RAIL
Digital editor Tom Newcombe compiles the latest news from
buyingbusinesstravel.com
AIRPORTS
Eurostar to cut services due to ‘challenging environment’
Transport secretary Chris Grayling
Industry responds to Heathrow runway decision
THE GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED A THIRD RUNWAY AT HEATHROW in the long-running saga over airport expansion. However, another public consultation will now be held on the effects of the expansion before a final decision is made. MPs will then vote on that decision in the winter of 2017-18. Transport secretary Chris Grayling said the decision, to be paid for by the private sector, was “truly momentous”, and would help create jobs and support trade. The announcement was welcomed by the travel industry, but many warned any further delays could hurt the UK economy and aviation sector. KPMG’s global head of aviation James Stamp said the additional delay sends mixed messages to the rest of the world about the UK’s ability to make decisions. “In the UK, it means businesses still can’t really plan,” he said. “To the rest of the world, this country looks increasingly isolated, and unable – or unwilling – to move forward with pace and vision.” American Express GBT vice-president Jason Geall said despite the “positive” decision, “one should not expect diggers to break ground anytime”. GTMC chief executive Paul Wait said he hoped the decision would “act as a catalyst” for other areas of transport investment. “Approval to expand Heathrow is the most positive economic step-change in recent times for the UK economy,” he said. “Business travellers favour Heathrow as an international hub airport, but crave more routes to more emerging and established economies.” The government said there will be a compensation and mitigation package worth £2.6 billion for those impacted by the third runway. There will be a 6.5-hour ban on scheduled night flights as well as more stringent night-noise restrictions, both of which will be determined through consultation.
8 BBT November/December 2016
EUROSTAR IS CUTTING SOME SERVICES from December as it introduces new trains with more passenger capacity. The cross-channel operator said travellers will see a reduction in the timetable but gave no indication which services would be cut. New E320 trains introduced earlier this year have about 20 per cent more seats and are used for most services between London and Paris. Eurostar also warned it’s operating in a “challenging”
TECHNOLOGY
FLIGHT BAN ON SAMSUNG NOTE 7 SMARTPHONES
AN INCREASING NUMBER OF AIRLINES HAVE BANNED Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones from being carried on flights, and Samsung issued a recall for all 2.5 million of these phones due to a risk of their batteries catching fire. US transportation secretary Anthony Foxx imposed a total ban on Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices being taken on any aircraft in October. Passengers who take the phones onboard US flights could face fines of up to US$180,000 or prosecution if they try to hide them in their hold luggage. Authorities in Canada and Hong Kong have also prohibited these devices from being taken on flights in their countries. Carriers including Qantas and Singapore Airlines have also banned passengers from taking the phones onboard. Virgin Atlantic said that customers with the device would not be able to take it on any flights, and British Airways said the ban on these phones applied to flights “to, from, or within the US, Canada or Hong Kong”. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has not banned
the phones but advises that they be kept turned off and not charged on the flight.
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
environment with business hit by terror attacks and Brexit. A Eurostar spokesman said: “The timetable in December will have a reduction in some services. We haven’t said which trains they are. The main reason [for reducing services] is we have introduced new trains with bigger capacity.
“This is a challenging
environment for all travel companies and we need to manage our costs very carefully.”
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