NEWS
Industry fi gures concerned as Heathrow expansion becomes a political contention
Fears for third runway
as MP pressure grows
Ian Taylor
ian.taylor@rbi.co.uk
Industry leaders are concerned
at growing pressure on the
government to drop or delay a
decision to build a third
runway at Heathrow.
More than 40 Labour MPs
have come out against the
airport’s expansion and three
cabinet members are reportedly
opposed, fearing it will
damage the government’s environmental
credentials and
lose support in the southeast.
Conservative leaders said
they will scrap plans for a third
runway if elected. Shadow
transport secretary Theresa Villiers
recently warned building
contractors considering bids
for work on the runway that she
would cancel the contracts.
Any retreat would be a
major blow to scheduled
8 | Travel Weekly | November 7 2008
Carrivick: ‘The Tory policy
does not stand up to scrutiny’
airlines and to airport operator
BAA, which already has Gatwick
up for sale and expects to
be ordered by the Competition
Commission to sell Stansted.
Board of Airline Representatives
in the UK chief executive
Mike Carrivick told Travel
Weekly: “We will be very disappointed
if there is no decision.
There is no doubt there is
backbench unease, but the
Tory policy does not stand up
to scrutiny. This is a strategic
decision and the consequences
go well beyond west London.
“We accept there will be strict
environmental controls. We just
have to go with the fl ow.”
Transport secretary Geoff
Hoon had been expected to
make a decision this month,
although the runway would
not be in operation until 2020.
However, Labour MPs are
reportedly lobbying for a postponement
until after the next
general election.
Andy Slaughter, MP for
Ealing, Acton and Shepherd’s
Bush said: “There are signs of
a change in mood. This is a
vote-changing issue.”
Hoon gave the go-ahead for
Letters Push perks and career
development in travel: page 33
expansion at Stansted last
month and it has been reported
the Department for Transport
will fast-track the resulting
public inquiry – due to
begin next April – in an effort
to ensure Stansted has
planning permission for a new
runway before an election.
In a separate development,
the Competition Commission
upheld several complaints by
low-cost airlines at Stansted,
ruling BAA should improve
its information to carriers and
pay rebates for delays at security.
But it rejected Ryanair’s
claim of excessive pricing at
the airport.
BAA has begun legal
proceedings against Ryanair
for withholding payments.
For daily news go to
www.travelweekly.co.uk
You’ve Gok to look good on fl ights
Air New Zealand has teamed up with TV style guru Gok
Wan to ensure all its passengers look as gorgeous as
possible. The How to Look Good Naked presenter has
written a Style in the Sky guide covering everything
from packing advice to beauty tips, which can be viewed
at airnewzealand.co.uk. Wan said: “Arriving at your
destination looking fresh and fabulous is important,
whether fl ying for business or pleasure.”
IN BRIEF
HOTEL GROUP SEES
FALLING REVENUES
Rezidor Hotel Group has
blamed the economic
slowdown for a 0.4% drop in
revenue per room and a 4.2%
drop in overall revenue for
the third quarter of this year.
Occupancy for Radisson SAS
also fell from 77% for July to
September 2007 to 71% for the
same period this year.
HOLIDAY TAXIS HELPS
WITH SKI TRANSFERS
Holiday Taxis has launched
a transfer programme and
interactive map to help agents
dynamically package ski
holidays. The map allows
agents to see which resorts
can be reached from destination
airports and includes
transfer times and prices.
SINGAPORE REAL HIT
WITH BRIT TOURISTS
The Singapore Tourism Board
said a 3.2% increase in UK
visitors in September was
largely due to the hosting of a
Formula 1 Grand Prix. A total
of 495,693 Brits visited the
country last year, making the
UK its largest single market.
www.travelweekly.co.uk
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