UK airports saw fewest passengers last summer since 1975 March 17, 2021 Airports saw the lowest number of passengers pass through their gates last summer since 1975, new figures from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) show. Just 14.2m people travelled through UK airports last year from July to September, while across the whole year there were just 73.8m air passengers. The majority of these – two-thirds – [...]
Rolls-Royce joins with Scandi carrier Widerøe to launch all-electric plane by 2026 March 11, 2021 Rolls-Royce has today announced a new partnership with Scandinavian regional carrier Widerøe to develop an all-electric commuter aircraft ready for service by 2026. The 11-seat plane is being designed for initial use in Norway, where extremely short flights are very common due to the country’s mountainous territory. The project is part of Norway’s plan to [...]
MPs urge government to ensure travel restart plans are made public March 11, 2021 MPs have today urged the government to make public the Global Travel Taskforce’s recommendations when the body reports to the Prime Minister on plans for reopening travel on 12 April. In a new report, the parliamentary transport committee said that the failure to do so would rob the aviation industry of much-needed clarity. When the [...]
Ministers to consult on cutting air passenger duty for domestic flights March 10, 2021 The government today confirmed that it was launching a consultation on cutting air passenger duty (APD) on domestic flights in a bid to improve travel links within the UK. The review is part of a broader suite of recommendations identified in former TfL boss Sir Peter Hendy’s report on the connectivity of the UK, which [...]
Budget 2021: Aviation firms accuse Sunak of ignoring sector March 3, 2021 The aviation industry has reacted furiously to today’s Budget, accusing Chancellor Rishi Sunak of ignoring the sector, which has been battered by the pandemic. Aviation firms had been lobbying hard for sector-specific relief for the industry, which has been in a tailspin for an entire year due to wide-ranging travel restrictions. Although the sector will [...]
Unemployment claims in London airport communities rise at double the national rate March 1, 2021 The number of people claiming unemployment benefits rose at double the national rate in communities around London’s biggest airports in 2020. The coronavirus pandemic has decimated the travel industry, leading to airlines and airports slashing thousands of jobs to stay afloat. In Hayes and Harlington, Heathrow’s local constituency, the number of people claiming benefits rose [...]
Ireland’s Aer Lingus appoints IAG Cargo head as new CEO February 25, 2021 Aer Lingus secures IAG Cargo head as it's new CEO after fighting for survival during the pandemic
Budget airlines primed for land grab as flag carriers face change of flight path February 17, 2021 After nearly a year of intense disruption, one could be forgiven for expecting even Ryanair’s perennially bullish boss Michael O’Leary to be a little downcast about the state of his industry. But despite the near daily cries of anguish issuing from the airlines sector, the Irishman’s eyes are fixed firmly on the future. Speaking after [...]
No hotel quarantine contracts have been signed with just one week to go until launch February 8, 2021 The government has not signed a single contract with any hotel firms despite its mandatory hotel quarantine policy set to come into effect in just one week’s time. All arrivals to the UK from around 30 “red list” countries will be required by law to quarantine for 10 nights at a government-selected hotel from 15 [...]
UK airports launch fresh bid for new government support February 3, 2021 The UK’s airports have today launched a fresh bid for more financial support from the government as the pandemic shows no signs of abating. The Airport Operators’ Association (AOA) today said that it did not expect passenger numbers to recover to pre-Covid levels until 2025 at the earliest. It said that the coming summer needed [...]