Hammond: We’ll build Crossrail June 15, 2010 TRANSPORT secretary Philip Hammond yesterday said the government would deliver the Crossrail project in its entirety. There had been concerns the coalition would scrap some stations as it grapples with a massive budget deficit. But speaking in an exclusive interview with City A.M., Hammond said he had no plans to reduce the scope of the [...]
The accidental transport secretary turns his sights on planes and trains June 15, 2010 IT wasn’t meant to be like this. If the Tories had won an outright majority on 7 May, Philip Hammond would have gone to the Treasury as chief secretary and implemented the toughest spending cuts in a generation. As part of the coalition agreement, however, he had to step aside for a Liberal Democrat and [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING June 14, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES MINISTERS URGED TO EXTEND WIND SUBSIDIES One of the biggest investors in UK wind power will warn the government on Tuesday that it must extend subsidies for the industry or risk losing investment as European countries vie to build up wind capacity. ARAB NATIONS URGED TO MEET AID PROMISES Arab countries have been urged to use more of their [...]
Spirit Airlines hit by pilots’ walk-out June 14, 2010 A PILOTS’ strike at America’s Spirit Airlines has prompted the carrier to extend flight cancellations into the middle of the week. Pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (Alpa) struck on Saturday after last-ditch talks with the discount carrier failed to bridge differences over pay. Florida-based Spirit said it would offer affected customers flight [...]
Acas offer may help BA ground union dispute June 13, 2010 CONCILIATION services group Acas has sent a proposal to British Airways (BA) and Unite that could see an end to the long running and crippling dispute. It is understood that the proposal from Acas centres on travel perks for BA cabin crew, which were removed by the airline during the March strike and remain as [...]
TRAVEL NOTES June 13, 2010 Summer savings in Mauritius Escape unreliable British weather with a trip to this heavenly Ayurvedic retreat in Mauritius, currently offering savings to the tune of £1,525 per person. If you stay seven nights you get a reduced room rate as well as a free daily round of golf. Seven days from £1,455 per person. Includes [...]
BA warns of a move to Madrid June 10, 2010 British Airways has threatened to expand in Madrid instead of Heathrow once it merges with Spanish flagship carrier Iberia. Willie Walsh told the Financial Times that “growth is not going to go away”. The government confirmed in May it would not allow new runways at several UK airports.
BA chief exec turns down £334k bonus June 10, 2010 WILLIE WALSH, the British Airways (BA) chief executive, was the only senior level member of the airline to turn down a bonus last year, as the airline faced increasing financial losses and industrial action launched by cabin crew. Walsh, who was in line to receive a £334,000 bonus awarded in shares, declined to accept it [...]
Ash and strikes cause BAA passenger traffic to fall 4.5pc June 10, 2010 BRITISH AIRPORT AUTHORITY (BAA), owner of Heathrow and Stansted airports, reported floundering May passenger numbers yesterday as the industrial action launched by British Airways cabin crew and the Iceland volcano disruptions continued to take their toll. The airports body, owned by Spain’s Ferrovial, said yesterday that 8.6m passengers traveled through its six airports, marking a [...]
BAA passenger numbers down after strike and ash cloud June 10, 2010 BAA’s passenger traffic in May dropped compared with last year after being hit by the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud and British Airways’ cabin crew industrial action. BAA’s UK airports handled 8.6m passengers in the month, which was a drop of 4.5 per cent on May 2009. Heathrow handled 5.3m passengers – 3.1 per cent down [...]