TRAVEL WEEKLY BUSINESS
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HEATHROW-COMMISSIONED POLL FINDS MAJORITY OF MPS BACK ITS EXPANSION
Lee Hayhurst
Almost six out of 10 MPs reportedly support expansion at Heathrow, according to a survey commissioned by the airport. The Ipsos Mori poll of 143 MPs, including
58 Conservatives and 66 from Labour, is the first to have been commissioned by the airport since a third runway option was put back on the table through the Airports Commission inquiry. The opinion poll shows that 88% of the
MPs questioned believe a hub airport, such as Heathrow, is “critical” to Britain’s future economic success. When asked which option they thought
would best solve the issue of hub airport capacity in the UK, 58% answered a third runway at Heathrow, while 13% backed a second runway at Gatwick. Just 8% favoured London Mayor Boris Johnson’s preferred option of a new airport in the Thames estuary, which was ruled out last week by the commission. Only 4% backed a scheme put forward by
private company Heathrow Hub to extend the airport’s existing northern runway and effectively operate it as two airstrips. Of those MPs who believe a third
Heathrow runway is the best solution, 91% said they thought it “likely” that it would secure parliamentary approval. Heathrow said the poll “explodes the myth that Heathrow is politically undeliverable”.
JET2 PARENT REPORTS ‘UPLIFT’ IN LEISURE MARKET
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays saw an “uplift” in bookings during the summer peak. Parent company Dart Group, which issued a profit warning in July, also described early indications for winter 2014- 15 bookings as “satisfactory”. Chairman and chief executive Philip Meeson said: “In the preliminary results statement on June 26, I stated that in the early summer
“More and more people are backing Heathrow as the best solution for the UK hub capacity crisis”
A decision by the last government to expand Heathrow was overturned by the coalition and opponents have since claimed there would be insurmountable political hurdles even if a third runway is recommended by the commission in its final report next year. But Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: “More and more people are backing Heathrow as the best solution for the UK hub capacity crisis.”
months we had found demand for leisure travel to the markets we serve less buoyant than we would have hoped, and market pricing weak. “I am now pleased to say that we have seen some uplift in the market, which has been encouraging, although it is still too early to judge whether this will have a sustainable effect on ticket yields. “In terms of winter 2014-15
leisure travel bookings, early indications are satisfactory.” The company remains optimistic about meeting
market expectations for operating profit for the financial year ending
March 31, 2015.
Heathrow: support for third runway
SKYSCANNER HITS 23RD IN SUNDAY TIMES LIST
Travel search site Skyscanner was the top-ranked travel company in this year’s Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100, published last weekend. The Scottish-based company was listed 23rd in the league table of the UK’s top private technology companies, based on average annual sales growth of 95% over the past three years. Skyscanner’s 2013-14 sales of £65.8 million was topped by only one company higher in the list. Travel management system developer Click
Travel was ranked 69th with average sales growth of 52% and sales of £66.4 million. Tourism smartcard developer Leisure Pass Group made 91st place with sales growth of more than 42% and sales of £53.4 million. Reviews site Reevoo was ranked 86th, while Feefo
was cited as “one to watch” outside the top 100. The Tech Track 100 ranks the UK’s 100 private
technology companies with the fastest-growing sales over their latest three years.
RYANAIR ORDERS 100 ‘GAME-CHANGING’ BOEING AIRCRAFT
Ryanair has ordered 100 Boeing 737 Max 200 aircraft that will take its fleet to 520 by 2024 and enable the airline to carry 150 million passengers a year. Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary confirmed
the order on Monday, describing the fuel-saving aircraft as a “game changer”. O’Leary said: “As many of Europe’s flag-carriers cut
capacity on short-haul routes, Ryanair looks forward to using these aircraft to grow at many more of Europe’s primary airports.” Ryanair will configure the aircraft with 197 seats, eight more than its current 737 fleet – made possible by slimmer seats. O’Leary said: “We will grow over the next decade to 150 million customers annually while at the same time cutting our fuel consumption by 18%. “These game-changer aircraft will allow Ryanair to
lower costs and air fares while improving our customer experience, as we introduce new offers, particularly for our Business Plus and Family Extra customers.”
O’Leary says new aircraft ‘will lower costs’ 11 September 2014 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 79
“It is still too early to
judge what effect this will have on ticket yields”
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