Due to persistent fog all over the south east of England yesterday, British Airways grounded all domestic flights out of Heathrow Airport.
BA and other airlines cancelled more than 180 flights to and from Heathrow on Wednesday.
BA said it plans to run about 220 shorthaul flights to and from London Heathrow on Thursday, out of a normal daily total of 400 shorthaul and domestic flights.
The BBC Weather Centre says the poor conditions are set to continue for the next few days when many people will be travelling for the festive break.
The Residents' Association were contacted by BAA to warn that the airport has received permission to continue air operations through the night periods while the fog continues to assist in clearing the backlog of flights. This will therefore mean that the usual restriction on the number of night flights will be exceeded while the weather remains foggy.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Airport expansion plans confirmed
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to airport expansion plans despite opposition from green groups.
Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander told MPs the government was committed to a third, short runway at Heathrow airport and a new runway at Stansted.
The "progress report" on the 2003 Aviation White Paper has angered environmentalists, who want a curb on flights and expansion.
The Tories said Labour's air policy clashed with its climate change stance.
Campaign group HACAN ClearSkies said it would continue to fight against Heathrow's expansion, with chairman John Stewart saying 700 homes would have to be demolished, while 150,000 more people would be under the flight path for the new runway.
A group formed by seven London boroughs and four authorities outside London, representing two million people living under the flight path, called for a "far-reaching, independent study which includes the full environmental cost of aviation and looks at the impact of spending on flights on the wider economy."
This week, the Office of Fair Trading said it was recommending the Competition Commission hold a full inquiry into airport ownership - a move threatening BAA's ownership of Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick airports.
Friends of the Earth's aviation campaigner Richard Dyer said: "The anticipated growth in air travel threatens to destroy government plans to tackle climate change."
Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander told MPs the government was committed to a third, short runway at Heathrow airport and a new runway at Stansted.
The "progress report" on the 2003 Aviation White Paper has angered environmentalists, who want a curb on flights and expansion.
The Tories said Labour's air policy clashed with its climate change stance.
Campaign group HACAN ClearSkies said it would continue to fight against Heathrow's expansion, with chairman John Stewart saying 700 homes would have to be demolished, while 150,000 more people would be under the flight path for the new runway.
A group formed by seven London boroughs and four authorities outside London, representing two million people living under the flight path, called for a "far-reaching, independent study which includes the full environmental cost of aviation and looks at the impact of spending on flights on the wider economy."
This week, the Office of Fair Trading said it was recommending the Competition Commission hold a full inquiry into airport ownership - a move threatening BAA's ownership of Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick airports.
Friends of the Earth's aviation campaigner Richard Dyer said: "The anticipated growth in air travel threatens to destroy government plans to tackle climate change."
Heathrow: 'Let battle commence'
Heathrow campaigners vowed there would be "the mother of all battles" if the Government goes ahead with plans for a third runway at Heathrow.
In the Progress Report on the 2003 Aviation White, published today (Thursday), the Government restated its view that it favoured a third runway at Heathrow if air pollution levels in the area could be kept within the legal limits set by the European Union.
But the introduction of a third runway would mean that at least 700 homes in Hillingdon would be lost and historic villages wrecked forever. Overall it is expected that the quality of life for more than two million people will be irreparably damaged if the Government goes ahead with its plan for a third runway.
Leader of Hillingdon Council, Cllr Ray Puddifoot, said: "The detrimental effects of a third runway at Heathrow are immense. Our residents already deal with the environmental impacts of having Heathrow on their doorstep, for example pollution levels in the villages around the airport currently exceed EU guidelines.
"We appreciate that the airport is a large regional employer and has international status but if you include the environmental costs of aviation, the 'economic benefit' soon turns to deficit. The Government needs to play fair by the two million people in the communities affected by aircraft noise and pollution."
In the Progress Report on the 2003 Aviation White, published today (Thursday), the Government restated its view that it favoured a third runway at Heathrow if air pollution levels in the area could be kept within the legal limits set by the European Union.
But the introduction of a third runway would mean that at least 700 homes in Hillingdon would be lost and historic villages wrecked forever. Overall it is expected that the quality of life for more than two million people will be irreparably damaged if the Government goes ahead with its plan for a third runway.
Leader of Hillingdon Council, Cllr Ray Puddifoot, said: "The detrimental effects of a third runway at Heathrow are immense. Our residents already deal with the environmental impacts of having Heathrow on their doorstep, for example pollution levels in the villages around the airport currently exceed EU guidelines.
"We appreciate that the airport is a large regional employer and has international status but if you include the environmental costs of aviation, the 'economic benefit' soon turns to deficit. The Government needs to play fair by the two million people in the communities affected by aircraft noise and pollution."
Runway protest set to roar
People in Acton could have more sleepless nights with up to 500 more flights a day planned for a new runway at Heathrow.
The runway is likely to get the go-ahead after reports stating the the Government is endorsing the proposals. But Acton residents living under the flight path could suffer due to the huge increase in air traffic.
The move to increase the number of daily flights by 500 comes after the Eddington Report recommended greater expansion in London's airports in order to maintain growth and keep London as the "premier financial centre" of Europe.
It is thought the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, will oppose the move, arguing the economic benefit does not outweigh the harm caused to the environment - a position the Government appears to disagree with.
The runway is likely to get the go-ahead after reports stating the the Government is endorsing the proposals. But Acton residents living under the flight path could suffer due to the huge increase in air traffic.
The move to increase the number of daily flights by 500 comes after the Eddington Report recommended greater expansion in London's airports in order to maintain growth and keep London as the "premier financial centre" of Europe.
It is thought the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, will oppose the move, arguing the economic benefit does not outweigh the harm caused to the environment - a position the Government appears to disagree with.
BAA Airport Assets Face Possible Breakup
Grupo Ferrovial SA's BAA unit, the world's biggest airport operator, faces a possible breakup by the U.K.'s antitrust regulator after airlines complained about fee increases and a lack of competition.
BAA, the owner of London's Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports, handles 90 percent of airline passengers in southeast England and 80 percent in Scotland, the Office of Fair Trading said in a statement. BAA will be referred to the U.K. Competition Commission after the office completed an initial probe.
British Airways Plc, Ryanair Holdings Plc and EasyJet Plc have demanded the breakup of BAA, the London-based company Ferrovial bought in August for 10.1 billion pounds ($19.9 billion), citing rising charges and expansion costs. Heathrow has almost completed a 4.3 billion-pound fifth terminal, and BAA last year proposed a 2.7 billion-pound second runway at Stansted.
``There is an incentive for them to blow billions building over-specified airport facilities'' to maximize returns on investments, Ryanair Chief Executive Officer Michael O'Leary said in an interview today. ``What we need is much more efficient investment, building airport facilities that the airlines and their users want, at a much lower cost'' than in the past.
BAA, the owner of London's Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports, handles 90 percent of airline passengers in southeast England and 80 percent in Scotland, the Office of Fair Trading said in a statement. BAA will be referred to the U.K. Competition Commission after the office completed an initial probe.
British Airways Plc, Ryanair Holdings Plc and EasyJet Plc have demanded the breakup of BAA, the London-based company Ferrovial bought in August for 10.1 billion pounds ($19.9 billion), citing rising charges and expansion costs. Heathrow has almost completed a 4.3 billion-pound fifth terminal, and BAA last year proposed a 2.7 billion-pound second runway at Stansted.
``There is an incentive for them to blow billions building over-specified airport facilities'' to maximize returns on investments, Ryanair Chief Executive Officer Michael O'Leary said in an interview today. ``What we need is much more efficient investment, building airport facilities that the airlines and their users want, at a much lower cost'' than in the past.
'Malicious speculation' over Heathrow expansion
Rumours that it would be possible to expand Heathrow without compromising pollution levels have been branded malicious speculation by the aviation industry, according to Hounslow Council.
Hounslow's Leader, Cllr Peter Thompson, added: "You don't have to be a scientist to realise that more planes means more pollution. It is highly irresponsible to be considering further expansion at Heathrow when local residents are already experiencing levels of air pollution that exceed EU limits.
"Hounslow residents will not tolerate any more expansion. The Government's insistence that Heathrow can only be an economic success if it is allowed to expand indefinitely is short-sighted and irresponsible.
"We neither want nor need a Third Runway at Heathrow. It's time the Government focused its energies on making Heathrow both an economic success and a responsible neighbour."
Hounslow's Leader, Cllr Peter Thompson, added: "You don't have to be a scientist to realise that more planes means more pollution. It is highly irresponsible to be considering further expansion at Heathrow when local residents are already experiencing levels of air pollution that exceed EU limits.
"Hounslow residents will not tolerate any more expansion. The Government's insistence that Heathrow can only be an economic success if it is allowed to expand indefinitely is short-sighted and irresponsible.
"We neither want nor need a Third Runway at Heathrow. It's time the Government focused its energies on making Heathrow both an economic success and a responsible neighbour."
Friday, December 01, 2006
The Eddington Report
The Government has today issued the Eddington Report which it commissioned the ex-chief Executive of British Airways to produce looking at transport infrastructure in the UK.
The release of the document is covered in this BBC report which also provides links to the actual report itself.
Whilst the main headlines are predictably about road-pricing (Isn't that what the tax on fuel is? The more you use, the more you pay?), what is of interest to the people in this part of the UK is what he says about aviation.
Unsurprisingly, as the former boss at BA, he doesn't think that aviation is much of a problem in the UK, contributing only (he says) about 1.2% of carbon emissions for journeys within the country. He uses this figure to argue against the building of any new dedicated high-speed rail lines across the country or up to Scotland.
In a follow-up article, this BBC report takes a look at what some experts have to say about the Eddington Report.
A spokesperson for the campaigning group, Transport 2000, said,
"We need a growing railway, and while we might not need a high speed line, we will need big increases in capacity to cater for increased use with road pricing and new development.
By 2050, aviation will account for 46% of UK carbon emissions, and the Eddington report makes it clear that a lot of the airport expansion supported by the government is not essential to the economy. We need a rethink."
Tony Bosworth, the senior transport campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said,
"This review sends mixed messages about the role of transport policy in tackling climate change.
We welcome Sir Rod's acknowledgment that large-scale road-building is not the answer to our transport problems, and that road-pricing and more investment in alternatives to the car are needed.
But aviation is on a collision course with UK climate targets, and airport expansion will send us in totally the wrong direction.
The government's response to this report is critical. Cutting carbon dioxide emissions must be the central theme of future transport policy."
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