Welcome to AirportWatch
We are an umbrella movement uniting the national environmental organisations, the airport community groups, and individuals opposed to unsustainable aviation expansion
Government will decide on Stansted's 2nd runway, as plans will go to public inquiryA decision over whether to allow a 2nd runway at Stansted will be taken by the
government after a public inquiry. Communities and Local Government (CLG) Secretary
Hazel Blears has called in operator BAA's expansion plan, due to the scale of
the proposal.
The leader of Essex County Council, said the CO2 group of councils will now fight
at this public inquiry on behalf of nearly 5 million people in the east of England,
who say enough is enough.
SSE said that it beggars belief that the Government has decided to move the process
forward on BAA's second planning application before it has even decided the outcome
of the public inquiry into the first application - for unlimited passenger throughput
on the existing runway. This first inquiry was over 9 months ago. It is all the more strange because BAA’s application for a second runway assumes
permission for its earlier application has been approved. 21.7.2008 More..... |
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BAA invented ‘green’ jumbo to help win Heathrow caseBAA used the low emissions figures of a non-existent green jumbo to help clinch the environmental case for a 3rd runway. The twin-engine 450-seat “virtual” jet was invented for the environmental modelling after BAA realised it would otherwise exceed the limit for noise and pollution. According to BAA submissions, the green jumbo will account for more flights out of Heathrow by 2030 than four-engined giants such as the double-decker A380, or the new generation of Boeing 747s. It promises to be the world’s quietest and cleanest jumbo. There is just one snag: Airbus and Boeing, the world’s biggest aircraft makers, have no intention of building it, and it is not even under development. 20.7.2008 More ..... | ||
Oil prices tumble in biggest weekly drop everThe price of oil recorded its biggest weekly drop ever, and a gallon of gas finally
pulled back from its record high. Light, sweet crude for August delivery fell
41 cents Friday to settle at $128.88 on the New York Mercantile Exchange - well
below its trading record of more than $147 a week earlier.
This is due to falling demand in the US, and the easing of tensions in the Middle
East and Nigeria. 19.7.2008 More ..... |
Ryanair to cut Stansted flightsRyanair has said it will cut about 250 flights from Stansted this winter as it
tries to offset higher fuel and airport costs. The cuts would see it carry about
900,000 fewer passengers and trim its Stansted fleet to 28 planes from 36.
Ryanair said in June that if oil prices stayed near $130 a barrel and its fares
rose by 5%, then the airline would break even for its fiscal 2008-09 year. Ryanair
said flights from Stansted would drop to fewer than 1,600 in the winter Oct -
March) of 2008-2009, a reduction of about 14%. 17.7.2008 More ..... |
Ruth fiddles while Stansted burnsTransport Secretary Ruth Kelly and Communities Secretary Hazel Blears have signalled
a further delay in deciding BAA's 2006 planning application for the removal of
the 25 million annual passenger limit.
In a joint letter the two Secretaries of State have asked for further representations
on a relatively minor aspect of the planning application, so the decision will
not be taken till September at the earliest. SSE commented that "..... we suspect
that the Government is deliberately trying to buy more time." 17.7.2008 More ..... |
Hutton signals go-ahead for Heathrow expansionThe government is due to make a decision on the future development of the UK's largest airport by the end of the year. Business secretary John Hutton said at the Farnborough airshow that the government might take "difficult decisions on airport expansion". Mr Hutton said: "British businesses, and ultimately the British people, would not forgive us if we shirked our responsibility to do what's right because we wanted an easy ride from green lobby groups." Norman Baker said: "John Hutton has let slip what we knew all along: the consultation on a third runway at Heathrow is a sham" 14.7.2008 More ..... |
Passenger numbers down and Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted in JunePassenger numbers at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports were down in June. Heathrow saw passenger numbers fall by 0.9% compared to June last year to just under 6 million. At Gatwick traffic was down 1.1% to just over 3.3 million, and at Stansted passenger numbers fell by 5.7% to just under 2.1 million. However, at Heathrow there was an increase in long haul flights. Glasgow and Aberdeen declined by 4.9% and 1.9% respectively, but Edinburgh numbers increased by 1.5%. 12.7.2008 More ..... |
South west airport expansion grants scrappedAirports in the South West will no longer get grants to expand from the South
West Regional Development Agency. Instead the SWRDA wants to encourage airports
to become "greener" and lessen their environmental impact, and it said it will
not be investing in further airport expansion across the region.
The RDA said it would invest in greener planes and better public transport access
to airports. It said funding already allocated would still be given. Airports
affected are Newquay, Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol and Bournemouth. 12.7.2008 More..... |
Carlisle - crisis talks as Tinkler withdraws expansion planTalks aimed at salvaging a £35m transformation of Carlisle Airport will take
place on Monday 14th, with a view to resubmitting a plan which would avoid a public
inquiry. This comes after Andrew Tinkler yesterday withdrew his plan to create
a passenger and freight hub. He pulled the plug on the project after Government
Office North West ruled a public inquiry was needed before it could go ahead. 10.7.2008 More ..... |
Heathrow decision delayedThose for and against expansion of the UK's biggest airport will have to wait a few more months before learning if the Government backs the plans, it has been revealed. The decision will probably be before the end of the year. Ruth Kelly had been expected to give a ruling in August. Further work is being undertaken to deliver a full equalities impact assessment on how airport development might affect different racial, disability etc. groups - this assessment should have been done earlier. 8.7.2008 More ..... |
G8 accused of 'failing the world' on carbon cutsLeaders of G8 nations agreed to cut their carbon emissions by at least 50% by 2050. The G8 pledge failed to commit to any emissions cuts in the next decade, and they also failed to agree on an interim target to cut emissions by 2020 or the start date from which the 50% cut would be measured, Each nation can still set its own emissions targets. This does not go far enough, and the search for a deal moves to the "son of Kyoto" talks in Copenhagen next year. 9.7.2008 More ..... |
EU includes aviation in CO2 curbsThe European Parliament has backed a law to include aviation in Europe's CO2
Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) for cutting greenhouse gases. MEPs voted 640 to
30 for aviation to be included in the scheme from 2012. It includes both EU and
non-EU airlines. Airlines will have to cut emissions by 3% in the first year,
compared to 2005, and by 5% from 2013 onwards. Aviation campaigners say the EU
agreement will have little impact on the sector’s growing carbon footprint. 8.7.2008
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Oil prices cause slower air traffic growth - IATACross-border air freight traffic grew a meagre 1.3% year-on-year in May, according to airline industry figures that suggest high oil prices are damping international trade flows. This compares with 4.3% growth in the full-year 2007. Passenger traffic (excluding domestic) was recorded rising 6% year-on-year in May, also weakening from a 7.4% annual rate for 2007. 5.7.2008 More ..... |
Public ‘misled’ over Heathrow pollutionThe government’s adviser on air quality, Mike Pilling, has warned that ministers are “pulling the wool” over the public’s eyes to justify building a 3rd runway at Heathrow. He said the public were being misled over claims that expansion would not cause unlawful and dangerous levels of pollution, and the DfT should go back and do some more calculations. Ruth Kelly has been forced to postpone her decision on expansion, whihc had been due this summer. 6.7.2008 More ..... |
Vincent Cable and Jenny Jones join Heathrow Flash Mob Protest at the DfTA flash mob of around 100 people assembled outside the Department for Transport,wearing
"Stop Airport Expansion" t-shirts. They threw paper planes towards the DfT, in
a symbolic gesture against Ruth Kelly's expansion plans. 3.7.2008 More .....
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Exeter airport publishes its draft Master Plan, for massive expansionThe Airport forecasts that passenger traffic will grow from the 1.05 million
passengers per annum (mppa) handled in 2007 to 1.9 mppa in 2015 and 3.4 mppa in
2030. This growth will be achieved through an improved network and increased frequency
of services with Air Traffic Movements (ATMs) growing from 18,600 in 2007 to 24,750
in 2015 and 38,000 in 2030. There will be no new runway, although but an extension
of the landing strip - which could pave the way for jumbo jets. There will also be slight increases in night flights and noise. 1.7.2008 More ..... |
EU ETS deal clinched on capping aircraft emissionsMEPs and national governments reached a landmark deal on 26th June on the details
of plans to include aviation in the EU's ETS as of 2012. Airlines would have
to cut emissions by 3% in the first year, and by 5% from 2013 onwards, paying
for 15% of their permits to pollute.
28.6.2008 More ..... | |
Britain goes slow as trains, planes and ships cut fuel costsAs the oil price hit a record high of $142 a barrel (£71.14), easyJet and BMI confirmed they had asked their pilots to fly more slowly. EasyJet said it had cut flying speeds on some routes by up to 2% to conserve cash. BMI said it had dropped its average flight speed by around 3mph. Airlines said their planes were taking off and landing on time. Other airlines across the world have announced similar moves recently. BA and Ryanair said they are not reducing aircraft speeds. 29.6.2008 More ..... |
Single sky wins support amid airline fears over ETS (Single European Sky)Countries would have to surrender sovereignty over their national airspace in favour of a European air-traffic management system by 2012, according to proposals presented in Brussels. Regulations adopted in March 2004, aimed at creating a 'Single European Sky' (SES) by reforming the current Air Traffic Management system. The European sky remains broadly divided into 27 pieces of airspace under the control of national governments. 28.6.2008 More ..... |
CAA figures for the 1st quarter of 2008 show UK aviation growingCAA figures for the first quarter of 2008 are now available. These confirm that
for the first quarter of 2008, compared with the same period in 2007:
The number of terminal passengers at UK airports grew 2% (with scheduled growing
3% and chartered flights down 1%).
At regional airports, total number of passengers were up 3%, but number of flights
were down 3%, indicating higher load factors. [During the quarter, the price of oil was always below $111 ]. 24.6.2008 More ..... |
Ministers defeat planning rebels at third reading of the Planning BillThe government has survived a Labour rebellion over plans to speed up the planning
process for big projects such as airports and nuclear power stations. A bid to
ensure ministers get the final say on decisions by an independent body was rejected
by 303 votes to 260. Hazel Blears said there would be a review of the IPC after 2
years, with ministers intervening if there were problems. 25.6.2008 More .....
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Cost of tackling global climate change has doubled, warns SternThe author of an influential British government report in 2006 arguing the world
needed to spend just 1% of its wealth tackling climate change has warned that
the cost of averting disaster has now doubled to 2%. Stern said evidence climate
change was happening faster than previously thought meant emissions needed to
be reduced even more sharply. The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
would have to be kept below 500ppm. 26.6.2008 More ..... |
BAA 'should axe 5,000 flights' to reduce delays at HeathrowBAA should scrap nearly 5,000 flights per year to ease congestion at Britain's
biggest flight hub, according to the business group, London First.
It said action needs to be taken immediately to stop delays at Heathrow, because
a proposed 3rd runway will not be ready until at least 2020. The lobby group for
businesses in the capital said BAA could reduce delays by cutting 1% of flights
- equivalent to 4,800 arrivals and departures. 25.6.2008 More ..... |
Protesters march to oppose NATS proposalsCampaigners fighting plans to re-route aircraft over their peaceful villages
marched through London to protest. They said the stacking proposals would sound
the death knell for their idyllic villages. MPs joined the protestors from Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedford-shire and Hertfordshire to
add their voices to the demonstration. 19.6.2008 More .....
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Tories to block third runway at HeathrowDavid Cameron indicated that a Conservative government is likely to block a 3rd runway for Heathrow. He called on the government to make Heathrow "better, not bigger" and denied that the party was abandoning its green agenda. Cameron said his objections to Heathrow were not just on environmental grounds. ""The economic value of transfer passengers is hotly disputed. And there are so many examples of the hub model going wrong ..." 16.6.2008 More ..... |
EU faces new calls to limit greenhouse gasesThe European Environment Agency has reported large increases in emissions of
CO2 from aviation and shipping, prompting environment officials to redouble calls
for regulation. Planes had contributed nearly 5 million more tons of emissions,
an increase of 4.1% from 2005 to 2006, while international shippers added 10 million
tons, a 6.3% increase, and road transport emissions grew by 0.7% from 2005 to
2006.
20.6.2008 More ..... |
Thousands of protesters create gigantic NO sign at Sipson, after march against Heathrow expansion3,000 protesters converged on Heathrow to say NO to airport expansion - and joined
together to form a massive NO sign visible from the sky. 31.5.2008 More ..... and more pictures ..... |
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Join us!
We don't have a subscription-based membership, but we are building up a network
of individuals and groups interested in the environmental aspects of aviation,
whether local noise and disturbance, or more nationally on climate change or equity.
If you share our concern about aviation or airport expansion, we would love to
hear from you.
JOIN US !
We don't have a subscription-based membership, but we are building up a network of individuals and groups interested in the environmental aspects of aviation, whether local noise and disturbance, or more nationally on climate change or equity. If you share our concern about aviation or airport expansion, we would love to hear from you.
JOIN US !
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