NEWS TRAVEL WEEKLY BUSINESS CONTINUED FROM THE BACK


But she pointed out: “Brexit places the UK in a unique position. It offers an opportunity to address this disparity. The UK should establish less-stringent regulations for domestic flights. Flybe was recently saved from bankruptcy by its takeover by the Connect Airways consortium of Virgin Atlantic, Southend airport-owner Stobart Group and US hedge fund Cyrus Capital. Virgin Atlantic chief executive


Shai Weiss has since explained he regards Heathrow expansion as key to the Flybe deal, with the government keen on improved connectivity between Heathrow and the regions. Ourmières-Widener noted


“large parts of Britain are without access to the UK’s largest airport” and said: “We support a third runway at Heathrow.” It is proposed that a


proportion of new slots made available by a third runway be allocated to domestic routes. But Ourmières-Widener


expressed “doubt about the business case for a lot of new domestic services” and said the current system of slot allocation means “existing domestic routes risk being frozen out”. Services may need to be subsidised, she said, arguing: “Slots could be supported by passenger service obligations [PSOs].”


EU rules allow the subsidy


of transport routes that aren’t commercially viable under PSO arrangements. Flybe already operates some routes on this basis, including its recently launched Newquay-Heathrow flights. The carrier has yet to change


hands following its recent acquisition, pending regulatory clearance. Ourmières-Widener added:


“We have new owners, but we are still awaiting clearance – we hope in June or July.”


Campaigners lose High Court battle over green issues


Campaigners against Heathrow’s expansion lost a High Court battle against a third runwa last wee. The court rejected a series


of legal challenges seeking a review of the government’s approval of the £14 billion shee.


62travelweekly.co.uk9 May 2019 The principal challenge,


brought by a coalition of local authorities, Greenpeace and London mayor Sadiq Khan, argued transport secretary Chris Grayling had ignored the impacts of a third runway on air quality, noise pollution, transport access and liate hange. But the High Court dismissed the challenges and also found Grayling had not unfairly preferred Heathrow’s own third-runway scheme in favour o the rival eathrow u id.


Those objecting on


environmental grounds said the would appeal. The Heathrow scheme was


approved by MPs last June and a government national policy statement set out terms for the airports epansion. The scheme still requires planning consent, but the airport hopes to have the runwa open  202. Heathrow reported a record


1.9 illion passengers in the first three onths o 2019.


DfT warns third runway at Heathrow is ‘not a given’


Ian Taylor ian.taylor@travelweekly.co.uk


Expansion at Heathrow is “not a given” and the industry “can’t underestimate the challenge of environmental issues”, a senior governent ofiial has warned.


Catherine Adams, deputy


director for aviation strategy at the Department for Transport, said: “Individual aircraft have a lower impact [today], but the overall impact of aviation is increasing.” She told a Westminster Energy,


Environment and Transport Forum on UK aviation expansion: “Growth is not a given. We support it. We want to see it. But the industry must demonstrate aviation can grow sustainably, if it is to gain permission to expand. “We can’t underestimate the challenge of environmental issues.” Adams noted: “Record numbers of passengers are departing from UK airports. The UK has the biggest aviation network in Europe and the third-biggest in the world.” MP Luke Pollard, shadow


environment minister and deputy chair of the all-party parliamentary group on aviation, said: “The only way the UK


HEATHROW: Reported a record 17.9 million passengers in first quarter Pollard, former head of public


“The industry must demonstrate aviation can grow sustainably, if it is to gain permission to expand”


has a future in aviation is if sustainability issues are tackled head on.” He added: “We won’t get a more sustainable industry if airspace modernisation is not tackled and if major issues around surface access [to airports] are not tackled.”


affairs at Abta, said: “I’m struck by the huge improvements the industry has made and by how rubbish the aviation industry is about telling people what it has done.” Adams drew attention to the consultation on the government’s aviation strategy green paper, Aviation 2050, which has been extended to June 20 and lays out policy objectives that include “increased transparency on consumer rights”. “There are obligations already


on airports and airlines,” she said. “We want feedback on whether they need extending.”


PICTURE: SHUTTERSTOCK


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