfT Officials.
- The 6 July AGM also has presentations from Jenny Ward, Deputy Director Aviation Policy at DfT about the Flightpath to the Future document and from ACOG about the Airspace modernisation Masterplan.
- Farnborough Airshow from 18-22 July will pre-actively feature Drone and e-VTOL technologies.
SASIG Activities
1. Chairman’s Advisory Group met (8 June)
2. SASIG attended 5th British-Irish Airports Expo at ExCel in London (22-23 June).
3. Policy Director met with Dr Jason Wong, from LSE’s Department of
Geography and Environment (24 June).
4. Policy Director invited to attend UKRI Future of Flight update meetings.
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 main focus for Government attention in relation to aviation in June 2022 was on travel disruption at airports caused by flight cancellations by airlines and the under-resourcing of key functions post-pandemic (e.g. baggage handling, security). This has resulted in chaotic scenes at airports as the Government put pressure on airports and ground-handlers to get the problem under control.
The issue seems to be a combination of airlines selling too many seats/flights in some cases for the pilots they have available and failing that, for the available ground handling resource at airports to handle. Staff made redundant during COVID have proved difficult to recruit back into the sector because of early retirement or the pay and conditions available from other sectors leading to shortages in peak periods and long queues. All of which led to the Government setting out a 22-point plan to support the aviation industry to avoid a repeat of Easter and half term disruption through the summer holiday period.
After the British-Irish Airport Expo, Farnborough Airshow will be the next big event on the calendar with a strong ministerial presence expected. A number of announcements relating to the drone and e-VTOL sectors are anticipated, as is the publication of a Government report setting out a pathway for aviation to become Net Zero by 2050.
Chris Cain
Policy Director
SASIG
Monthly Highlights
8th June – Levelling up and Regeneration Bill read for second time – see here.
9th June – ATI & ACI World launch new SAF paper. Further details and a link to the document may be seen here.
23rd June – Govt publishes statement of intent and corresponding draft legislation which sets out their initial approach to implementation of the offsetting requirements of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) in UK law. It covers obligations in respect of 2021 emissions only. See here for details and statement.
22nd – 23rd June – SASIG attends 5th British-Irish Airports Expo at ExCel in London.
27th June – Gatwick publishes its 2021 Decade of Change sustainability report – also see here.
30th June – Government sets out 22-point plan to support the aviation industry as it calls on sector to avoid a repeat of Easter and half term disruption – also see here.
Also, this month the Climate Change Committee published their document: ‘Progress in reducing emissions: 2022 report to Parliament’ – see details here and document 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).
6 July 2022: 10:30: SASIG meeting/AGM: (Virtual).
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).
12 July 2022: UK Airport Infrastructure Forum:Waterfront Conference Event,London
18-22 July 2022: Farnborough International Air Show. Farnborough Airport.
16-17 August 2022: International Conference on Sustainable Aviation: London (digital)
9-11 May 2023: Routes Europe 2023: Lodz, Poland.
19-20 August 2023: International Conference on Sustainable Aviation: London
Parliamentary and Government News
Whitsun Recess: both Houses rose on 26 May and returned on 6 June 2022.
2nd June – Government met with airlines to discuss travel chaos and how to address it.
8th June – Levelling up and Regeneration Bill read for second time – see here.
14th June – House of Commons debated Future Hydrogen Economy including transportation.
15th June – House of Commons debated ‘Future of Freight’ plan.
16th June – House of Commons debated Aviation Industry disruption.
30th June – Government sets out 22-point plan to support the aviation industry as it calls on sector to avoid a repeat of Easter and half term disruption – also see here.
Transport Questions: House of Commons:
There were no Transport Questions in the House of Commons this month.
Transport Questions: House of Lords
9th June – Travel Disruption at UK Airports and Ferry Ports: Lord Davies of Brixton asked what steps Govt intend to take to alleviate the problems, including queues, cancellations and delays, being experienced by travellers at airports and ferry ports in the UK.
Parliamentary Questions:
Q.1. Question (11759) asked by Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Heeley) on 1 June 2022: “To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average time taken is to process the Government security checks required for a single employee of airport staff to begin employment”.
A. Michael Ellis on 8 June 2022: “I am unable to reveal the average processing time of National Security Vetting (NSV) checks as this is likely to prejudice national security. It would also impact the protective measures employed in safeguarding Her Majesty’s Government (HMG). However, I am able to report that national security checks for the aviation sector are being processed in a timely manner and that there are no delays. In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters”.
Q.2. Question (15409) asked by Alexander Stafford (Rother Valley) on 9 June 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact on consumers at smaller regional airports in the (a) South West, (b) North West, and (c) North East of the lack of competition amongst low-cost carriers on outbound routes”.
A. Robert Courts on 15 June 2022: “The UK has a competitive aviation market, which operates predominantly in the private sector. Airports invest in their infrastructure to attract passengers and airlines, while airlines are well placed to deliver services to their customers by responding to demand for routes. Whilst we recognise the importance of maintaining a thriving and competitive aviation sector in the UK to deliver connectivity, levelling up and the supporting the Union, it is for airlines to determine the routes they operate based on their own assessment on whether routes are commercially viable. Under competition law, responsibility for investigating individual competition issues falls to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK’s competition authority. As an independent authority, the CMA has discretion to investigate competition cases which, according to its prioritisation principles, it considers most appropriate. The CMA also has powers to conduct detailed examinations of why particular markets may not be working well, and decide what remedial action is appropriate. Concerns about market competition can be submitted to the CMA”.
Q.3. Question (14542) asked by Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Heeley) on 8 June 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the press release entitled Transport Secretary meets with aviation industry following disruption at UK airports, published on 1 June 2022, whether the Government and aviation industry working group has met; what the composition of that working group is; and whether he will be the chair of that working group”.
A. Robert Courts on 13 June 2022: “Following a meeting with industry on 1 June we committed to establishing the Strategic Risk Group which I will chair as the Aviation Minister. This group will bring together CEOs from across the industry to meet weekly. The next meeting of this group will be taking place on 14 June”.
Q.4. Question (13206) asked by Catherine West (Hornsey & Wood Green) on 6 June 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to tackle airport staff shortages”.
A. Robert Courts on 14 June 2022: “The aviation industry operates in the private sector and therefore it is the responsibility of the industry to manage demands, recruit and roster staff, and have appropriate mitigations in place. However, we are working closely with the sector and airports to ensure resilience and services are as should be expected for passengers, and are pressing the sector to ensure their summer schedules are deliverable. As set out in Flightpath to the future: a strategic framework for the aviation sector, published on 26th May 2022, skills retention for highly trained jobs needs to be a key element of the aviation sector’s recovery plan. That is why my Department launched the Aviation Skills Retention Platform and Talentview Aviation in February 2021 and November 2021 respectively to support skills retention and recruitment in the aviation sector. In addition, we have introduced new legislation to allow certain training to be undertaken while industry background reference checks are completed. I have also permitted HMRC employment history letters to be used as part of the reference check. Both will help to speed up recruitment times”.
Q.5. Question (13205) asked by Catherine West (Hornsey & Wood Green) on 6 June 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to provide advice to people who miss their flights as a result of airport disruption and delays”.
A. Robert Courts on 14 June 2022: “Airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) provide air passengers information on what to do if something goes wrong with their flight. To further support air passengers, the Government announced as part of the Flightpath to the Future, that it will publish an Aviation Passenger Charter, developed in partnership with the sector and consumer groups, to ensure consumers are aware of their rights and responsibilities throughout their journey, including what to do if something goes wrong. The Charter will be essential for consumers, granting them clear and easily accessible information that they need when travelling by air”.
Q.6. Question (13203) asked by Catherine West (Hornsey & Wood Green) on 6 June 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with airport leaders on disruption and delays at UK airports”.
A. Robert Courts on 14 June 2022: “Since the beginning of the year, Ministers and Officials have been engaging extensively with the sector to gain a greater understanding of the issues facing the industry. We have taken action in a range of areas, including security alleviations, skills and recruitment to support the aviation industry. This includes the Secretary of State changing the law on the 29 April to alleviate pressures on industry background checks for new recruits going through training and has allowed HMRC Employment History letters to be used as part of the background check, with suitable safeguards in place. This will help speed up the recruitment process.
On 12 May Minister Hinds, Minister of State for Security and Borders and I, hosted a roundtable with leaders from across the aviation industry. This meeting addressed the upcoming increase in passenger demand for the May Half Term and Summer holidays as well as providing industry with a comprehensive update from Border Force on their preparations.
At the same time Senior Officials established the Summer Resilience Group ahead of the May half-term that brings together Operational Directors to work through key resilience issues, which continues to meet regularly in addition to regular bilateral meetings.
On 1 June, the Secretary of State and I chaired a meeting with airports, airlines and ground handlers in order to understand the specific issues they were facing over half term and the actions they were taking to result these.
An action from this meeting was to set up the Strategic Risk Group which I am now chairing on a weekly basis. This will bring together senior representatives of airlines, airports and ground handlers to focus on solutions that minimise disruption over the summer for the public”.
Q.7. Question (13793) asked by Tulip Siddiq (Hampstead & Kilburn) on 7 June 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of aviation induced cloudiness on the environment”.
A. Robert Courts on 14 June 2022: “There is significant uncertainty about the impact of aviation on “cloudiness” – more usually referred to as ‘contrails’ – which can lead to both warming and cooling, though the net effect is expected to be warming. We are working closely with the academic community to understand non-CO2 impacts of aviation better, along with potential mitigation methods to ensure that future policy development is based on the latest available climate science. Through the Jet Zero Consultation, we sought views on our approach to decarbonising aviation and on how to address non-CO2 impacts. We are carefully considering the consultation responses which will inform the final Jet Zero Strategy, due to be published later this year”.
Q.8. Question (19687) asked by Mary Kelly Foy (City of Durham) on 16 June 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the (a) private, (b) municipal and (c) trust ports that are within the Freeport zones in England announced by the Government in March 2021.”.
A. Robert Courts on 21 June 2022: “There are 18 privately owned ports, 2 municipal ports, and 2 trust ports within Freeport zones. There is one port which is owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) but privately leased and operated. These numbers depend on how a port is classified – for the purposes of this answer, the publication Focus on Ports (2006 edition) has been used as guidance supplemented with updated information where status is known to have changed or new ports have opened. There are also 4 airports. A list by Freeport zone is below:
East Midlands
East Midlands Airport
Freeport East
Port of Felixstowe – Private
Port of Ipswich – Private
Port of Mistley – Private
Harwich Haven (includes Harwich International Port within the Harbour Authority area which is privately operated) – Trust
Humber Freeport
Port of Hull – Private
Port of Immingham – Private
Port of Goole – Private
Port of Grimsby – Private
Liverpool City Region Freeport
Port of Liverpool – Private
Port of Birkenhead – Private
Port Garston – Private
Port Weston – Private
Manchester Ship Canal (including Port Salford) – Private
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Plymouth and South Devon Freeport
ABP Millbay Docks – Private
Sutton Harbour – Private
Port of Plymouth – Municipal
Cattewater Harbour – Trust
Solent Freeport
Port of Southampton (includes DP World Southampton terminal) – Private
Solent Gateway/Port of Marchwood – MoD owned but privately leased
Portsmouth International Port – Municipal
Southampton Airport
Teesside Freeport
Teesport and Hartlepool (includes Redcar Bulk Terminal, Port of Middlesbrough, and Port of Hartlepool) – Private
Teesside International Airport
Thames Freeport
London Gateway – Private
Port of Tilbury (including Tilbury2) – Private
Q.9. Question (22364) asked by Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East) on 21 June 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the aviation sector is (a) innovative and (b) sustainable”.
A. Robert Courts on 27 June 2022: “The Government’s vision is for the UK to be a world leader in innovative aviation technology that has a transformative effect on the movement of people and goods. The Government is providing £125m, matched by £175m from industry, of support for Innovate UK’s Future Flight Challenge. The Challenge seeks to support the demonstration in the UK of Unmanned, Advanced Air Mobility and sub-regional electric and hydrogen air services. The Government is also supporting a variety of innovative technology, fuel and market-based measures to address aviation emissions and ensure that the sector is sustainable and achieves net zero by 2050.
In July 2021, we published the Jet Zero Consultation which sets out our vision for the aviation sector to reach net zero by 2050, focussing on the rapid development of technologies in a way that maintains the benefits of air travel and maximises the opportunities that decarbonisation can bring for the UK. We are carefully considering consultation responses, alongside wider government policy and the very latest technological developments in the development of the final Jet Zero Strategy, which we are aiming to publish later this year. Over the next three years, we are providing £685m funding to the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme to support the development of new and zero-carbon emission aircraft technology, and £180m funding to accelerate the commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plants and fuel testing in the UK”.
Q.10. Question (21249) asked by Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) on 20 June 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the likelihood of airports other than London Gatwick reducing the number of flights per day”.
A. Robert Courts on 28 June 2022: “We have been extensively engaging with industry at both ministerial and official level since the beginning of the year. We have been clear that the volume of late notice cancellations are unacceptable and airlines must have realistic schedules they can deliver. It is ultimately a commercial decision for airports if they also choose to reduce the number of daily flights. The Government has made it clear that the aviation industry should be reviewing their current staffing levels, passenger demand and then creating realistic flight schedules. On 21 June, the Secretary of State laid before Parliament regulations that will help airlines prevent last-minute flight cancellations during the summer peak. The regulations will allow a one-off “amnesty” on airport slots rules, enabling airlines to plan ahead and deliver a realistic summer schedule that minimises disruption at the airports. Airlines will have a short window to hand back slots for the rest of the summer season that they are not confident they will be able to operate. This will help give passengers confidence in the schedules and more time to make alternative arrangements if they are needed, rather than face the kind of last-minute cancellations seen over the Easter and half-term holidays”.
Q.11. Question (22430) asked by Jim Shannon (Strangford) on 21 June 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with British airlines on late-notice cancellations of flights”.
A. Robert Courts on 28 June 2022: “We have been extensively engaging with industry at both ministerial and official level since the beginning of the year. During these meetings we have been clear that the volume of late notice cancellations are unacceptable and airlines must have realistic schedules they can deliver. On 21 June the Secretary of State laid before Parliament regulations that will help airlines prevent last-minute flight cancellations during the summer peak. The regulations will allow a one-off “amnesty” on airport slots rules, enabling airlines to plan ahead and deliver a realistic summer schedule that minimises disruption at the airports. Airlines will have a short window to hand back slots for the rest of the summer season that they are not confident they will be able to operate. This will help give passengers confidence in the schedules and more time to make alternative arrangements if they are needed, rather than face the kind of last-minute cancellations seen over the Easter and half-term holidays. I am also chairing a Strategic Risk Group which meets weekly to bring together senior executives from across the sector to highlight issues, assess mitigations, and encourage collaborative working”.
Q.12. Question (21172) asked by Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon) on 20 June 2022: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with his EU counterparts on reducing passenger waiting times at immigration checkpoints at airports”.
A. Robert Courts on 28 June 2022: “Some UK and EU airports are facing similar problems this summer in addressing excessive waiting times at both arrival and departure as passenger demand rapidly recovers. My officials have been discussing these matters, including potential disruptions arising from summer traffic peaks at the border, with their EU counterparts to understand the situation more fully and to encourage sharing of experience and best practice amongst the industry”.
National and Regional News
1st June – BA and easyJet cancel more than 150 flights as travel chaos continues. Airlines and airports struggling to recruit staff and get security clearances finalised after the pandemic.
2nd June – Manchester Airports Group announced this week it has completed a refinancing of its existing £590m revolving credit and liquidity facilities – see here.
3rd June – Noise reduction at London Stansted since the implementation of Ryanair Boeing 737 MAXs – more details here.
4th June – Unite union warns airport chaos could last until next year. It blames Govt for failing to attach job guarantees to the £8billion in furlough wages it gave to airlines.
5th June – Wizz Air announce large number of flight cancellations at Doncaster Sheffield Airport. The airport said it is unable to guarantee the level of service required.
5th June – Heathrow asks airlines to reduce the number of peak-time passengers by a third to alleviate “dangerous levels of congestion” at various choke-points across the airport.
6th June – Heathrow to re-open T4 on 14 June after 2-year gap. It’s used the closure period to renovate T4’s hold baggage screening machines, air conditioning and toilets.
6th June – Bristol Airport apologises to customers for continuing chaos – see here.
7th June – London Oxford Airport stepping up its infrastructure projects to support its historic general aviation customers and its commercial business aviation activity – see here.
8th June – Manchester Airport appoints new boss. Chris Woodroofe will take over this month following Karen Smart’s departure.
8th June – Heathrow Airport boss says flight chaos could last for 18 months. Staff shortages continue as a result of the pandemic.
9th June – London City Airport on track to welcome three million passengers this year. This follows 2 years of passenger numbers below the one million mark.
9th June – Aviation services and technology firm Draken Europe is to begin work on its new hangar at Teesside Airport after plans were given the green light – see here.
10th June – An article with an interactive maps revealing the worst zones for noise pollution in London, New York, and Paris is here. Studies warn loud traffic can impair communication, memory, and mental health.
11th June – Drone sightings cause runway closures at East Midlands. Several flights had to be diverted as the traffic was halted to ensure safety.
11th June – DfT deny report that SoS is exploring issuing temporary visas to workers from the EU to ease a staffing crisis at airports.
13th June – Heathrow: Passenger numbers continue to rise despite aviation struggles. Some 5.3m people travelled through the airport in May – an increase of 1.1m compared to March.
14th June – Terminal 4 reopens at Heathrow Airport ahead of ‘summer peak’ after 2 year closure. Heathrow has been working over the last 2 years on modernising the terminal.
14th June – People dropping off passengers at Southampton Airport will have to pay £4 for 20 minutes from today. This is up from the previous price of £2.
14th June – CAA data says Manchester Airport had fewer flights leaving on time in the first three months of the year than any other UK airport – see here.
15th June – BA and easyJet are among airlines told by Govt to make new ‘deliverable’ summer schedules. DfT and CAA told them to “develop a schedule that is deliverable”
16th June – Transoft Solutions releases its traffic modeling software solution at Passenger Terminal Expo. It can focus on the terminal as a whole or on individual facilities.
16th June – Stansted Airport: Council offers £1.4m over court appeal – see here.
17th June – Gatwick reduces summer capacity to prevent repeat of jubilee chaos. Number of flights in August will be below pre-pandemic levels to ensure those on sale are ‘deliverable’.
17th June – Bristol Airport parking: Holidaymakers leaving cars in Bristol streets for 8 weeks.
17th June – London Luton ready for busy summer. It welcomed 1.2 million passengers in May with a further 200,000 travelling across the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee between June 2-5.
18th June – Experts say flights to popular holiday destinations, Spain and Portugal, are set to be the worst affected by mass cancellations at Gatwick Airport – see here.
18th June – Luggage piled high at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 2 after technical fault. Some passengers flew without their luggage.
19th June – An article titled: ‘Europe’s summer of discontent reveals travel sector labour crisis’ can be read here.
20th June – Teesside International Airport MD talks about how the airport is looking to develop its cargo facilities and their status as the UK’s first and largest freeport – see here.
20th June – Bristol Airport hosts exhibition to inspire young people to build a net zero world.
20th June – East Midlands Airport’s global cargo connectivity is powering businesses in the Midlands to a competitive advantage says new research – see here.
21st June – Construction completed for first hotels at Airport City Manchester. Together, the hotels will deliver 542 beds and create around 350 jobs.
22nd June – Flight cancellations: Airlines and airports seem unable to say when threat to summer holiday getaways will end – see here.
22nd June – JetBlue boosts Transatlantic service with new Heathrow and Gatwick slots.
22nd June – An article titled: ‘Integration of private jets with commercial airports’ is here.
23rd June – London City Airport survey shows business leaders eager to return to air travel.
73% of UK respondents said their company will use air travel in the next two years.
23rd June – Heathrow boosts 2022 passenger number forecasts for second time amid chaos of flight cancellations. It now expects 54.4 million people to come through airport this year.
23rd June – Busy May half-term sets the scene for Luton Airport’s summer ahead. More than five million people are expected to use the airport between now and the end of September.
25th June – An interesting historical article about Manchester Airport opening its doors in June 1938 can be seen here.
26th June – Birmingham Airport’s CEO receives 49% pay increase and some people are not happy about that.
27th June – Gatwick publishes 2021 Decade of Change sustainability report – also see here.
27th June – New operator will take over the operation of the Penzance Helicopters service to the Isles of Scilly this winter. They will replace current operator Sloane Helicopters.
28th June – CAA orders Heathrow airport to cut passenger charges each year until 2026. This will please airlines while airport said it would result in a worse experience for passengers.
29th June – Passengers purchasing Business First tickets on Heathrow Express will be able to take advantage of fast-track security lanes at Heathrow airport from 1 July – see here.
30th June – ‘Total chaos’ at Heathrow as airport orders 30 flights to be cancelled. Airport said it was expecting more passengers “than the airport currently has capacity to serve”.
30th June – Government sets out 22-point plan to support the aviation industry as it calls on sector to avoid a repeat of Easter and half term disruption – also see here.
Other Aviation Industry News
1st June – Holding area at Dublin Airport planned for passengers arriving too early. DAA plans across summer include maximising availability of staff resources, increasing number of security lanes open at peak times and improving queue management.
2nd June – Ryanair boss says send in the army to help airports. He says other European airports do this and it would help relieve the pressure on airport security.
2nd June – OAG article titled: ‘Making Sense of European Flight Disruption’ can be read here.
3rd June – Dublin Airport queue system working smoothly but situation ‘delicate’ says DAA.
3rd June – Shannon Airport could have potential to alleviate pressure from Dublin Airport. Dublin have already asked Shannon for help in securing staffing personnel.
4th June – Belfast International Airport records busiest month in 2.5 years. CAA data shows Northern Ireland’s biggest airport was back operating at around 80% pre-pandemic levels.
6th June – Fears grow for summer holidays after flight cancellations. The disruption is being driven by staff shortages across the aviation industry.
7th June – Wizz Air says price of plane tickets may jump by 10% this summer. Airline boss says tickets are already more expensive than they were before the pandemic began.
8th June – Welsh Government has scrapped Cardiff Airport to Anglesey air route it funded to provide an air link between North and South Wales. It was launched in 2007.
8th June – An article in Airport Technology titled: ‘Operational instability of airlines exacerbated by overselling’ can be read here and their article on cybersecurity threats to aviation can be read here.
9th June – Glasgow Airport part of multi-million bid for green freeport on Glasgow’s River Clyde – see here.
9th June – European airport: staff shortages disrupt summer travel. More on this story here.
9th June – ATI & ACI World launch new SAF paper. Further details and link to document here.
10th June – Airbus is to explore hydrogen use at a number of Japanese airports under a provisional agreement with the facilities’ operator – see here for details.
10th June – Airports told by CAA to stop failing disabled passengers – see here.
11th June – Cargolux inaugurates new service to Shannon – see here for more information.
12th June – British Airways’ boss calls on ministers to take accountability over travel chaos. He says government must work with the aviation sector “in a constructive way.”
14th June – Warning air travel staff issues will last into summer. Unite union, Swissport’s UK boss and the AOA told MPs on the Business Committee that shortages were likely to persist.
14th June – Aviation campaigners from across Britain call on government to stop all airport expansion plans. Further details may be seen here.
15th June – Scottish MPs slam UK ministers over failures in Covid recovery support for Scottish airports – see here.
16th June – New research says airports need to get hydrogen ready now. The first commercially available hydrogen-powered aircraft are expected in the early to mid-2030s.
16th June – See article titled: ‘Business travel rebound at risk as travel chaos plays out on our screens’ byStephen Hammond, MP for Wimbledon and chair of APPG on business travel.
17th June – New study shows smallest airport with least flights produces most PM2.5. Conditions worsen during the autumn and winter months and colder weather.
18th June – An interesting article about the history of Bournemouth Airport – formerly known as Hurn Airport – can be seen here.
19th June – Cork Chamber voice concerns over Dublin Airport’s perceived monopoly on Ireland’s aviation industry. They feel other regional airports should benefit too.
20th June – EasyJet is cutting one in ten flights that operated in 2019 following a reduction in planes being handled by Gatwick and Amsterdam. This is to help tackle staffing issues.
20th June – Business Minister says staff could work longer hours if they wanted to solve airport chaos. But he is not advocating scrapping duty practices for safety critical workers.
20th June – Jacobs’ report, Airports as Catalysts for Decarbonisation, calls on airport owners and operators to be hydrogen ready. The report can be seen here.
20th June – IATA welcomes scrapping of rules forcing UK airlines to use their allocated take-off/landing slots during the current summer season to help reduce disruption at airports.
21st June – Swift return of business air travel would see Northern Ireland’s economy benefit from an additional £1 billion according to report commissioned by London City Airport.
22nd June – An article titled: ‘Reassessing connectivity between north and south Wales’ about the Welsh Government’s decision to cease the Ynys Mon to Cardiff air service, is here.
22nd June – Google reviewers are divided on what they think about Aberdeen International Airport – see here.
22nd June – ACI EUROPE publish its Airport Industry Connectivity Report for 2022, which reveals that the recovery of European air connectivity from the COVID-19 pandemic is uneven and still difficult. More details here.
23rd June – Govt publishes statement of intent and corresponding draft legislation which sets out their initial approach to implementation of the offsetting requirements of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) in UK law. It covers obligations in respect of 2021 emissions only. See here for details and statement.
23rd June – “Europe for Aviation” promotes a more sustainable aviation at the World ATM Congress 2022 in Madrid – see here.
23rd June – BA check-in crew and ground staff at Heathrow vote to walk-out during summer holidays. They have rejected a 10% pay offer.
24th June – CAA data names Belfast City as the UK’s most punctual airport. Teesside International was in second place and Exeter Airport was third.
25th June – Cork Airport aims to be the first airport in Ireland to restore itself back to pre-pandemic numbers. Management are delighted with the airport’s performance so far.
26th June – Emerald Airlines, which operates Aer Lingus Regional services, is to start two new routes to Cardiff and Southampton from its Belfast City Airport base from July 7.
27th June – The government is apparently considering a short-term relaxation of the cap on night flights, to help alleviate airport chaos – see here and here.
27th June – CIO of Manchester Airports Group, is modernising its SAP estate to build a ‘digital enterprise’ – see here.
28th June – ACI World publishes its quarterly assessment analysing the impact of the pandemic on airports. It shows that aviation’s rebound is beginning to gather momentum.
29th June – This Herald article states Glasgow Airport needs to secure direct US links to aid sluggish recovery.
29th June – ACI Europe President says EU Institutions, governments and regulators must work with industry so aviation policy enables strong and sustainable reset for the entire sectoral ecosystem.
30th June – Europe’s airport industry has announced significant progress in the concrete steps towards net zero CO2 emissions – see here.
30th June – Investment and development signals new era at Gamston Airport, Notts. Construction includes upgrades to runway and infrastructure.
SASIG Library Additions
There were no additions to the Library this month.