'LIVE' CONSULTATIONS

CAA Draft Decision for comment - Departure Route 4

The CAA is inviting comment on the draft report's findings. The objective of this is ensure that the CAA has not missed, misunderstood or misinterpreted any relevant matters. The deadline for comments is 3 February 2020.

CAA Consultation - Airspace classification review 2019-2020

The CAA would like help to identify volumes of controlled airspace in which the classification could be amended to better reflect the needs of all airspace users on an equitable basis. Submissions by 3 March 2020 via the website. Click here for supporting documents and Survey.

Regulation 19 Consultation on the Crawley 2035 Submission draft Local Plan

Crawley Borough Council sets out the Council's vision for the development of Crawley from 2020-2035, including strategic planning policies and principles which will shape the future of the town and will be used in the consideration of planning applications, including policies for Gatwick. The draft Local Plan is being made available for representations over a 6 week statutory consultation period closing on 2 March 2020. Click here to see consultation web pages.

NEWS HEADLINES

• Regional Air Connectivity Review: aviation minister visits Liverpool John Lennon Airport to launch UK tour of regional airports - Gov.uk

Aviation Minister, Paul Maynard, launches UK tour of regional airports as part of the Regional Air Connectivity Review, starting with Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The Department for Transport seeks the views of local airports to identify how best to support connectivity across the UK. The review will ensure all corners of the country benefit from economic growth and prosperity for years to come. Read more

• China coronavirus: UK Cobra committee meet as death toll rises to 26- live news - Guardian 24.01.20

The UK government's 'Cobra' emergency committee is holding its meeting now about the outbreak. The Guardian's Political Editor, Heather Stewart, reports that ministers from the home office, the foreign office, and departments for transport, education and communities and local government will also attend. See live news feed

GATWICK NEWS

• Late passenger who phoned in bomb threat to delay his flight is jailed for 16 months - Telegraph 18.01.20

Rashidul Islam, 32, called police 45 minutes before his easyJet flight to Marrakesh from Gatwick was due to take off after his train was cancelled and his taxi became stuck in traffic on May 4 last year. His hoax call caused the flight to be evacuated and all 147 passengers had to be rechecked by security. This cost the airline an estimated £30,000 and resulted in a three-hour delay. Yesterday he was sentenced to 16 months in jail at Lewes Crown Court after pleading guilty to communicating false information. He was also banned from Gatwick Airport. Read more

• Gatwick short cut - BTNews 20.01.20

A much quicker connection from the Gatwick South Terminal to a new local transport hub has been completed by the airport. This follows a complaint to Business Travel News and passed on to CEO Stuart Wingate. Improvements include two new lifts from the southbound road-level bus stops on the A23 into the South Terminal - and Gatwick's train station - for people travelling with luggage, parents with pushchairs and passengers with reduced mobility. Further improvements have been made to the bus stop areas on both the northbound and southbound A23, including pedestrian and wheelchair accessible routes, new seating and improved lighting and signage in and out of the terminal. Help points have also been installed with the live information screens also updated. Read more

• Warning of 'widespread disruption' risk at Gatwick Airport as staff move towards strike action - Crawley Observer 22.01.20

Union members employed at Gatwick Airport are moving towards industrial action after a pay offer was rejected, according to Unite. If a full industrial action ballot takes place then strike action could begin during the spring and would result in widespread disruption at the airport, according to Unite. Read more See also BBT article Gatwick and Heathrow face strike threats

• Emergency roadworks prevent buses from accessing Gatwick North Terminal - Crawley News24 22.01.20

Passengers wishing to access Gatwick North terminal on Metrobus are having navigate their way via the south terminal this afternoon. Emergency roadworks have been undertaken after an issue was discovered with a manhole cover. Read more

• Gatwick Station prepares for two years of intensive transformation work - Crawley News24 22.01.20

A £150m upgrade to Gatwick Station is due to commence this May that will see that station transform. Network Rail say that the works will mean that a new dedicated timetable will be released soon that will allow commuters to still be able to use the station whilst the works are undertaken. Read more

• Jamie Oliver's Gatwick Airport restaurants amass hundreds of negative reviews, with diners slamming "foul" food - Square Meal 22.01.20

The three sites - Jamie Oliver's Diner, Jamie's Italian and Jamie's Coffee Lounge - have all received unfavourable online reviews, with Jamie Oliver's Diner (found in the South Terminal) having racked up 330 'terrible' ratings from review site TripAdvisor. Read more

• 3,600 sign petition to reinstate flights from Aberdeen to Gatwick - Evening Express 23.01.20

The easyJet route was cut in February last year, making it harder for passengers to reach south London. The petition has been discussed at the Scottish Parliament in the hope that a solution can be found. Read more

• New buses to suck in killer particles - The Times 24.01.20

A generation of "pollution-busting" buses that suck in dangerous particles will be introduced nationwide under plans to improve air quality. In the trial a single bus removed as much as 65g of pollutants from the air in 100 days. Go-Ahead said Brighton, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford, Plymouth and the Crawley-Gatwick airport area would each get one bus from the early summer. Read more

OTHER NEWS

• What Are Airport Curfews And Why Do They Matter? - Simple Flying 13.12.19

Short article looking at the economic effects of airport curfews. Read more

• Future flybe: more Virgin or Stobart? - Anna Aero 15.01.20

Analysis article examining stats of flybe's UK domestic services. Read more

• Airline offsetting is a distraction from policies that can actually reduce aviation CO2 emissions - Airport Watch 15.01.20

Andrew Murphy, aviation expert at Transport & Environment, explains why offsetting does not work to remove the carbon flights emit. He says: "It's a reality that people fly more and more regularly…Offsetting is just paying someone else to reduce your emissions, rather than reduce your own…Many have called them modern day papal indulgences…offsetting most certainly will not wipe your carbon slate clean. Read more

• Climate change: Citizens' assembly prepares to tackle climate change - BBC 17.01.20

Should aviation be taxed more? Should SUVs be banned? Should wind power be subsidised by taxpayers? These are the sort of the climate-related questions to be pondered by a new "citizens' assembly", composed of 110 members of the public. The panel has been selected to reflect key sectors of society and a range of opinion. Read more

• Expert questions effectiveness of coronavirus airport screening - Guardian 18.01.20

Medical staff at airports trying to screen for carriers of the newly discovered coronavirus face a major problem. Its exact impact inside a human is still not known. Read more

• New sleeper train from Sweden will get passengers to London by morning - Independent 18.01.20

Rail passengers could soon be leaving Sweden after dinner and arriving in London the next morning, under plans unveiled by the Swedish authorities. The planned service, which is set to start in 2022 or 2023, is part of an expansion of night trains proposed by the Swedish government to provide a practical alternative to short-haul flights - which contribute to climate change. Read more

• ICCAN has reviewed the Survey of Noise Attitudes ("SoNA") prepared by the CAA - Teddington Action Group 18.01.20

The Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise has made a number of recommendations in its review on the noise survey prepared by the Civil Aviation Authority back in 2014 including that a new, regular attitudinal survey towards aviation noise is begun, with the first of the series conducted before the end of 2021. Read more

• Sadiq Khan announces green new deal for London if re-elected in May, and says Heathrow 3rd runway would be "catastrophic" - Airport Watch 19.01.20

Sadiq Khan has announced that he would introduce a green new deal for London and make the city carbon-neutral by 2030 if re-elected in May this year. He also outlined the steps that he would take in the future to combat the climate crisis, and air pollution. Read more

• Quakers question tax cuts for polluters - Ekklesia 20.01.20

Quakers in Britain are questioning government moves to support the aviation industry. In an open letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid, Quakers say that reducing Air Passenger Duty directly threatens the UK's net-zero commitment. Read more

• Flybe collapse could close Southampton and Belfast airports, says MP - Independent 20.01.20

Two of Britain's leading regional airports have denied that were Flybe to fail, they would have to close. A senior Conservative MP, Tobias Ellwood, named George Best Belfast City and Southampton airports as possible candidates for closure if the ailing regional airline collapsed. Read more

• Why doctors are like pilots - Oxford University Press Blog 20.01.20

A recent analysis of the Boeing 737 Max disasters concludes that while technical malfunctions contributed to the crashes, "an industry that puts unprepared pilots in the cockpit is just as guilty." Journalist William Langewiesche uses the term "airmanship" to encompass an array of skills and experience necessary to the safe and effective guidance of an airplane. Read more

• SAA cancels flights amid collapse rumours - BBT 21.01.20

South African Airways (SAA) has cancelled "selected domestic flights" and its service to Munich over the coming days after denying rumours that is on the verge of collapse. The carrier responded to media speculation yesterday by saying "flights to all its destinations continue as normal". Read more

• Charter a jet to avoid airport ills - Mature Times 21.01.20

Airports are deeply unpleasant, soulless places and one cancellation can cause all kinds of problems. If you're unlucky enough to have your flight delayed or cancelled, your holidays and overseas visits can be ruined very quickly. Avoiding issues such as these and guaranteeing your plane will take off is just one of the many advantages of chartering your own private plane. Read more

• Airbus reveals plan to manage airline ticket price volatility - Travel Weekly 21.01.20

Airlines are to be offered a risk management system to help manage their exposure to ticket price volatility. The Skytra initiative is due to be launched this year by Airbus, allowing airlines to hedge against ticket price fluctuations. Read more

• Scientists appalled at government's support for high-carbon airline industry, and Matt Hancock ill-informed comments - Airport Watch 21.01.20

A letter from a group of leading scientists in the Independent criticises the support of this government for the high-carbon emissions airline industry, and the grossly misleading statements made by Matt Hancock (Sec of State for Health) to justify this bailout. Read more

• Comment: What did the government agree with Flybe? - Travel Weekly 22.01.20

The government stirred a hornets' nest with its agreement to rescue Flybe from imminent collapse last week. Rival airline bosses cried 'foul' and they have a point. A Downing Street spokesperson insisted: "There has been no state aid for Flybe." Yet the government's action was in stark contrast to the stance it took in relation to Thomas Cook last September. Read more

• Boeing delays 737 Max planes' expected return to skies until summer - Evening Standard 22.01.20

Boeing does not expect its 737 Max planes to return to the skies until the summer, several months longer than the company estimated just weeks ago. That timetable is likely to create more headaches for airlines by pushing the Max's return further into the peak travel season. Read more

• US authorities look to tighten rules over emotional support animals - Travel Mole 23.01.20

The U.S. Department of Transportation wants to completely rewrite rules governing the carriage of emotional support animals. It plans to change the definition of a service animal as the 'existing structure has a very broad definition' open to abuse. Read more

• New immersive plane crash experience to open - Independent 23.01.20

A new immersive performance will allow audience members to experience a plane crash. Once onboard, participants will be plunged into total darkness, while 360 degree sound and sensory effects will put each audience member at the centre the narrative. Read more

• Start-Ups and Entrepreneurs in air travel - who to watch in the 2020s - OAG 23.01.20

From the air to the ground, the travel industry continues to be disrupted - and evolve - with a myriad of innovations. In this spotlight, we look at and summarize the various trends and start-ups to keep an eye out for in the 2020s. Read more

• Boeing 777X first flight postponed - UK Aviation News 23.01.20

The first flight of Boeing's latest wide-body, the 777X, was expected later today (23rd January) to begins its flight testing program ahead of certification but this has now been postponed due to weather. Read more

• Tax flyers to meet net zero carbon emissions target, report says - Independent 23.01.20

The UK is being encouraged to introduce a "green" aviation tax to fund tree planting schemes in order to hit its net zero carbon emissions target by 2050. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), an independent body that advises the government on emissions targets, has released new in-depth advice on how the UK needs to change to meet its goal. Read more See also Telegraph article

• Clean seats aboard British Airways assured only to VIP passengers - International Business Times 24.01.20

Not all British Airways customers are guaranteed a clean seat on-board their aircraft. A new policy ensures that certain VIP passengers enjoy the benefit of getting a clean seat for their flight. Random checks carried out by British Airways to ensure aircraft cleanliness means that the chances of regular passengers encountering an unclean seat are very high. Read more

• Operators monitoring coronavirus crisis as people in UK are tested - Travel Weekly 24.01.20

Public Health England reported that 14 cases had been tested as a precautionary measure on Thursday night but the locations were not divulged. Read more

• Travel continues to outpace economy as arrivals hit 1.5bn - Travel Weekly 24.01.20

International tourist arrivals hit 1.5 billion worldwide in 2019, 3.8% up on the previous year, marking a tenth consecutive year of growth, according to the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). All regions of the world saw increased arrivals. However, global growth in travel was more than two percentage points below the 6% rate of 2017 and 2018. Read more

• Comment: Travel adverts need to beef up their branding to stand out - Travel Weekly 24.01.20

It could be argued that, compared to many products and services, holidays are a relatively simple thing to sell. But, in a way, that is one of the challenges facing most destination, operator and retail brands when it comes to marketing their product or service. Read more

GAL PRESS RELEASES, EVENTS AND UPDATES

One thousand pupils attend Gatwick Airport roadshow in Dorking - part of a series to inspire the study of STEM subjects - 22.01.2020

• Five local schools enjoyed an action-packed day
• easyJet and Surrey Police among partners present along with 40 Gatwick volunteers
• The series of roadshows will continue to its fourth roadshow in West Sussex in March

One thousand pupils from five local schools visited a Gatwick Airport Roadshow at Ashcombe School, Dorking, yesterday - in a continuing programme across the region designed to encourage children to pursue Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) related careers.

The aim of the roadshows is to give students across the region a more hands-on experience of STEM-related careers to encourage them to consider working in the industry. They also aim to highlight jobs at the airport that may not immediately be known of by school children such as airfield engineers and external security staff.

The pupils had an eclectic choice of activities at the Dorking roadshow - the third in the series - including education on the safe flying drones from the police, presentations from easyJet cabin crew and pilots to understand their jobs better and looking for hidden items in the x-ray images, guided by the Gatwick security officers.

The roadshows are part of Gatwick's wider community engagement programme which is designed to generate meaningful and lasting impacts on the lives of local communities, particularly the young, elderly and other vulnerable groups. 

Having now been to Kent, East Sussex, and Surrey the roadshows will continue in March at Worthing College, West Sussex, to ensure the whole region benefits from the scheme.

Gatwick also recently announced that it has partnered with 15 primary schools and five local secondary schools near to Gatwick and - as part of their continued professional development - nearly 30 teachers learned new techniques that bring engineering-related projects to life so that they are better able to inspire children in the classroom and in the school curriculum.

Paula Aldridge, Community Engagement Manager, Gatwick Airport said: "It was brilliant to see the students immerse themselves in all the activities. I genuinely think the pupils' perception of STEM subjects and careers at the airport changed for the better.

"All the activities were engaging and fun and I want to thank all of Gatwick's business partners for helping this event happen.

"I now look forward to replicating this success in West Sussex for the fourth roadshow in the on-going programme of Gatwick's investment in children's education for the region."