Airportwatch.org.uk

The inquiry, by the Planning Inspectorate, into the DCO concerning Gatwick Airport's plan to use its emergency runway for routine flights started with an open session, and many people - both in favour of the plan, and against, allowed a brief time to speak.  All those in favour were businesses, or business groups - or people in some way linked to the airport, and hoping its expansion would be good for their business in the short to medium term, and perhaps provide more good jobs. Those against were... Читать дальше...

Thomas Woldbye, Heathrow’s new chief executive, is understood to have begun disbanding the 3rd runway team, and the airport's runway plans have been shelved, as leaked details of the airport’s “better not bigger” strategy can be revealed.  Woldbye is instead understood to be exploring how to squeeze millions more passengers through the airport without expanding its footprint.  This comes with Heathrow’s Spanish owner Ferrovial facing a protracted process to sell its stake to a Saudi-backed consortium... Читать дальше...

Southampton Airport wants to cut off the tops of 25 trees in a 200-year-old woodland, Marlhill Copse, on grounds of aircraft safety.  But the bid is set to be thrown out by city development chiefs, as it will harm the conservation area.  However, a second application to remove 15 trees in the same woodland is recommended to approve the cutting down of 14 of them.  In October 2023, Southampton City Council received the planning application from the airport which outlined its plan to reduce the tops... Читать дальше...

Cardiff Airport is continuing to make a loss as it struggles to attract passengers back to pre-pandemic levels.  It lost £4.5m in the year to March 2023 according to company accounts, after receiving a government grant of £5.3m. The company, which is owned by the Welsh government, is hoping to make more use of its land to raise money.Welsh government ministers are currently supporting the airport through a grant worth £42.6m over four years. Over the years it has received millions in government loans. Читать дальше...

On 7 February 2024, the Rt Hon Lord Justice Warby granted Jenny Dawes permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal against the dismissal of her judicial review application challenging the decision of the Secretary of State to make a development consent order (DCO) for the re-opening of Manston Airport.  In his Order, Lord Justice Warby reasoned that certain aspects of the High Court decision warranted appellate scrutiny and that the remaining arguments relating to "need' were properly arguable with a reasonable prospect of success. Читать дальше...

Environmental campaigner and retired scientist, Andrew Boswell, is challenging the granting of development consent for 3 major road building schemes near Norwich. The latest challenge in the ongoing case was heard in the Court of Appeal on 16th January.  The case is about the need for new infrastructure schemes, such as roads or airports, to have the increased carbon emissions from their operation taken into account, not merely the carbon from their construction - which is the current legal position. Читать дальше...

Southend airport, barely used now, is at the centre of an escalating dispute between one of the world’s largest private equity groups and an impoverished infrastructure company.  The $426bn investment firm Carlyle Group is demanding the early repayment of a £125mn loan made to the airport in 2021, when the aviation industry was reeling from international travel restrictions due to Covid.  Carlyle says it has made multiple attempts to resolve the conflict with Southend airport’s London-listed owner... Читать дальше...

On 24th Schiphol airport published new research, showing the need for a strong reduction of air traffic demand in order to halt climate heating. The airport proposes the ‘Polluter pays’ principle, with measures such as a worldwide kerosene tax and a tax for business class and private flights.  Schiphol’s research showed that at least a 30% CO2 reduction (when compared to 2019) is needed for Schiphol and European aviation to be on track in 2030. That’s more than the current Dutch goal of a 9% reduction. Читать дальше...

Multiple criminal charges are being brought against East Midlands Airport Ltd by the Environment Agency for pollution entering the river system surrounding the airport. The prosecution follows a sustained campaign by the Derby Railway Angling Club, who have been working with Fish Legal to highlight chronic pollution of the Diseworth Brook and River Trent linked to discharges of de-icer used on aircraft and runways at the airport. East Midlands Airport Ltd is legally required to comply with an environmental... Читать дальше...

Poland is planning a £7 billion new airport, about 25 miles west of Warsaw, that will be central and eastern Europe's biggest ever transport project.  Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) - which translates as 'central communication port' - has not yet had full construction permissions.  The first phase of building will be 2 runways and a terminal for up to 40 million passengers annually, due to be completed in 2028. They then want 2 more runways, to eventually handle 100 million passengers annually. Читать дальше...