Heathrow raises passenger forecast but £4bn financial hole stunts growth April 26, 2022 Heathrow announced today it was raising its passenger forecasts for 2022 despite pandemic-related losses swelling to £4bn. The London hub’s forecast increased to 65 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, going up from 45.5m to 52.8m due to a peak in passenger demand over the summer. After experiencing a bleak January and February as a result [...]
Maersk raises guidance after record profits but warns boom will die down later April 26, 2022 Maersk announced today it was raising its guidance for the year after it posted record profits for the first quarter. In the last three months, the group’s revenues went ahead of expectations to $19.3bn, while Maersk’s EBITDA amounted to $7.9bn. As a result of a 71 per cent increase in freight rates, the logistics giant [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
UK avoided arming Ukrainians for fear of angering Putin, former ministers said April 23, 2022 The UK Government has avoided sending arms to Ukraine for the last seven hears out of fear of angering President Putin, the Sunday Times reported today. Former ministers said Boris Johnson and his two predecessors, Theresa May and David Cameron, have maintained a line of “appeasement” with Moscow since the country’s invasion of Crimea. “Some [...]
Union calls Jacob Rees-Mogg’s notes to civil servants ‘insulting’ April 23, 2022 The union FDA lambasted cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg for leaving “insulting” notes to civil servants. “These notes from JRM are not only condescending, crass and insulting, they completely undermine the leadership of the service,” said FDA’s general secretary Dave Penman. “Day after day we have good people telling us they will go because they know [...]
