Willie Walsh says Heathrow 3rd runway is a “vanity project” with outrageous costs

Friday, 31 July 2015

British Airways boss Willie Walsh has said that the costs of Heathrow’s plans for a 3rd runway would be “outrageous”. He said: “At the moment this is a vanity project by the management of Heathrow who are driven to build a monument to themselves.” Walsh said that even if Heathrow gained another runway it would be lagging behind Dubai as a global hub by the time it is built. “It is based on inefficient infrastructure which is not fit for purpose. Airlines and consumers are looking for lower costs when it comes to flying but airports only seem to be looking at higher costs.” Heathrow was already one of the most expensive airports in the world and was now “talking about raising costs by 50% to build the extra runway”. His criticism may be the start of negotiations to ensure BA is not landed with a huge bill to fund Heathrow expansion. John Stewart, chairman of HACAN, said: “Willie Walsh is saying that a 3rd runway won’t deliver benefits for the aviation industry that are worth paying for. This could turn out to be curtains for the third runway unless this is no more than clever negotiating tactics by one of the sharpest operators in the business.”
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Third Heathrow runway is ‘an outrageous vanity project’ says BA boss Willie Walsh

By NICK GOODWAY and NICHOLAS CECIL (Evening Standard)

31 July 2015

British Airways boss Willie Walsh today launched a scathing attack on plans for a third runway at Heathrow, dismissing it as a “vanity” project whose costs would be “outrageous”.

Mr Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group which owns BA, also stressed that David Cameron would have to do a “U-turn” on Heathrow expansion, having opposed another runway before the 2010 election.

He added that even if the airport gained another runway it would be lagging behind Dubai as a global hub by the time it is built.

The Airports Commission, chaired by Sir Howard Davies, strongly backed Heathrow expansion earlier this month. But Mr Walsh, highlighting opposition to a bigger Heathrow from Boris Johnson and other Cabinet ministers, told the Standard: “Even if you can get past those political issues the costs associated with building the third runway as proposed by Davies are outrageous.

“It is based on inefficient infrastructure which is not fit for purpose. Airlines and consumers are looking for lower costs when it comes to flying but airports only seem to be looking at higher costs.”

He argued that Heathrow was already one of the most expensive airports in the world and was now “talking about raising costs by 50 per cent to build the extra runway”.

“At the moment this is a vanity project by the management of Heathrow who are driven to build a monument to themselves.”

Aviation industry insiders believe Mr Walsh’s tough words may be the start of negotiations to ensure BA is not landed with a huge bill to fund Heathrow expansion. The commission said the new runway would cost around £16 billion. Up to £5 billion more would be needed for improved road and rail links, including tunnelling part of the M25.

A second runway at Gatwick would be far cheaper, costing between £7 billion and £8 billion. The commission believes both schemes would be funded by private finance.

Heathrow says it would contribute £1 billion towards better transport links, with a further £1 billion of public money needed, rather than a total of £5 billion. Gatwick has said it would meet the costs of improving road and rail access to the Sussex airport.

Mr Walsh’s criticisms were seized on by opponents of a bigger Heathrow.John Stewart, chairman of anti-expansion group HACAN, said: “Willie Walsh is saying that a third runway won’t deliver benefits for the aviation industry that are worth paying for. This could turn out to be curtains for the third runway unless this is no more than clever negotiating tactics by one of the sharpest operators in the business.”

Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said: “One month on and the Davies Report is unravelling fast.”

But a Heathrow spokesman said: “With low-cost airlines such as easyJet already committing to provide routes from Heathrow, it is clear tha operating costs from the airport will be competitive.”

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson stepped up his attack by claiming a bigger Heathrow would serve fewer domestic routes than currently.

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Airports Commission report shows fewer, not more, links to regional airports by 2030 with 3rd Heathrow runway

July 31, 2015

The Times reports that analysis by Transport for London (TfL) of the Airports Commission’s final report shows that, with a 3rd runway, Heathrow would only serve 4 domestic destinations by 2030, compared to the 7 is now serves. It would serve only 3 with no new runway by 2030. (The Gatwick figures are 7 domestic destinations by 2030 with a 2nd runway, compared to 10 now). Heathrow has been claiming that its runway will be important for better links to the regions, and improved domestic connectivity by air. The Heathrow runway has been backed by Peter Robinson, the first minister of Northern Ireland, Derek Mackay, the Scottish transport minister, and Louise Ellman, the chairwoman of the transport select committee – on the grounds that it would help the regions. The Commission’s report says: (Page 313) “15.8 ….without specific measures to support domestic connectivity even an expanded Heathrow may accommodate fewer domestic routes in future….” The Commission cannot see effective ways to ensure domestic links are not cut in future, as less profitable than long haul, but they suggest public subsidy by the taxpayer for these routes. This is by using PSO (Public Service Obligations) which could cost £ millions, is a bad use of public money, and may fall foul of EU law.

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British Airways-owner CEO, Willie Walsh, opposes new Heathrow runway as too expensive to airlines

July 31, 2015

British Airways-owner IAG does not support the building of a 3rd Heathrow runway, its chief executive said, because the costs of the project does not make sense for the airline. Willie Walsh said: “We think the costs associated with the third runway are outrageous and certainly from an IAG point of view we will not be supporting it and we will not be paying for it. …We’re not going to support something that increases our costs.” British Airways is the biggest airline at Heathrow [it has around 50% of the slots]. An expanded Heathrow with a new runway would be partly paid for by higher charges to airlines. In May this year he had said “the cost of all three [runway] options are excessive and would translate into an unacceptable increase in charges at the airports.” Not to mention the problems of politics and unacceptability to the public. The Airports Commission’s final report says, with a new runway at Heathrow, “The resulting impact on passenger aeronautical charges across the Commission’s four demand scenarios for Heathrow is an increase from c. £20 per passenger to a weighted average charge of c. £28-30 per passenger and a potential peak of up to c. £31.”

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Airports Commission report shows fewer, not more, links to regional airports by 2030 with 3rd runway

Friday, 31 July 2015

Heathrow will be ‘ginormous’ error for UK travel, says Boris

Allies of Boris Johnson believe a finding about Gatwick in a recent report was hidden

by Sam Coates Deputy Political Editor (The Times)

July 31 2015

Full article in the Times here

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The mayor of London believes he has uncovered a key fact buried by the Airports Commission that undermines the case for a third runway at Heathrow.

An analysis by Transport for London (TfL) of the commission’s final report found that Heathrow would only serve four domestic destinations by 2030 if it got a third runway. It now serves seven.

Much of the support for expansion at Heathrow rests on the idea that it will be a hub serving the rest of the country…. and improve domestic connectivity.

………….
Boris: “The commission’s own forecast, once winkled out of its data, is that a third runway would not increase Heathrow’s links to other airports in the UK but would see them fall by nearly half. It is why a third runway is no more than a ginormous, short-sighted and environmentally catastrophic red herring slap bang in the western suburbs of our city.”

Full article in the Times here

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Liverpool airport backs Heathrow 3rd runway:

Liverpool John Lennon airport believes an expanded Heathrow would offer the opportunity for other UK airports to further grow their networks, something that is crucial for generating growth across the whole country, not just London and the southeast.

Chief executive, Andrew Cornish, said: “Liverpool John Lennon airport welcomes this news and now urges the government to give the go ahead of this important expansion of Heathrow so that regional airports such as Liverpool can soon benefit too by the opening up of access to the UK’s hub airport for improved worldwide connectivity.”

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Glasgow, Aberdeen, Liverpool, Leeds-Bradford and Newcastle back Heathrow runway

Glasgow, Aberdeen, Liverpool, Leeds-Bradford and Newcastle have all recognised increased capacity at the country’s only hub airport will deliver benefits for the whole of the UK.

Improving connectivity, boosting economic growth and job creation were cited as the most compelling reasons for the endorsement.

The expansion would connect both Scotland and England’s regions to emerging markets such as China, Brazil and India.

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and

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From Times graphic:

Domestic connections 1

TfL says:

Flights from the UK’s main hub airport to UK regional airports have dwindled as capacity has become more stretched. Since 1990, 11 domestic routes to Heathrow have ended making it much more difficult for businesses in places like Cornwall to trade internationally.

The Airports Commission’s final report

There is a lot written about regional connectivity and the regional airports.

Final Report

Here are a few relevant extracts:

Page 263

13.50
Efficient and rapid access to the best possible international connectivity, including
long-haul links to emerging market destinations, will also play an important role in
supporting economic growth in the major city-regions of the Midlands and the North,
in line with the Government’s evolving policy to create a Northern Powerhouse, and
helping to rebalance the UK economy. While regional airports including Manchester
and Birmingham are attracting rising numbers of long-haul services, particularly on
routes to international hubs such as Dubai, New York and Hong Kong, other, more
marginal, links are always likely to depend upon the greater weight of demand in the
London market. As discussed above, this demand is strongest at Heathrow. Enhanced
domestic aviation links to the airport, combined with the direct link to HS2 at Old Oak
Common and the Western Rail Link from Reading will ensure that the benefits of
expansion at Heathrow are felt across the English regions.
• Expansion is likely to protect and bolster domestic services in and out of
London leading to a rise in the number of passengers and frequency of
services on the thickest routes.

• The Government should alter its guidance to allow the introduction of
Public Service Obligations on an airport-to-airport basis and should
use them to support a widespread network of domestic routes at the
expanded airport.

• Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) should implement additional measures to
enhance domestic connectivity, including introducing reduced charges
and start-up funding for regional services.

Impacts of Heathrow expansion on domestic connectivity

15.1
Capacity constraints at Heathrow Airport have seen the number of domestic
connections decline at the airport over recent years. No daily service has operated
between Heathrow and Liverpool since 1991, Inverness since 1997 and Durham
Tees Valley since 2008. On many of the remaining domestic routes the frequency of
service has reduced; over the past 20 years the number of daily services operating
to and from Glasgow and Edinburgh has fallen by over a third.

15.2 This reduction in connections to London and – through the connections afforded by
Heathrow – its broad international route network has been of grave concern to the
UK’s nations and regions. In responses to consultation (and to the Commission’s
Discussion Paper 6: Utilisation of the UK’s Existing Airport Capacity, which was
published in June 2014), a large number of councils, elected representatives,
business groups and Local Enterprise Partnerships from across the UK stressed the
importance and desirability of retaining, renewing or establishing links to Heathrow.
Often these parties cited the serious influence that the loss or gain of a connection
to Heathrow can have on a nation or region’s economy
15.3 Expansion will provide a valuable opportunity to reverse the long-standing trend of
declining domestic links into the nation’s hub airport, providing new slots for airlines
to operate services to and from areas of currently unserved demand. Expansion will
also protect and bolster existing domestic services into London, leading to a rise in
the numbers of passengers on, and the frequency of, the thickest routes. This
remains the case to 2050, the furthest point to which demand is forecast, as shown
in Figure 15.1.

15.4 The new slots made available at Heathrow would allow airlines to establish new
domestic links to the capital, re-establish lost connections and increase frequencies
on those that are already in place. Heathrow Airport Ltd and easyJet’s consultation
responses argued that were the low-cost carrier to move to the airport, it would
seek to develop new services to Inverness, Jersey, Belfast International and the Isle
of Man. And a number of regional airports’ consultation responses stressed the
strength of demand for services into London and the South East from their areas.
To support this point, the National Connectivity Task Force put forward analysis
considering the latent demand for services from the UK regions to the capital,
suggesting that in 2040 domestic services could utilise 136-175 additional daily slot
pairs at an expanded Heathrow, compared to current day slot allocation of 55 daily

slot pairs. This would equate to 6.5% of runway capacity at the expanded airport
being utilised for domestic services, up from 4.2% currently.
15.5 Moreover, these developments should be considered in the context of the advent of
HS2, as well as improved rail speeds and frequencies on the Great Western and
Midland Main Lines. As with the provision of new slots for domestic flights, these
improvements will substantially enhance the UK’s internal connectivity,
strengthening the transport links between London and the country’s major cities.
They will also widen the catchment area of Heathrow itself, bringing the nation’s hub
airport and the strong international connectivity that it provides within a two hour
journey time of 20 million people, and a three hour journey time of 38 million people,
via surface transport.

15.6 As a result, expansion will generate significant economic benefits across the UK’s
nations and regions. Improved links to London and the South East, combined with
the lower cost of transport and increases in the level of international trade, will boost
productivity in regional economies. Using the carbon-traded forecast the
Commission’s macroeconomic assessment suggests that 60% of the economic
impact of expansion may be felt outside London and the South East as businesses
all over the country feel the benefits of increased connectivity and openness. When
an assessment is undertaken with carbon emissions constrained to the CCC
planning assumption the economic benefits are less strong, but they continue to be
well distributed across the country, in similar proportion to the carbon-traded
assessment.

15.7 Against this positive outlook, it is important to note that even in the event of
expansion, a number of competing pressures may limit the increase in domestic
services to an enlarged Heathrow. One such pressure could be continuing
competition from overseas hubs, which may still be able to offer cheaper services,
higher frequencies, or more convenient connections on some routes. An expanded
Heathrow is also likely to see rapid growth in demand, which may relatively quickly
begin to exert pressure on slots during the most popular periods.

15.8 The Commission’s forecasts reflect these pressures and suggest that without
specific measures to support domestic connectivity even an expanded Heathrow
may accommodate fewer domestic routes in future than the seven served currently.
It would still however see more than the three domestic routes predicted to be
available from the airport without expansion

…..

and there is much more ….

15.15 The only viable way of ring-fencing slots for certain services is via the use of Public Service Obligations (PSOs), which allow the state to provide subsidies to a carrier on a route which is not commercially viable. EU Member States are entitled to establish PSOs in respect of air services between two airports in the European Community, where one of these airports serves a peripheral or development region, and where the air service is considered ‘vital for the economic and social development of the region which the airport serves’. As PSOs constitute State aid interventions, their use is carefully monitored by the European Commission, in order to protect against distortions of competition in the Single Market.

15.16 The UK has in the last 12 months established two PSOs, one from Newquay Airport to London Gatwick and the other from Dundee Airport to London Stansted. Both routes were subsidised out of the Government’s Regional Air Connectivity Fund (RACF), a £20 million fund set aside by the coalition Government to safeguard routes to and from the London airport system and the UK regions

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British Airways-owner CEO, Willie Walsh, opposes new Heathrow runway as too expensive to airlines

Friday, 31 July 2015

Thursday, 30 July 2015

Dark night of the railway’s soul

by Jonathan Bray (PASSENGER TRANSPORT)

29.7.2015

A journey on a sleeper train lingers in the memory, but what was once a coherent pan-European network is now being eroded

The classic Flanders and Swann song ‘The Slow Train’ mourned the loss of great swathes of the UK rail network in the 1960s through its incantation of evocative station names lost to the Beeching cuts. Perhaps we are now due a chanson version of those rather larger European places that have lost their sleeper service. Berlin to Paris; Paris to Madrid; Amsterdam to Warsaw; Barcelona to Milan; Berlin to Vienna; Brussels to just about everywhere.

What was a coherent network, which nightly and confidently spanned the continent, is becoming an increasingly ragged, bleary-eyed, and vulnerable shadow of its former self.

Starved of cross-subsidy and financial support whilst billions are pumped into high speed rail and aviation dodges its environmental on-costs.

Losing out as national rail companies start to free themselves of geographical constraints and obligations, whilst at the same time seeking to ward off new entrants that fill the gap.

Starved of the capital needed to meet passengers’ expectations and to operate within an increasingly technically complex, but operationally simplified, environment. All leaving what was an interlocking European overnight network enfeebled and of wildly varying quality.

Sleeper journeys linger in the memory. The upper tier of a three-tier third class metre gauge sleeper in India, where you slid yourself between the bed and the ceiling into a space with the headroom of what felt like a coffin – except coffins don’t have fans in a dusty cage that I also somehow had to make space for. The only way to keep the claustrophobia at bay, and keep myself from Edgar Allan Poe-inspired dreams, was to position myself so I could see the floor of the compartment. Or the St Petersburg to Murmansk sleeper, which I used en route to an island in the White Sea, which as with all ex-Soviet sleepers are ruled by formidable ‘provodnitsas’ (female attendants), have a samovar in every carriage and where travellers get their slippers and nightwear on as soon as they are in the compartment. Or the sleeper that used to run from Calais Ville to the South of France – seemingly full of rail men from the south east of England on their ‘priv’ tickets. In my couchette compartment there was a French man who slept embracing his racing bicycle, though whether out of devotion, comfort or parsimony, was unclear.

Overnight train journeys linger in the same way that little does from a flight, other than possibly relief that this time it wasn’t too aggravating. Of all these sleeper journeys I’ve made over the years the worst one was the last one I took earlier this year on the ‘ Thello’ service from Paris to Milan. It was the worst, partly because the air con did nothing much more than hint at the possibility of cooling the swelter of the couchette, which, despite the sun repelling grime on the windows, was at a temperature and humidity at which you are advised you shouldn’t leave dogs in cars. A problem which staff in a variety of ‘uniforms’ strove inconclusively to address. But it wasn’t these deprivations that made it the worst sleeper journey I’ve done: it was the worst because it felt like this was another sleeper that was being run badly in order to kill off demand. Even though it was very busy, any of the users (including me) would surely think twice about taking it again, or recommending anyone else to use it.

To kill off sleeper trains like this is a mistake because with their nightly cargoes of sleeping and dreaming souls the sleeper train not only gets people from A to B in a conveniently unconscious state – whilst saving on the cost of a hotel room – it also makes a wider statement about how railways see themselves, and how they will be seen by the wider world. Sleeper trains are a remnant of when the railways were long distance and international travel – but also a statement of future intent.

That in a world where cheap flights cannot last forever (because ultimately either they, or the planet, has to go) that the railways have the vaulting ambition to be part of the solution. A universal offer of trains that not only go fast in the day, but also go bump in the night. Available for those who cannot, or do not wish to fly. Enabling rail to cover all the bases. An extra string to the traveller’s bow. Another tool with which to chip away at the carbon edifice we know has to be scaled back.

There’s more to it too. Sleepers show that rail is a mode of travel that has hinterland, that makes and holds memories, that is more than the sum of its moving parts. More than a means by which accountants can move people in the smallest amount of personal space they can, as fast as they can, for as great a yield as they can, in an environment where for all intents and purposes you could be on rails or in the sky. Sleepers show that rail can still find place for its most culturally resonant and artistically celebrated format – time and time again on the page and on the screen.

More than that too – the sleeper train is also the railways’ ambassador – after all a symbol of tension or rapprochement between nations is when sleeper trains are withdrawn and reinstated. Between, say, India and Pakistan or within the former Soviet Union. With the European dream reduced to a brutal fiscal cage fight what a time for Brussels to look the other way whilst the ambassadors of the railways are carelessly discarded.

None of this cuts any ice in the gin and tonics of the executives of the big European rail powers it seems. The national giants of the European rail scene seem more interested in buying out the railways of other countries than they are in providing an overnight train between those same countries.

Much more focused too on unleashing the very coach competition that will undo the secondary long distance rail routes. Perhaps so they can focus on turning long distance rail into a one trick pony (though admittedly a hell of a trick) of high speed rail instead of a wider vision of rail as central to the wider task of decarbonising and socialising long distance travel wherever it can.

But if the big rail powers and Brussels don’t get it some of their customers do and a fight back is underway. On June 21 at Berlin’s Hauptbahnhof activists from the ‘Back on Track’ campaign, which is fighting to save the international sleeper train network, set out folding beds with cards stamped with the names of places now denied a sleeper link.

Activists on the platforms in Zürich to protest against reduction of night trains. Similar actions are planned Europe-wide on the 20.6.

Parallel actions took place in Basel, Bern, Copenhagen, Dortmund, Geneva, Hamburg, Madrid, Odense, Paris and Vienna over that same weekend. The biggest protest yet by those infuriated by the loss of the most civilised way to travel between some of Europe’s largest cities.

Alongside this political fightback there are other signs and signifiers that the night train has not died peacefully in its sleep. At one end of the spectrum step forward Russia’s state-owned railway’s new high-end overnight services from Moscow to Paris and the South of France, that partly recreates the recently withdrawn Berlin to Paris overnight.

At the other end of the spectrum there are entrepreneurs like the London Sleeper Company, which is pitching a plan for a new overnight services that could use the channel tunnel to provide London with sleeper services to Barcelona, Milan, Berlin and Zürich.

Closer to home there is the UK’s investment in the Cornish ( link ) and Scottish ( link ) night trains. Services that survive for all the reasons set out above – their utility for travellers, alongside their cultural and political resonance as symbols that an increasingly fractious UK still wishes to be united by nightly sleeper train.

However, for all this there’s no doubt that across the board the European night train network is in a bad place. Yet sometimes what looks like a result of inevitable progress turns out not to be so. Sometimes the financial numbers change – like the cost of air travel is likely to – upwards. Attitudes change too – the night train could fuse its environmental credentials, its cost and time advantages, and the way it makes travel into an event, to gain new generations and types of travellers, as well as regaining old ones. And the tracks between Europe’s great cities will still be there for when this particular dark night of the railway’s soul comes to an end.

About the author: PTEG is the Passenger Transport Executive Group. Jonathan Bray is director of the PTEG Support Unit. Before joining PTEG in 2003, his background was a mix of transport policy and transport campaigning.

This article appears inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport.

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See the Back on Track campaign http://ift.tt/1KCTplT

Back on Track is a European network to support improved European cross-border passenger train traffic.

Back on Track petition http://ift.tt/1KCTndF

No more cuts – Develop Europe’s long-distance rail!

Trains can create the best and most environmentally friendly connections across Europe. But a wave of closures of long-distance rail services has swept through our continent. We are facing an important Climate Summit later this year and this is the time to get back-on-track!

This is our message to the railway companies and the politicians:

We demand:

No more cuts – maintain all long-distance European rail services
Develop direct trains between major cities in all European countries, both by day and (!) by night
Establish a European rail timetable information and ticket booking system

The Back on Track coalition will take your opinion to the rail companies and to EU with some more practical proposals. Have a look and see what we will do with your support.

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Ipsos Mori poll across UK shows 33% don’t want airport capacity increased (60% do). Only 13.2% want Heathrow runway.

Tuesday, 28 July 2015

The Evening Standard commissioned a poll by Ipsos Mori, of attitudes to a new runway – or a new airport. It was a telephone poll, of 1,026 adults across the UK, between 18th and 20th July. It found that 60% thought there should be some airport capacity expansion. 33% though there should be no expansion (and 7% did not know). Of the 60% in favour, 44% (ie. 26% of the total) either wanted a new airport or expansion of an airport other than Heathrow or Gatwick. Only 22% of those wanting expansion wanted a Heathrow runway (ie. 13.2% of the total sample) and only 24% (ie. 14.4% of the total sample) wanted a Gatwick runway. Those figures really are very small. Asking the whole sample, including those who did not think airport expansion was needed, what were the most important issues the Government should consider on where a runway should be built, the very highest number said “impact on the natural environment” (39%) and the second highest was “noise created for local residents” (30%). Other issues like total costs, support of local residents, local air quality and traffic congestion were all important (about 11 – 15%). The message being taken from the poll is not only that backing for a runway at Heathrow or Gatwick is very small, and there is no consensus, but also that there is more backing for a new airport elsewhere – or expanding another airport (regional?)
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Only 13.2% of the total backed a Heathrow runway, and only 14.4% of the total backed a Gatwick runway. 33% of the total said UK airport capacity should not be increased.

More Brits want new airport, not Heathrow or Gatwick expansion – new poll

27.7.2015 (Evening Standard)

By Nicholas Cecil

More Britons support building a new airport to meet the country’s aviation needs than favour expanding either Heathrow or Gatwick, a poll shows.

The new findings, in an Ipsos MORI survey for the Standard, will revive the debate about Boris Johnson’s proposals for a Thames Estuary airport, just as the Government appears set to back a third runway at Heathrow.

Thirty per cent of those who believe the UK needs more aviation capacity favoured an entirely new site, compared to 24 per cent who backed a second runway at Gatwick and 22 per cent who preferred a bigger Heathrow.

A third of all respondents said they did not believe Britain’s airport capacity should be increased.

By far the biggest concern over expansion was the impact on the natural environment. Thirty-nine per cent named this as one of the most important issues the Government should consider when deciding on where to locate a new runway.

How much noise such a development would create for local residents was cited by 30 per cent. This was double the figure for generating jobs and economic growth.

Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos MORI, said: “Most Britons want our airport capacity increased, but there is no clear consensus on the best solution.

“At the moment, though, the public’s view is dominated by issues of environmental impact and noise rather than jobs or cost.”

The Airports Commission, chaired by Sir Howard Davies, has recommended a third runway at Heathrow, rather than expanding Gatwick, having earlier dismissed the proposal for a “Boris island” airport in the estuary.

Sir Howard — the new Royal Bank of Scotland chairman — concluded that the economic benefits of a bigger Heathrow outweighed the environmental impacts, when compared to a second runway at Gatwick. But critics argue that Heathrow cannot expand while also meeting EU air pollution limits, and say this part of the commission’s report is flawed.

The commission concluded a third runway could be built and operated provided it did not delay London complying with the EU air quality rules. As long as one area of the capital had even more filthy air than Heathrow, then another runway could not be blamed for a delay, it argued.

But this stance could be challenged in court, and the Government has been warned of the risks of pressing ahead with Heathrow expansion on the basis of the commission’s conclusions on air quality.

“People are quite rightly aghast at the environmentally catastrophic expansion of Heathrow, and realise that increasing capacity at Gatwick will fail to deliver the long-term capacity and economic benefit that we need,” said Daniel Moylan, the Mayor of London’s chief adviser on aviation.

The Government has pledged to make a decision on airport expansion by the end of the year.

Heathrow’s case appeared to have been bolstered last week, after it emerged that Mr Cameron had set up a committee to decide on the issue which did not include five Cabinet ministers who have previously voiced opposition to a third runway.

Downing Street said the committee’s make-up followed usual procedures, with ministers included from the departments with the greatest policy interest.

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The Ipsos Mori summary of their report:

Most Britons believe airport capacity should be increased

Ipsos MORI Political Monitor July 2015

27.7.2015

Field work 18th to 20th July 2015

Public say the impact on natural environment and noise are the key considerations for airport expansion

The majority of Britons believe that the country’s airport capacity should be increased, according to the latest Ipsos MORI Political Monitor. Six in 10 (60%) say it should be increased with one in three (33%) disagreeing. Men, Conservative supporters, private sector workers, those in the South and the middle classes are most likely to support further expansion.

Among those who think that Britain’s airport capacity should be increased, three in 10 (30%) say a new airport should be built. Another 24% say that Gatwick Airport should be expanded with a second runway and a further 22% prefer a third runway at Heathrow. Fourteen per cent say an airport other than Heathrow or Gatwick should be expanded (with Birmingham, Manchester and Stansted amongst those mentioned).

Two in five (39%) say that Government should take into account the impact on the natural environment as an important consideration when deciding where a runway should be built. Three in ten (30%) say noise pollution should be a key factor, followed by generating jobs and growth and support from local residents (both 15%).

Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos MORI, said:

“Most Britons want our airport capacity increased, but there is no clear consensus on the best solution – remembering that this poll covered the whole country, not just London and the South East. At the moment, the public’s view is dominated by concerns about environmental impact and noise rather than jobs or cost.”

Technical Note
Ipsos MORI interviewed a representative sample of 1,026 adults aged 18+ across Great Britain. Interviews were conducted by telephone 18-20 July 2015. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.

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David Cameron urged to reopen consultation on air quality at Heathrow

Tuesday, 28 July 2015

More than 30 west London politicians and anti-airport expansion group leaders have signed a letter to the PM over air pollution following Airports Commission recommendation to allow a 3rd Heathrow runway. Serious concerns exist about the level of air pollution around Heathrow, where it is already above the legal limit. The group of organisations signing the letter to David Cameron include the leaders of two councils, and 5 MPs, 3 Assembly members and environmental groups, say this problem has not been taken seriously by the Commission. There either needs to be a new consultation, or the government should rule out a Heathrow runway. The Commission’s conclusions are based on a highly flawed and very short consultation. The letter states: “Given the Commission timetable and the fact their main 350-page report was published just a month after the air quality consultation ended, it is clear that the Commission effectively regarded it as a tick box exercise and one that was immaterial to the overall report. It is hard to see how a third runway with millions more car and lorry journeys to the airport will improve air quality around west London. It will obviously make it worse. In doing so it will also raise the legal bar for expansion ever getting the green light.”
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David Cameron urged to reopen consultation on air quality at Heathrow

28 July 2015

(Get West London)
By Salina Patel
More than 30 west London politicians and anti-airport expansion group leaders sign letter to the PM over air pollution following Davies’ recommendation to expand at Heathrow

Heathrow Airports Limited

Dozens of politicians, anti-airport expansion groups and climate change leaders in west London have signed a letter urging the Prime Minister to reopen the debate on air quality.

Following the Airport Commissions report to expand at Heathrow , Sir Howards Davies’ recommendation has raised concerns largely over air pollution at Heathrow where it is already above the legal limit.

The group also believe that the issue has not been taken seriously by the Commission and are concerned the recommendation has been made from the results of a flawed consultation which gave people limited days to reply, and therefore have called on David Cameron to reopen the consultation process.

Among the 30 signatures are council leaders including Hillingdon Council leader Ray Puddifoot ; Stephen Cowan, leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council ; MP for Brentford & Isleworth Ruth Cadbury ; MP for Twickenham Tania Mathias; MP for Hayes & Harlington John McDonnell ;MP for Harrow East Bob Blackman ; and MP for Hammersmith Andy Slaughter ; along with Friends of the Eart CEO Craig Bennett; John Stewart, chairman of HACAN; and London Assembly Group members Caroline Pidgeon and Stephen Knight.

The letter states: “Given the Commission timetable and the fact their main 350-page report was published just a month after the air quality consultation ended, it is clear that the Commission effectively regarded it as a tick box exercise and one that was immaterial to the overall report.

“It is hard to see how a third runway with millions more car and lorry journeys to the airport will improve air quality around west London.

“It will obviously make it worse. In doing so it will also raise the legal bar for expansion ever getting the green light.”

There are concerns history will repeat itself following the last government’s approval of a third runway in 2009, which was granted conditionally on the basis of improvements to air quality around the airport using cleaner technologies to bring about rapid improvement which have proved wrong.

The letter concludes: “In our view this issue is too important simply to wish away.

“Either the consultation process should be reopened so the views of the millions of people potentially affected can be properly considered or – preferably – the government should rule out expansion at Heathrow given the huge environmental and health impacts it would cause.”

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Study in the USA by MIT shows air pollution from aircraft ‘responsible for 16,000 deaths per year worldwide

Monday, 27 July 2015

Heathrow may oppose ban on night flights, or ban on 4th runway, as price for 3rd runway

Saturday, 25 July 2015

Heathrow is to press the government to loosen the conditions attached to a 3rd runway going ahead, unwilling to agree either to a ban on night flights or on a 4th runway. These were two important conditions suggested by the Airports Commission, to make a 3rd runway acceptable to its neighbours. However, Heathrow sees the conditions as negotiable, and John Holland-Kaye brazenly said he was confident Heathrow would be given the green light to expand and that “it wouldn’t make sense” for the prime minister to oppose a new runway now. Even if Heathrow does not agree to important conditions. Holland-Kaye wants to have a “conversation” about conditions with government. It is used to trying to have “conversations” with local residents, in which the airport generally manages to get its way, with only minimal concessions. Heathrow does not want lose lucrative night flights: “We have a significant number of routes to Hong Kong and Singapore. That’s getting key trading partners into the UK to start their business. It’s very popular because it’s an important route.” Holland-Kaye said the airport would “comment later on the package of conditions as a whole”, but he noted that “we do have the ability, physically” to build a 4th runway.
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Heathrow hints it may oppose ban on night flights as price for third runway

Chief executive says airport needs to discuss Davies commission requirements, including outlawing fourth runway, with government

24.7.2015

By Gwyn Topham (Guardian)

Heathrow is to press the government to loosen the conditions attached to a third runway going ahead, with the airport reluctant to accept a proposed ban on night flights or legislation against further expansion.

Its chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, said he was confident Heathrow would be given the green light to expand and that “it wouldn’t make sense” for the prime minister, David Cameron, to oppose a new runway now.

Speaking on the busiest day for passengers in the airport’s history, Holland-Kaye said it was still considering how to respond to the Davies commission’s recommendation. The commission gave clear backing to expand the west London airport rather than Gatwick, but stressed that it should only go ahead with measures to address concerns about noise and air quality.

However, Holland-Kaye signalled that Heathrow is not yet prepared to accept all such measures: “We need to talk with government and airlines. There’s a conversation to be had over the next few months as the government assesses the report.”

While most of the commission’s 11 requirements, including compensation topping £1bn to buy out homeowners or provide for insulation schemes, echo Heathrow’s own pledges, the airport is particularly concerned by a ban on scheduled night flights between 11.30pm and 6am. Holland-Kaye said banning early-morning arrivals would impact on lucrative business routes: “We have a significant number of routes to Hong Kong and Singapore. That’s getting key trading partners into the UK to start their business. It’s very popular because it’s an important route: we have to have some time to reflect on those and discuss them with government and airlines.”

[Heathrow likes to believe the problem of road transport pollution is for others to solve (though much of the local road transport is airport-related). AW note.]

Heathrow has said that proposed legislation to bar any fourth runway can only be a decision for government – but in 2013, the airport outlined how it could expand further, as opponents including Boris Johnson, the London mayor, made the case for a four-runway hub. The commission’s earlier analysis said a further runway in the UK would likely be demanded by 2050, and Heathrow projects its own passenger numbers to almost double to 130m annually with a third runway. Holland-Kaye said the airport would “comment later on the package of conditions as a whole”, but he noted that “we do have the ability, physically” to build a fourth runway.

He said he was confident the debate between Heathrow and Gatwick had been won, despite the rival airport’s claims that the process was “flawed and unfair”. Holland-Kaye said the airports commission recommendation “was absolutely clear … it has come up with a package that meets everyone’s objections.”

Heathrow has scheduled planning summits with suppliers and discussions with local schools and colleges about apprenticeships, although the government has yet to endorse the commission’s verdict. But given the recommendation, Holland-Kaye asked: “How can the prime minister do anything other? He set up the commission, we’ve met all the criteria. How could he then choose something else? It doesn’t make sense.”

Cameron is chairing a cabinet subcommittee which opponents of Heathrow have condemned for omitting all its prominent cabinet critics, predominantly ones with constituencies in west London. Holland-Kaye said it was “a good sign that the wheels of government are starting to move towards a decision” and welcomed the inclusion of the Scottish and local government ministers “because it underlines it’s a national decision”.

Heathrow is reviewing its security in anticipation of further action by anti-expansion protesters, after 13 activists from the campaign group Plane Stupid broke in and blocked a runway earlier this month, resulting in 22 cancelled flights. Holland-Kaye said it caused “minimal disruption” because the protesters were contained at the end of the runway but added: “These are anti-aviation protesters, they are professionally organised and they’ve been rehearsing this; it was a military-style operation.

”We are reviewing our security not just in response to this incident but other things they could do. Other things we do not want to advertise.”

He said: “We completely support the right to protest, but this was putting themselves at risk and other people.”

Passenger numbers were set to pass 242,000 on Friday as families started the summer holidays, making it the airport’s busiest day of all time. The first six months of this year saw total numbers rise 1.3% to 35.5 million and pre-tax profits increase to £120m.

4th runway location?

[The Airports Commission ranked the Heathrow Hub runway scheme – extending the current northern runway to the west – as its second choice for a runway. What is there, other then difficulties with airspace and creating safe flight paths, in future to prevent Heathrow building that? A southern runway scheme, over Stanwell Moor, would mean having to drain the reservoir and re-locate it. The reservoir is vital for London’s water. As Sir Howard Davies said, at a presentation to the Lords Economic Committee, the UK has not built a large reservoir since the 1940s. It would be a massive location and engineering feat to create one now]. AirportWatch note].

A few of the comments below the article:

xhile

Heathrow is managing to pull off a huge confidence trick.
If it wants more capacity it can shift holiday traffic to Gatwick and Stansted.
As others have pointed out, new, more efficient airliners are undermining the need to use Heathrow as a hub.
Birmingham airport has no flights to London, it has direct flights to India, Pakistan, Turkey, New York, Ashgabat, et al and passengers can hub via Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Dubai, etc. if necessary.
This shows that Heathrow’s main argument that a 4th runway is essential because it is the UK’s essential hub is spurious.
The Davies Commission was basically a fraud.
Heathrow is too big, is in the wrong place and if it’s allowed to expand even further will cause huge pollution problems, even more noise nuisance and as we’ve seen to day from the Heathrow’s arrogant boss, will saddle UK taxpayers with a colossal multi billion pound bill for infrastructure provision.
Whatever else, remember Cameron’s pledge, ‘no ifs, no buts, no Heathrow 4th Runway’.
If he breaks that promise, his word on anything else from that moment on will mean absolutely nothing.

mjb163

What amazing stupidity. The Heathrow saga has taken the turn it had because both airlines and the Airport couldn’t see that unless they were willing to be a good neighbour to those living around the airport, they would not be allowed to expand. Night flights are a key issue. He clearly thinks that Heathrow expansion is in the bag! We shall see!

Laurence Johnson

Given most people have to traverse the worlds largest car park the M25 to get to Heathrow, what on earth is the point of creating more capacity?

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Heathrow boss rules out footing the £5 billion bill for road and rail works – wants taxpayer to pay

Friday, 24 July 2015

The Airports Commission left the matter of who would pay for the approximately £5 billion needed to tunnel a section of the M25, and other surface access improvements, vague. The assumption has been made that the taxpayer would have to fund this, though the Airports Commission suggested that Heathrow would be able to find the funding from its investors for this. Now the CEO of Heathrow has dismissed the suggestion that the airport foots the £5 billion bill for road and rail work if a 3rd runway is built. Huge motorway engineering would be needed, to have the runway going over the motorway. John Holland-Kaye has ruled out paying for the surface access work. Though the government funds road and rail improvements under normal circumstances, tunnelling the M25 and dealing with hugely increased road traffic using an airport 50% larger than at present are not normal circumstances. Especially in times of huge economic savings being necessary in public finances. The Commission’s final report said it considered the runway was commercially viable “without a requirement for direct government support. This remains the case even in a situation where the airport is required to fund 100% of the surface access costs.” This would be by Heathrow “raising both debt and equity finance. This finance is then serviced through subsequent revenues and refinancing by the airport operator.”

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Heathrow boss rules out footing the bill for road and rail works

John Holland-Kaye has dismissed the Airports Commission’s suggestion that it pays the £5bn in road and rail upgrades if a third runway is built

By Ben Martin

24 Jul 2015 (Telegraph)

The boss of Heathrow has dismissed the suggestion from Sir Howard Davies, the chairman of the Airports Commission, that the airport foots the £5 billion bill for road and rail work if a third runway is built. [See page 224. Point 11.7 of Airports Commission final report].

A new runway in west London would require significant transport upgrades, including encompassing part of the M25 in a tunnel.

These so-called surface access costs are normally funded by the taxpayer, but Sir Howard had suggested there was scope for negotiation between the airport and the Government, and indicated that Heathrow and its investors could bear all of the costs.

Speaking at the airport’s half-year results on Friday, chief executive John Holland-Kaye ruled out the idea.

“Those are things that the Government should be paying for anyway,” he said. “That’s the way these things work, that government funds road and rail, aviation is funded privately, so that’s what we expect to happen here.”

Surface access aside, the commission estimated that a third Heathrow runway would cost £17.6bn. The airport on Friday posted 5.9pc increase in first-half revenues to £1.3bn. Pre-tax profits for the six months to the end of June climbed to £120m from £23m a year earlier.

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The Airports Commission’s final report

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This report includes the comment (pages 227 and 228):

“Financeability – the scheme capital costs are paid for by the airport as incurred through raising both debt and equity finance. This finance is then serviced through subsequent revenues and refinancing by the airport operator. In this context, the peak levels of debt and equity required are key outputs of the analysis, which have been subject to further scrutiny by investors, lenders and other market participants as part of the assessment.

11.16 The commercial viability of the three schemes is based on the ability of the airport users to bear the additional costs (weighted average aero charge figures above in Table 11.4) and the ability of the airport operator to raise and service the additional finance (peak equity and peak debt figure).

11.17 In considering the ability of the airport users to bear the costs, analysis undertaken by the Commission suggests that all of the three shortlisted schemes are commercially viable propositions, without a requirement for direct government support. This remains the case even in a situation where the airport is required to fund 100% of the surface access costs, which would not increase the weighted average aero charge by more than two pounds for any scheme (the Commercial Case and the report Cost and Commercial Viability: Sources of finance discuss this in more detail).”

Heathrow is already wriggling on other conditions for its runway:

Heathrow wants “discussions with government” to negotiate runway conditions set by Airports Commission

July 14, 2015

The Airports Commission recommended a 3rd runway at Heathrow, subject to a number of conditions (noise, compensation, local consultation, air quality etc). But Heathrow is not keen on these conditions, and now says it is “seeking discussions with government ” on them. John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow chief executive, said Heathrow “would have to consider” the demand from the Commission that there should not be night flights, and that there should be a legal prohibition on a 4th runway. The point of conditions is that they are, well as they say, conditions. But Heathrow says: “We will work with the government to make sure we have a solution that can be delivered. I am not saying today that we will accept all the conditions that have been put down.” Airlines would not like night flights, as they make long haul routes less profitable and problematic. Heathrow’s hope of getting conditions, all recommended for good reasons, removed or reduced will only increase the level of hostility towards the airport by its opponents. Whitehall sources say the government will state its preference for the location of a new runway before Christmas (could be November?) — but will then launch a fresh consultation.

Click here to view full story…

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LAANC (Local Authorities Aircraft Noise Council) to consider legal action against “biased and flawed” Airports Commission report

Thursday, 23 July 2015

MP’s Environmental Audit Committee launch inquiry into Heathrow 3rd runway impacts

Thursday, 23 July 2015

Stansted and Manchester airports growing rapidly, with huge spare capacity

Thursday, 23 July 2015

Manchester Airports Group (MAG), owners of Stansted and Manchester airports, have announced “unrivalled growth” last year in its annual results. Stansted is hopeful that it can grow significantly in coming years, from the strength of its region and catchment area. The number of passengers at Manchester airport rose last year (to 31st March) by 7.2% to 22.3 million in the year to March 31, the number at Stansted rose by 16.1%. MAG revenue increased by 10% to £738.4m and operating profits by more than 30% to £153.6m. The proportion of business passengers at Stansted was reported to have risen by 20%. (It was 14.2% of passengers in 2013). MAG says when it bought Stansted from BAA at the start of 2013, the estimated gross value added to the local economy was £750m – it is now estimated to be more than £1 billion. Stansted wants better train services with both a faster railway and one that has more resilience. Stansted has runway capacity to double its current number of passengers, to 35 million per year, and its CEO has been working to try to get more long haul flights. Previous flights to the USA have not been profitable. MAG will continue its investment in Stansted facilities beyond the current £265 million programme which is 50% complete.
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Stansted Airport owners in for the long haul

22.7.2015 (Business Weekly)

By Tony Quested

Stansted Airport managing director Andrew Harrison and members of his commercial team are visiting major global airlines once a month to accelerate the return of regular long-haul flights to the Essex hub.

Harrison spent 42 and a quarter hours in the sky on one recent round that took in carriers in the Middle East, Far East and the US but says there can be no let up in a relentless pursuit to make long haul and Stansted synonymous once more.

Four airlines have tried to establish a Stansted-US service over recent times but only Continental – hit by 9/11 three months in – could claim ill-fortune. The last of the pretenders, American Airlines, nipped in, took out two rivals, and promptly pulled out again but had cleared a pitch for a future day.

Stansted’s owner, the Manchester Airport Group, today announced a strong set of results and Harrison said M.A.G was utterly determined to continue to invest in an aggressive growth strategy for Stansted.

He said: “Today we had our 13th successive month of double digit growth and it is not a flash in the pan. Over the period of M.A.G’s results Stansted experienced a 16 per cent increase in passenger numbers – representing growth of four million people – which is more than Gatwick and Heathrow combined.

“What’s even more interesting is that business passenger numbers grew even faster – around the 20 per cent mark. Stansted’s catchment area has grown and and we have managed to capture more of that market than previous operators of the airport. But we are not finished by any means.

“Carriers like Ryanair have repaid our faith by increasing the number of routes they are now putting through Stansted which previously went elsewhere – 35 new routes in Ryanair’s case.

“There has been an increase in services that allow business executives to get out to a European destination and back in the same day, which is a tremendous advantage to busy companies.”

Stansted is also seeing an uptick on the leisure side with Thomas Cook just having launched Orlando, Cancun and Las Vegas. All the maiden flights last weekend were full and the service is 98 per cent sold for the whole summer.

Harrison believes there is a lot more business where that came from. He said: “200 airports a year visit these carriers and we have to change the narrative so airlines realise the significance of our catchment area.

“London Stansted gives airlines access to London, the huge science & technology cluster in Cambridge, East London, Herts, Essex and the whole of East Anglia. And potential passengers in this catchment don’t have to undergo the ordeal of a one and a half, or even four and a half hour drive to get to Heathrow to catch a plane when they have Stansted on their doorstep.

“Myself and my commercial team are going around the world telling top carriers our story – and the reality is we now have to achieve cut-through. We have to convince American Airlines, for example, sitting in Dallas that their understanding of London and Stansted is outdated; that the east of our catchment is growing faster than the west; that Cambridge is driving major jobs growth and attracting life science giants such as AstraZeneca and now Illumina, and tech greats such as Apple.

“Because of what has happened – or rather not happened – under past ownership, Stansted visiting these airlines is not simply starting from zero: It is starting from -1. We have to work twice as hard as competing airlines, therefore, to show these carriers that they have got it wrong.”

Harrison and the team report encouraging feedback to date and believe that converting the first of these mega-prospects into a customer will prove transformational.
M.A.G intends to continue its investment in Stansted facilities beyond the current £265 million programme which is 50 per cent complete.

Buoyed by the fact that it has the capacity that Heathrow and Gatwick lack, and that it could be years before Heathrow gets another runway, M.A.G intends to harness technological innovation to elicit the maximum capability from Stansted’s infrastructure.

That will include investment in new technology to boost security – ensuring that austerity cuts to the Home Office’s Border Force budget does not undermine passenger confidence. It will also involve increased automation of check-in facilities to further improve the customer experience.

One innovation will involve hi-tech tagging of luggage – even down to tagging a passenger’s bag at Cambridge railway station, for example, so they can simply pick up the already checked-in luggage when they arrive at Stansted.

“We intend to explore every conceivable angle to make Stansted a dream venue for air travel,” said Harrison.

• Manchester Airports Group reports revenue 10 per cent higher to £738.4 million and operating profit 30.8 per cent ahead to £153.6m for the 12 months ended March 31.

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Stansted Airport celebrates ‘unrivalled growth’ as MAG reveals annual results

22.7.2015 (Herts and Essex Observer)

Staff at Stansted Airport are celebrating “unrivalled growth” this week as parent company Manchester Airports Group (MAG) publishes its annual results.

Stansted’s managing director, Andrew Harrison, said: “It’s a great story. Two years ago, when we first arrived as a new team, embarking on the future, we had strong plans, but this growth has surpassed those plans and really demonstrates the strength of our catchment area.”

While its northern sister, Manchester Airport, boasted record passenger growth, up 7.2 per cent to 22.3 million in the year to March 31, the Uttlesford hub surged ahead, up 16.1 per cent to 20.9m travellers through the terminal in the same 12 months.

Together, Stansted and Manchester’s growth exceeded that of Heathrow and Gatwick airports combined. For the group, revenue increased by 10 per cent to £738.4m and operating profits by more than 30 per cent to £153.6m.

Mr Harrison said business travel from Stansted was up a gratifying 20 per cent.

When MAG bought Stansted from BAA at the start of 2013, the estimated gross value added to the local economy was £750m – it is now estimated to be more than £1 billion. The workforce on site has increased from 10,200 to 11,500.

More than 30 new routes have been introduced, helping generate an extra four million passengers,

Mr Harrison, a former MD at Manchester, is now looking forward to Stansted reclaiming its position as the UK’s third largest airport and settling some friendly inter-group rivalry.

“We are growing slightly faster than Manchester, although both are growing phenomenally,” he said. “Midway through next year we should be neck and neck, and if growth continues in a similar vein we might catch them sooner.”

While he was mindful of world events like the terrorist attack on British tourists in Tunisia and the impact of Greece’s debt crisis on the Eurozone, Mr Harrison was confident that growth was sustainable.

All the signs are encouraging. Thomas Cook’s inaugural flights to Las Vegas and Orlando in the USA and Cancun in Mexico, which launched last Friday, Saturday and Monday (July 17-20), were 100 per cent full and the rest of the airline’s summer schedule are 98 per cent booked.

The growth has been achieved amid testing times for the Stansted team as the terminal has remained fully operational during an £80m transformation as part of a £265m investment overall.

Mr Harrison said: “I think we knew we had to move quickly. Growth is something you cannot turn on and off, and if you try and turn it off until you’re ready for it you are likely to lose it.”

His key objectives are to complete the terminal revamp by the end of the year, continue negotiations with the Home Office and Border Force over passport control provision and “critically” to push for better train services.

Uttlesford’s MP, Sir Alan Haselhurst, is now the chairman of the Greater Anglia Task Force, set up to find the best solution to capacity and investment issues on the railway into London.

Mr Harrison said: “We are very, very supportive of what’s going on with the rail campaign. We are on record as saying we need a faster railway and one that has more resilience in it. We need people to be able to get to the airport and get away first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

“We need investment in rail – but we also need a thriving corridor between London and Cambridge, so we are hand in hand with commuters.

“This is a critical piece of work, not just for the airport but for the region as a whole.”

Sir Howard Davies’ Airport Commission has backed a third runway at Heathrow as the solution to the country’s aviation capacity crisis in the long run, but Mr Harrison said that in the short term Stansted was best placed to soak up demand, with the ability to double passenger numbers on its existing single runway.

Following the Conservatives’ General Election victory in May, Mr Harrison said the Government had to put its money where its mouth is and send a message to the world that the South East is open for business.

He said global carriers were already realising they may have to develop “alternative strategies” beyond Heathrow to meet demand, and he was hopeful there would be movement towards a permanent long-haul service from Stansted in the next year, but he emphasised the success of the region and the airport were inseparable.

“We are delighted with the results…which justify our spending,” said Mr Harrison. “We took a flier hoping we would be able to grow the airport and underpin our investment.”

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Slough Council secret deal with Heathrow includes gagging order, making it impotent in fighting for a better deal from Heathrow for 3 – 4 years

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Colnbrook was “sold down the river for a pittance”; details of Slough Council’s secret Heathrow agreement now revealed

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Cabinet ‘stitch-up’ on Heathrow: Cameron chairing runway sub-Committee, locking out ministers who oppose 3rd runway

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

On the say MPs left for their summer break on 21st July, the Cabinet Office slipped out the names of 10 senior Tories on the Economic Affairs (Airports) sub-Committee. This committee will consider what to do about a new runway. Chaired by David Cameron it includes vocal supporters of a 3rd Heathrow runway including Chancellor George Osborne and Business Secretary Sajid Javid. There are concerns that the committee’s membership deliberately excludes the Cabinet members (Justine Greening, Philip Hammond, Theresa May, Theresa Villiers – and even Boris). Also on the Committee are: Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, Environment Secretary Liz Truss, Scotland Secretary David Mundell, Communities Secretary Greg Clark, Energy Secretary Amber Rudd, Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin and Chief Whip Mark Harper. The make up of the Committee is seen as indicating that David Cameron is ready to over-rule concerns from ministers who oppose the runway, and suggests the final decision will not be made by the Cabinet as a whole. John Stewart, Chair of HACAN, said: ‘It certainly looks like a stitch-up. It could be Cameron is going for a solution he believes will work ion the short-term but could backfire in the medium term because some of the Cabinet ministers who are against a third runway feel so strongly that it could be a resigning issue.’

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Cabinet ‘stitch-up’ on Heathrow: Cameron takes charge of airport decision – and locks out ministers who oppose runway

Prime Minister sets up sub-committee packed with pro-Heathrow ministers
Justine Greening, Theresa May and Philip Hammond all left out of group
Anti-Heathrow campaigners say: ‘It certainly looks like a stitch-up’

By MATT CHORLEY, POLITICAL EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE

22.7.2015 (Daily Mail online)

David Cameron was today accused of a ‘stitch-up’ as he took personal charge of the controversial decision on airport expansion.

But the Cabinet committee which will rule on contentious issue includes none of the senior ministers opposed to a third runway at Heathrow.

Today government insiders insisted such a major economic decision had to over-rule local concerns about noise but the move is likely to provoke claims of a stitch-up.

Heathrow opponents Justine Greening, Philip Hammond and Theresa May have been excluded from a Cabinet committee which will rule on expansion of airport capacity in the South East

Mr Cameron has already been warned that he faces the prospect of a Conservative revolt and even ministerial resignations if Heathrow gets the go ahead.

Boris Johnson, who now attends political Cabinet meetings, is a vocal opponent of Heathrow.

The Prime Minister said in 2009 that another runway at the west London airport is ‘just not going to happen’ due to concerns about the impact on air quality and noise pollution across the capital.

But a report by the Airports Commission earlier this month found that a third runway is the ‘best option’ for increasing the capacity of UK terminals.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening, Home Secretary Theresa May, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers are all opposed to the idea.

All four have a ministerial interest in Britain’s global air links but have been excluded from the Cabinet committee which will make a decision on expanding Heathrow, Gatwick or another site.

John Stewart, from anti-Heathrow campaign group HACAN, said: ‘It certainly looks like a stitch-up. It could be Cameron is going for a solution he believes will work ion the short-term but could backfire in the medium term because some of the Cabinet ministers who are against a third runway feel so strongly it could be a resigning issue.’

As MPs left Westminster for their summer break last night, the Cabinet Office slipped out the names of 10 senior Tories on the Economic Affairs (Airports) sub-Committee.

Chaired by Mr Cameron it includes vocal supporters of Heathrow expansion including Chancellor George Osborne and Business Secretary Sajid Javid.

Government insiders believe the roll-call is proof that the Prime Minister is ready to over-rule concerns from ministers who happen to be MPs which would be affected by Heathrow expansion.

They are already braced for Miss Greening in particular to be ‘cross’ about being left out of the decision-making process.

Also included in the group are: Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, Environment Secretary Liz Truss, Scotland Secretary David Mundell, Communities Secretary Greg Clark, Energy Secretary Amber Rudd, Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin and Chief Whip Mark Harper.

The committee has been set up to ‘consider matters relating to airport capacity in the South East of England in the light of the Airports Commission’s report’.

A Whitehall source told MailOnline: ‘The Conservative Party was elected to take difficult decisions in the long-term economic interests of the country.

‘Long-term decisions don’t get much bigger than the third runway.’

The creation of the committee suggests that final decision will not be made by the Cabinet as a whole, despite being one of the most significant and contentious issues facing the Conservative government.

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Also

Heathrow critics omitted from ministerial aviation committee

By Jim Pickard, Chief Political Correspondent (Financial Times)

David Cameron has set up a new ministerial committee to consider what to do about aviation capacity in the southeast — and has packed it with supporters of a third runway at Heathrow.

The new group, to be chaired by the prime minister, includes the three strongest advocates of the third runway: George Osborne, chancellor, Sajid Javid, business secretary, and Patrick McLoughlin, transport secretary. None of the prominent critics of the Heathrow expansion, such as Boris Johnson or Zac Goldsmith, has been invited.

…….

Yet one Treasury minister told the FT privately this week that it would be more logical to build a new runway elsewhere — with Birmingham a better choice for pushing economic growth further north away from the capital.

Full FT article at

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Stansted to have summer only flights to Orlando, Cancun and Las Vegas (competing with Gatwick)

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

At present, Stansted doesn’t have flights to the profitable destinations of Orlando, Cancun and Las Vegas. Most people going to Orlando in Florida go from Gatwick, with Manchester as the 2nd largest route. Almost everyone going to Cancun from the UK goes from Gatwick. Most people going to Las Vegas go from Gatwick, with Heathrow in second place, and Manchester third. But now Stansted is planning flights by Thomas Cook to those three cities, just over a month this summer and next summer. Passengers to those three destinations make up about 3.6% of all Gatwick passengers. Passengers to Las Vegas from Heathrow only make up about 0.3% of total passengers. Manchester (same owners as Stansted) already has flights to Orlando and Las Vegas.
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Summer holiday flights to Orlando, Cancun and Las Vegas take off from Stansted

18.7.2015 (Herts and Essex Observer)

The first of three inaugural Thomas Cook Airlines flights to the USA and Mexico from Stansted took off on Friday (July 17) when a plane departed for Orlando in Florida.Today (Saturday) sees the first Thomas Cook flight from the Essex hub to Mexican holiday and honeymoon destination Cancun, and on Monday the airline’s first flight to Las Vegas departs.Balloons, a three-tier celebration cake and Disney singers with children’s gift bags delighted passengers from check-in through to the departure gate on Friday’s flight, creating an amazing buzz to bring the best of Orlando to Stansted Airport.Christoph Debus, chief executive of Thomas Cook Airlines, said: “This weekend is huge for us as we deliver on our promise to provide great quality flights at superb prices to iconic US destinations.

“We’re doubling our departures to Orlando next summer to four times a week, making Stansted a great partner for us to offer the best experience to our customers.”

Andrew Harrison, Stansted Airport’s managing director, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the return of long-haul services to Stansted this weekend as Thomas Cook launch flights to the USA and Mexico.

“These flights to Orlando, Las Vegas and Cancun will be a fantastic addition to our destinations board and the first of what will be a growing long-haul offer from Stansted in the coming years, providing people in our catchment with greater choice and value.”

Orlando, the fifth largest city in Florida, is the theme park capital of the world. Last year its tourist attractions and events – including Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld – drew more than 62 million visitors. Its airport is the 13th busiest in the US and the 29th busiest in the world.

When do the flights go?

Stansted to Orlando: Fridays and Sundays for July and August this summer. Summer 2016 departures are on Sunday, Monday, Wednesdayand Fridays from July 17 to August 29. Additional half-term holiday flights are scheduled for May and October 2016. Prices are from £800.

Stansted to Cancun: Saturdays from July 18 to August 15 this summer and then July 16 to August 20 next summer. Prices from £758.

Stansted to Las Vegas: Mondays from July 20 to August 17 this summer. For 2016 the flying day is a Thursday between July 21 and August 25. Prices starting from £676.

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CAA data on airports already having flights to those North American holiday destinations

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Number of passengers in 2014

Orlando
Gatwick 705,046 passengers (1.85% of total passengers)
Heathrow 656
Belfast International 1,243
Birmingham 650
Cardiff 632
Glasgow 72,405
Manchester 426,879

Cancun
Gatwick 388,195 (1% of total passengers)
Stansted 292

Las Vegas
Gatwick 317,843 (0.83% of total passengers)
Heathrow 228,236 (0.31% of total passengers)
Edinburgh 485
Glasgow 307
Manchester 97,983

Total passengers in 2014

Gatwick 38,094,000
Heathrow 73,371,000
Stansted 19,958,000

via Airportwatch http://ift.tt/1fliKpl

Luton has plans for direct rail line to cut train journey from central London to 20 minutes

Tuesday, 21 July 2015

Luton airport wants to have a rail link that connects directly to the Midlands mainline and reaches central London in 20 minutes. Luton is starting a £100 million project that would increase its passenger capacity by 50%, up to 18 million per year. That follows a significant upgrade of the nearby stretch of the M1 and the creation of its own airport junction. Currently getting to the airport by public transport is a hassle, and airport staff agree that it puts off many travellers despite Luton’s destinations offered by easyJet, Wizz Air and Ryanair. Luton wants to be an integrated part of the transport network. The work starting now is to increase aircraft runway access, the number of boarding piers, and terminal space (including more shops) should be finished by 2020. The airport’s operators — Aena, the Spanish-owned largest airport group in the world and Ardian private equity — are funding the present construction programme, the question of who pays for a rail link is unresolved. The airport’s freehold is owned by Luton borough council and Aena and Ardian’s operating concession expires in 2031. So will the taxpayer have to pay for rail improvements? Luton wants to attract Norwegian from Gatwick, and Vueling from Heathrow.
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Luton Airport reveals plans for direct rail line that would cut train journey from central London to just 20 minutes

Plans part of £100m project that will increase passenger numbers by 50%
Current journey time includes bus travel from London Airport Parkway
But airport bosses look to connect terminal direct with Midlands mainline

20.7.2015 (Mail online)

Ambitious plans are being drawn up to cut the journey time from central London to Luton Airport to just 20 minutes by constructing a direct railway line.

The Bedfordshire airport, though marketed as London’s fourth airport, has submitted plans for a £100million upgrade of the site that will increase passenger capacity by 50 per cent as well as enhance the customer experience.

And key to that is cutting any journey time to and from the airport from the capital.

London Luton Airport has put forward its plans for a £100m upgrade that it hopes will enhance the customer experience when travelling

Currently the shortest train journey from London to Luton Airport Parkway is 20 minutes from St Pancras International, but passengers are forced to ride a bus for the final mile of the journey.

With waiting times, and stops along the way, this can mean the journey time is almost doubled.

But the project is looking at the idea of connecting the airport directly to the Midlands rail line, which will mean the entire journey will take 20 minutes non-stop.

Speaking to The Times, chief executive at the airport Nick Barton said: ‘The bus service meets the basic criteria [but] the plan is to come up with a long-term solution.

‘The options are around a mass passenger system which could be light rail or heavy [conventional] rail.’

And Ollie Jaycock, head of Marketing & Strategic Affairs at London Luton told MailOnline Travel: ‘The project has been gearing up over the last year to see how building and improvement work could improve the transport infrastructure at the airport.

‘The greatest opportunity for us to do that is rail, and there are two big things we are trying to do.

“Firstly we are working with the Department for Transport to increase the number of fast trains that leave London St Pancras, we want four fast trains an hour as oppose to one.

Then the final piece of the jigsaw is how we can speed up the ‘last mile,’ and that is the biggest hurdle for us.

‘We are working with central government to see whether there could be a direct rail solution for this.’

While the Davies Commission recommended Heathrow for a 3rd runway, [the 7th for the London area, including Southend] it also said: ‘It is imperative that the UK continues to grow its domestic and international connectivity in this period, and this will require the more intensive utilisation of existing airports other than Heathrow and Gatwick.’

And it appears London Luton Airport is doing just that. The aim is to increase passenger footfall from the current 12 million to at least 18 million by 2026.

As well as looking into a direct rail service, Luton Airport will be added to the Oyster Card network in September.

The project also plans to double existing retail space and develop a new world-class executive lounge, as well as improve road travel links in and out of the terminal.

Passenger numbers at London Luton Airport grew by 16 per cent in June compared with the same month last year. A record-breaking 1.2million passengers travelled through the airport in June, marking 15 months of consecutive growth.

Luton offers a choice of low-cost airlines including Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air, yet it is believed the staggered journey to and from the airport puts many travellers off.

A spokesperson for the airport added: ‘At the moment you can get to the Airport from London St Pancras in just 20 minutes and we’re working closely with the train operators to introduce more frequent fast trains from London, the Midlands and the South East.

‘From December 2015 trains will operate services throughout the night, with at least two trains per hour, so you can get to the airport or get home quickly after you land even when your flight is in the early hours.

‘We’re upgrading the shuttle bus service between the station and the airport so you are picked up and dropped off right outside the terminal.

‘We’re also looking into a longer-term improvement such as a mass passenger system that could be light or conventional rail.’

Sophie Dekkers, director of UK Market for easyJet, who are based at the airport, told MailOnline Travel: ‘London Luton Airport is a hugely important part of our London airport strategy and it remains our head office base.

‘The transformation of the airport was a key factor in our commitment to double our passenger numbers at London Luton Airport over the next 10 years and we have ambitious plans for growth which will result in an even greater range of business and leisure destinations for our passengers.

‘We have already started this expansion with new routes for next winter in addition to those which launched earlier this Summer. We are also basing three more aircraft at the airport this year and we’re really pleased to be supporting the airport in this way.’

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Summer holiday flights to Orlando, Cancun and Las Vegas take off from Stansted

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Luton Airport reveals plans for direct rail line that would cut train journey from central London to just 20 minutes