BA, Virgin kick hard as Heathrow expansion consultation enters stretch run
Wednesday February 27, 2008
With the end of the UK government's consultation on expansion at London Heathrow approaching, rivals British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways reiterated their support for a third runway at the world's largest international airport.
"Expansion is crucial for British Airways and all other airlines operating from the airport," BA CEO Willie Walsh said in the latest BA News. "Heathrow is slipping behind. The facts speak for themselves, with a cut in the number of destinations it serves while other European hubs increase and expand."
According to Walsh, if capacity is not increased over the next decade there will be a loss of almost 30 additional destinations from some 180 currently, served whereas another runway could add 75-80 new destinations. "While Heathrow struggles to cope with the two runways it had when operations began in 1946, Amsterdam has five, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Madrid four while a new airport is planned in Dubai with six runways," he argued.
Virgin warned the status quo might harm the regional economy, claiming that "multinational business are likely to move their headquarters away from London" without a third runway. "Business travelers need an airport that flows seamlessly, not one that seizes up due to lack of space on the runways," President Richard Branson said.
In November, the UK government outlined plans on how LHR could be developed over the next 20 years. Proposals include the possibility of a new 2,200-m. runway by 2020 and introduction of mixed-mode use of existing runways as an interim measure.
At present, the two runways are used for either takeoff or landing at any one time. The Dept. for Transport says full mixed mode throughout the day would provide up to 60,000 additional movements per year and could bring total movements to around 540,000 by 2015. This represents an increase in movements of 12% and is equivalent to an average of eight extra aircraft every hr., or 88 per hr. compared with 80 under segregated mode. Under DfT's proposals, LHR could operate with three runways from around 2020 with around 702,000 annual movements.
The prospect of adding a third runway was included in the government's well-known Air Transport White Paper of 2003. Public consultation began Nov. 22 and runs until Feb. 27. In parallel with the plans for a third runway, operator BAA has plans for a sixth terminal.
by Cathy Buyck
ATWOnline
Wednesday February 27, 2008
With the end of the UK government's consultation on expansion at London Heathrow approaching, rivals British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways reiterated their support for a third runway at the world's largest international airport.
"Expansion is crucial for British Airways and all other airlines operating from the airport," BA CEO Willie Walsh said in the latest BA News. "Heathrow is slipping behind. The facts speak for themselves, with a cut in the number of destinations it serves while other European hubs increase and expand."
According to Walsh, if capacity is not increased over the next decade there will be a loss of almost 30 additional destinations from some 180 currently, served whereas another runway could add 75-80 new destinations. "While Heathrow struggles to cope with the two runways it had when operations began in 1946, Amsterdam has five, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Madrid four while a new airport is planned in Dubai with six runways," he argued.
Virgin warned the status quo might harm the regional economy, claiming that "multinational business are likely to move their headquarters away from London" without a third runway. "Business travelers need an airport that flows seamlessly, not one that seizes up due to lack of space on the runways," President Richard Branson said.
In November, the UK government outlined plans on how LHR could be developed over the next 20 years. Proposals include the possibility of a new 2,200-m. runway by 2020 and introduction of mixed-mode use of existing runways as an interim measure.
At present, the two runways are used for either takeoff or landing at any one time. The Dept. for Transport says full mixed mode throughout the day would provide up to 60,000 additional movements per year and could bring total movements to around 540,000 by 2015. This represents an increase in movements of 12% and is equivalent to an average of eight extra aircraft every hr., or 88 per hr. compared with 80 under segregated mode. Under DfT's proposals, LHR could operate with three runways from around 2020 with around 702,000 annual movements.
The prospect of adding a third runway was included in the government's well-known Air Transport White Paper of 2003. Public consultation began Nov. 22 and runs until Feb. 27. In parallel with the plans for a third runway, operator BAA has plans for a sixth terminal.
by Cathy Buyck
ATWOnline
