UK judge rules against Qatar Airways in latest episode of $600m corporate divorce saga April 26, 2022 A UK judge ruled today against Qatar Airways, in the latest episode of a bigger divorce battle between the airline and Airbus. London’s High Court denied a request by the Doha-based carrier to force Airbus to keep building A321neo jets, after plane maker slashed Qatar Airways’ order for 50 planes in January. The Toulouse-based plane [...]
No more license for Amazon: Brazil court deals lethal blow to world’s largest gold mine April 26, 2022 What would have been the largest open-pit gold mine in the world is no more, after a Brazilian federal court upheld the suspension of an environmental license, dealing a blow to the Canada-based company behind the project. Belo Sun Mining was appealing the same court’s 2017 ruling, which found that the company’s consultation with local [...]
Heathrow will not make a single profit this year as Covid losses swell to £4bn: ‘We are still in a pandemic’ April 26, 2022 Heathrow Airport said this morning the airport will remain loss-making in 2022 as “demand remains very volatile”. Britain’s biggest aviation hub said it is not forecasting a return to profit and dividends this year despite an increase in outbound demand for travel. Its losses during the coronavirus pandemic have now exceeded £4bn. Heathrow has updated [...]
National Express revenue makes full pandemic recovery amid pent-up demand April 26, 2022 National Express’ revenue has made a full pandemic recovery, as pent-up demand and a domestic travel boom saw a greater take-up of coach travel last month. The group’s revenue has finally swung back to 2019 levels in the three months to 31 March, with last month’s earnings coming in ahead of pre-pandemic figures. While the [...]
EXCLUSIVE: Government and railway industry to be more ‘radical’ in R&D April 26, 2022 The railway sector and the UK Government need to be more “radical” when it comes to research and development (R&D) according to a paper published today. Through its Railway Innovation Strategy, the Railway Industry Association (RIA) has called on the government to roll out more investment in rail innovation and provide funding, while asking the [...]
Motorists spared £50 annual insurance hike as government scraps EU law in Brexit win April 25, 2022 Motorists will be spared a £50 annual insurance hike after the UK Government scrapped EU regulations. A bill to scrap the EU’s Vnuk motor insurance law was passed today through Parliament and, according to government, will prevent a £2bn hike for the UK’s insurance industry. Under the EU law, motorsports, agricultural machinery and light electric [...]
Portugal scraps EU’s strict Brexit rules and rolls out red immigration carpet for Brits with Spain and Italy likely to follow soon April 25, 2022 Portugal has confirmed it plans to ignore EU rules that require British nationals to be treated as third country citizens at border checks and immigration points. The southern European nation will become the first EU member state to allow UK passport holders to be fast-tracked through electronic passport gates, thereby receiving the same treatment as [...]
P&O to restart Dover-Calais services amid accusations of planning cuts to agency workers’ salaries April 25, 2022 Troubled ferry operator P&O announced today it will restart its Dover to Calais services this week amid accusations it was planning to further cut the salaries of agency workers. P&O is selling tickets for Channel crossing after the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) cleared its vessel, the Spirit of Britain, on Saturday. Freight services will [...]
World’s first hub for flying taxis opens today in Coventry April 25, 2022 UK start-up Urban-Air Port (UAP) opened today in Coventry the world’s first demonstration hub for flying taxis and delivery drones. Backed by the UK Government with a £1.2m grant, UAP will operate the vertical airport – or “vertiport” – for at least one month to develop a blueprint for future deployment. At the vertiport, UAP [...]
British Airways sets short-term base in Madrid to beat staff shortages April 25, 2022 British Airways (BA) could set up a short-haul base in Madrid to beat the staff shortages that force it to axe 1,400 flights over the last few weeks. The airline said it will open a cabin crew base in the Spanish capital and hire staff locally to avoid putting passengers through further travel disruption. Under [...]