SASIG Aviation Bulletin: August 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. 

Monthly Highlights

1. Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Aviation Minister hands matter to local council. (4August)
2. Heathrow Airport extends cap on passengers to end of October – see here. (16 August)
3. New €320m runway at Dublin Airport opens today. (24 August)

Potential Actions for LAs

1. LAs to engage with Airports regarding initiatives to increase the labour supply to airports.
2. Respond to CAA Review.
3. Assist Southend BC and Essex CC with information on interventions/enforcement regimes used at airport.
4. Invite neighbouring authorities to attend future SASIG meetings in October and July as their guests as a sampler for what SASIG can offer them – those interested should inform the Secretariat so that they can be registered and receive relevant meeting paper work.

SASIG Activities

1. SASIG are providing expert advice to Doncaster MBC to help their fight to keep DSA open.
2. SASIG to hold discussions with HSPG and UKACC about future collaborative work.
3. SASIG pursuing role in Aviation Council sub groups after it is formed over the summer.
4. SASIG Chair and Policy Director to engage in a programme of visits to existing members and potential new ones over the summer.
   

Contents

The Bulletin includes the following subsidiary sections setting more detail about the month’s aviation 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

E-mail: [email protected]

Telephone: 01732 220256

Editorial  

August is typically a quiet month for aviation policy news. Major announcements are made in July before Parliament goes into recess and Government Ministers and officials all try to grab some time away before Whitehall business ramps back into gear in September. It’s a time for taking stock, planning for the coming year and for low key business that does not require Parliamentary scrutiny. And if that weren’t the case, this year the industry finally seemed to get its act together in August in terms of managing capacity and there was a Conservative leadership election to dominate the news agenda.

All of which is a long introduction to the honest admission there is very little by way of national policy development to report, although there is some important regional and industry news to convey. The recent question marks raised against the future of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) is the significant regional news. Doncaster MBC and South Yorkshire MCA are heavily engaged in seeking to find a resolution and there is ongoing dialogue with DfT and at the highest levels of Government with this objective in mind. DMBC’s membership of SASIG has allowed them to draw heavily on the Secretariats’ expertise and knowledge of the aviation sector and they remain engaged.

The other main industry news has been the measures airports and airlines have taken to bring the post-COVID surge in demand back in line with reduced capacity, which remains diminished because jobs cut during the pandemic have proved difficult to refill as the industry has begun to recover, with evidence pointing to rates of pay as an issue. The result over much of the summer has been capacity bottlenecks which both airports and airlines have been trying hard to resolve. As part of a 22-plan to address the chaotic scenes at the UK’s busiest airports earlier in the summer, DFT has provided funding for a recruitment drive and CAA has suspended normal operation of the slot regulation protecting airline grandfather rights until the spring.

Finally, in late August approval was granted for the Manston Development Consent Order – with freight capacity in increasingly short supply it will be interesting to see how this project develops. SASIG will certainly be making representations to DfT on air cargo over the course of the Autumn.

Chris Cain

Policy Director
SASIG

Monthly Highlights

4^th:  Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Aviation Minister hands matter to local council.

16^th: Heathrow Airport extends cap on passengers to end of October – see here.

24^th: New €320m runway at Dublin Airport opens today.

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).

16-18 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.

Transport Questions:  House of Commons:

There were no Transport questions in the House of Commons this month.

Transport Questions:  House of Lords

There were no Transport questions in the House of Lords this month.

Parliamentary Questions: 

There were no Parliamentary Questions this month.

National and Regional News

1^st August – Pressures on passenger traffic at Manchester Airport have eased claims operator. 92% of people passed through security in under 30 minutes.

1^st August – Southampton Airport runway expansion to go ahead. Appeal Court has upheld Eastleigh BC’s decision to approve plans for the expansion of the runway by 164m (538ft).
1^st August – Farnborough Airport appoints design & build contractors for new £55m hangar.

2^nd August – BA suspends bookings for short-haul flights to meet Heathrow passenger cap rule. The suspension will last until 8 August.

2^nd August – An interview with Heathrow Airport’s Head of Innovation and Intelligent Automation can be read here.

3^rd August – London Southend Airport has appointed John Upton as its new CEO, effective September 2022. He’ll replace Glyn Jones who has been CEO for 7 years.

4^th August – London City Airport on track for three million passengers this year. It served 640,000 passengers across June and July.

4^th August – Birmingham Airport publishes its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions report for 2021/22 – see here for further details and to view the report itself, see here.

4^th August – Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Aviation Minister hands matter to local council.

5^th August – London Luton Airport partners with Cranfield University on carbon capture study – see here.

5^th August – JetBlue launches flights between Boston, USA and London Gatwick – see here.

5^th August – Loganair deploys taskforce to locate lost baggage. It is sending staff to various airports to help alleviate baggage logjams.

8^th August – Manchester Airport staff donate to local families in need. It’s all part of the airport’s ‘Feed a Family’ challenge.

8^th August – ‘All options’ to be explored to keep Doncaster Sheffield Airport open. The news comes following a meeting between The Peel Group, Doncaster Council, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Doncaster Chamber of Commerce.

9^th August – Manchester Airport warns of ‘illegal’ parking scams during summer season. Airport is also taking-action to “combat congestion” caused by increased number of taxis and private hire vehicles in the area.

9^th August – Heathrow owner Ferrovial studies options for stake in Britain’s biggest airport – see here.

10^th August – An article titled: ‘Giving back to local communities at London Luton Airport’ can be read here.

10^th August – Newcastle International Airport appoints new Cargo Business Development Manager. Aileen Wallace has over 25 years of experience in cargo.

11^th August – East Midlands Airport welcomed 400,000 passengers in July – see here.

11^th August – Heathrow Airport praises passenger cap effect as delays ease. Airport CE says disruptions have stabilised.

11^th August – Heathrow sale revives hopes of a 3^rd runway under new Prime Minister – see here.

12^th August – MAG airports reach 85% of pre-Covid pax traffic. Manchester, Stansted, and East Midlands Airports saw 5.5m pax travel through in July, an increase on 5.2m in June.

12^th August – Workers to hold rally to try and save Doncaster Sheffield Airport – see here.

13^th August – Hundreds join rally over closure threat to Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Also, around 90,000 people have signed a petition calling for the airport to be saved.

14^th August – BA to resume ticket sales for short-haul flights tomorrow. It’ll end the 2-week suspension on purchase of flights to domestic and European destinations from Heathrow.

15^th August – Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) has increased its facility footprint at Heathrow Airport after a 30% growth in volumes in the past year – see here.

15^th August – Holidaymakers warned of EasyJet, Ryanair and BA bag rule on flights. Some checked-in suitcases have USB ports (aka “smart bags”) which are now not allowed.

16^th August – An article titled: ‘Understaffed airlines and oversold flights lead to cancellation chaos’ about flights in the UK can be read here.

16^th August – Heathrow Airport extends cap on passengers to end of October – see here.

16^th August – Ryanair adds 500 October half-term flights from Stansted Airport as Heathrow extends passenger cap.

17^th August – Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) has increased its facility footprint at Heathrow Airport after a 30% growth in volumes in the past year – see here for details.
18^th August – Bristol Airport anticipates over 900,000 passengers this month.

18^th August – Wizz Air are launching new London Luton route to Montenegro. It will begin in November of this year.

19^th August – Government approves Development Consent Order for Manston Airport.

22^nd August – The North is set for an economic boost as direct links to China are restored from Manchester Airport – see here.

22^nd August – British Airways will cut roughly 10,000 short-haul flights to and from Heathrow between late October and March. It is aimed at minimising disruption over the winter.

23^rd August – Gatwick now expects to handle 32.8 million passengers this year after a stronger recovery in the second quarter than it had originally anticipated – details here. It’s said it will not need to extend its capacity limits beyond the end of the month.

24^th August – The decision over the future of Doncaster Sheffield airport has been delayed until the middle of next month by its owner Peel Group – see here.

25^th August – South Yorkshire’s Mayor has criticised Peel Group, who own Doncaster Sheffield Airport, suggesting Peel has no interest in supporting efforts to keep airport open.

26^th August – Leeds Bradford Airport has partnered with Veovo to introduce AI-powered passenger predictability technology to its airport operations – more details here.

26^th August – South Yorkshire Mayor opens search for investors to keep Doncaster Sheffield Airport open. He is determined to try and find ways to keep the airport viable.

26^th August – London Stansted secures approval for solar facility. The new facility will also support the airport’s goal of net-zero carbon operations by 2038.

29^th August – Revealed: The best (and worst) airlines for delays at UK airports – see here.

30^th August – An article titled: ‘Flightpath to the Future: a new plan for UK aviation’ can be read here.

30^th August – There is a danger that Stansted strike action could shut down the airport.

30^th August – Regional airline Loganair will suspend operations at Cornwall Airport Newquay this winter. Their summer 2023 flights are on sale as normal. More details are here.

31^st August – Esken, the owner/operator of London Southend airport, says it will take a hit on earnings after a global logistics partner said it will stop using its cargo operations from mid-September – more details here.

31^st August – Teesside Airport’s new £2.5 million cargo handling facility opens.

 

Other Aviation Industry News

1^st August – New report says almost half of all airport and airline workers are considering leaving the industry. Insufficient pay is underlying the top three reasons why.

1^st August – Cranfield University report reveals investment urgently needed in new technology to mitigate CO2 emissions at UK airports. See more details here.

1^st August – An interesting and nostalgic article on Croydon Airport can be read here.

2^nd August – A couple of ways of obtaining ’emotional support’ drinks if your flight is delayed or cancelled can be seen here. (Form an orderly queue please!)

2^nd August – The Air Charter Association (ACA) joins Government’s Jet Zero Council Zero Emission Flight Delivery Group. ZEF is the partnership body between industry and government to deliver decarbonisation in the aviation sector.

3^rd August – Flights into Ireland from London are soaring in price – see here.

4^th August – An article titled: ‘Sensor technology solutions for airport challenges’ can be seen here.

5^th August – Machine learning innovation among airport industry companies has dropped off in the last year – see here.

5^th August – See article titled: ‘Eliminating threats’ about risks of IoT devices in airports and the need for a joint approach to cyber and physical security to secure networks.

6^th August – Edinburgh Airport transatlantic traffic soars back to pre-Covid levels. However, the rebound has been slower for UK flights and within the common travel area.

7^th August – Flight delays will continue until next summer says Ryanair CE – see here.

8^th August – Irish consumers spend more on groceries and restaurants, less on clothes and airport shopping. Spending on essentials reflects the higher prices.

8^th August – An article titled: ‘Digital towers, artificial intelligence, and the next generation of airport air traffic management’ can be read here.

9^th August – Future of work hiring levels in the airport industry rose in July this year.

9^th August – AeroCloud Systems a 100% cloud native software platform dedicated to growth of airports merges with passenger processing (common-use) specialist Flight Solutions.

10^th August – Tui takes £63m hit from recent travel chaos after 200 flight cancellations in just two months. They cite in particular woes at Manchester Airport amid staff shortages.

10^th August – Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone is number one Enterprise Zone in the country to award highest level of business rates relief to local businesses – see here.

11^th August – Ryanair boss blames Brexit for airport chaos and says era of €10 airfares over.

11^th August – Billionaire Comer brothers have agreed to pay up to €20m to buy Waterford Airport. The Galway-born investors own a huge property portfolio across Europe.

11^th August – Wizz Air cancels most flights from Cardiff Airport over the winter. They say they blame the “challenging macro-economic environment”.

12^th August – Ryanair launches Cardiff rescue fares to accommodate Wizz Air fliers.

15^th August – A BBC article titled: ‘The tech aiming to prevent lost airline luggage’ can be seen here.

15^th August – Recommended arrival times at Dublin Airport reduced. Passengers are being advised to arrive two hours before short-haul flights and three hours before long-haul trips.

16^th August – An Airport World article titled: ‘Investing in Sustainability’ can be read here.

16^th August – Travelex has rolled out Foreign Currency ATM click and collect service. It allows customers to pre-order foreign cash online at Travelex’s best possible rate before collecting it contact free from an airport ATM.

16^th August – Dublin Airport operator faces €6m bill to insulate homes from air traffic noise. Fingal County Council made it a condition of easing restrictions on the airport’s new €320 million runway that eligible householders around the airport receive grant from DAA.

17^th August – easyJet launches Glasgow Airport to Belfast City flights – see here.

18^th August – Four-star hotel to open at London Biggin Hill Airport next year. It is due to open in January 2023.

19^th August – British Airways axes London City/Luxembourg route from October – see here.

20^th August – easyjet reported as still making losses. However, it is doing better than the same quarter last year.

22^nd August – Shannon Group rebrands as Shannon Airport Group – see here.

22^nd August – Dublin Airport to inaugurate North Runway this week. Construction works for the new runway commenced in December 2016.

23^rd August – An article titled: ‘How have sanctions against Russia impacted aviation?’ can be read here.

23^rd August – Aemetis, Inc. has announced an agreement with IAG to supply sustainable aviation fuel to help power BA and Aer Lingus’ flights from San Francisco Airport from 2025.

23^rd August – ActionZero Saves Cork Airport €4m In Energy Costs – see details here.

24^th August – New €320m runway at Dublin Airport opens today. It’s been delivered on time, within budget and paid for by the airport operator daa’s own revenues and borrowings.

24^th August – An article from Heathrow about attracting early and diverse talent into aviation can be seen here.

25^th August – Jet2.com celebrates 100 millionth customer. The lucky person was gifted five pairs of free Jet2.com flights.

26^th August – An article titled: ‘Aviation: the trouble with airports and airlines’ is here.

27^th August – RAC say more than two thirds of the UK’s 22 busiest airports have introduced or increased charges for drivers to drop off passengers since the start of the pandemic.

29^th August – Artificial intelligence vacancies in the airport industry were the hardest tech roles to fill in Q2 2022 – more details can be seen here.

29^th August – New accounts say luggage handlers, Swissport, reduced workforce by 44% at start of pandemic. They show Irish workforce was cut by 348 from 794 to 446 during 2020.

29^th August – Leeds Bradford Airport has announced an innovative technology partnership to improve queue management and the passenger experience.

30^th August – Atkins to work as consultant on daa’s airfield engineering projects – see here.

30^th August – An article titled: ‘Cleaner Skies: Industry leaders talk SAF usage’ is here.

31^st August – London Biggin Hill Airport opens applications for Futures Week. It’s designed to inspire and encourage young people interested in pursuing a career in aviation.

 

SASIG Library Additions

There were no Library additions this month.