BAA T5 boss Mark Bullock finally quits job

As predicted by NoTRAG campaigners, Heathrow's Managing Director, Mark Bullock, is leaving BAA following the Terminal 5 fiasco.

Last week, MPs said the T5 fiasco had "made a fool out of the country" and called for an explanation. On 13th May, BAA clearly put the blame at Mr Bullock's door although it announced he had "chosen to leave".

(In April, British Airways announced that two of its top executives, operations director Gareth Kirkwood and customer service director David Noyes, were leaving the airline following the T5 problems.)

Mark Bullock was the man who brought the misguided injunction against anti-expansion campaigners last summer. It was another costly fiasco for BAA, who ended up a laughing stock and had to foot a massive legal bill while the Camp for Climate Action in Sipson, which Mr Bullock had tried to prevent, went ahead in a blaze of publicity.

Tired Brown given election wake-up call

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who has persistently pushed for a third runway at Heathrow against strong public opposition, is being told to start listening to voters if he wants to keep Labour in power following disastrous election results.

After a hammering in local elections on 1st May, and the appointment of a Conservative London Mayor on 3rd May, a tired-looking Brown faced a barrage of criticism from prominent Labour Party figures calling for a re-examination of government policies.

Hazel Blears, Communities Secretary: "The public is sending a really strong message that they have problems in their lives and want the Government to help them through. What we do next is spend more time out of London and out of Whitehall on the estates listening to people and taking action on the bread and butter issues."

Michael Meacher, former environment minister: "If we don't have a profound and fundamental change in policy and direction we will lose the next general election."

John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington: "Without a radical change of direction we are witnessing a Labour government slipping away."

Ed Balls, Schools Secretary: "Labour supporters are cross and worried and we need to do a lot more to show we are on their side. I don't think listening is enough. We have to act."

David Blunkett, the former home secretary: "We need to refresh and renew."

Perhaps Hazel Blears should take her own advice and listen to the communities around Sipson that her Government is planning to destroy. As Ruth Kelly has already wiped Sipson off her Sat Nav, Hazel should make the effort to visit the estates under flightpaths and show Ed Balls the damaging affect noise has on childrens' education.

As for refreshing and renewing, isn't it time for a reshuffle? Putting someone in Transport who hasn't been seduced by the aviation industry could give Labour an instant boost in popularity.

Ex BA boss opposes third runway at Heathrow

While current aviation bosses continue their attempts to justify a third runway at Heathrow, former chief executive of British Airways, Bob Ayling, is free to give his view - that expanding Heathrow would be a "costly mistake".

Bob Ayling, who headed BA from 1996-2000, told The Sunday Times (4th May) what campaigners against expansion have said for a long time, that Heathrow expansion is "against Britain's economic interests".

In the Sunday Times article, Ayling states that BAA is pursuing a flawed business model that has contributed to the bankruptcy and near collapse of numerous US and European airlines, and has turned the airport into "a national disgrace".

Ayling also warned, "An expanded hub at Heathrow might not even be beneficial to British Airways. Transfer traffic in its own right is loss making."

He continued, "What Ruth Kelly and the government do not see is that transfer passengers, for whom such a hub would be built, spend no money in Britian, at least little beyond the value of a cup of tea."

Read more on TimesOnLine

Film-making mums focus on children in new campaign

Female film-makers, most with school-age children, are making a series of short films to raise awareness about environmental issues that will have a big impact on the youngsters - including Heathrow expansion.

The first 90-second short by Rebecca Frayn, When I Grow Up, is already on the internet and was shown at the anti-Heathrow expansion rally in London.

A forthcoming film will use comedy, and St Trinian's schoolgirls, to remind people to switch off lights and save energy. Another issue is the proposed coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent, the venue for the summer's Climate Camp.

The women involved with the new company making the films, Bright Green Pictures, are a talented and well-connected bunch:

Christina Robert has worked in films for 25 years and is wife of Barnaby Thompson, film producer and head of Ealing Studios.

Rebecca Frayn, a successful TV documentary-maker and daughter of the writer Michael Frayn, is married to Andy Harries, producer of The Queen and of the Bafta-winning Prime Suspect television dramas.

Eski Thomas is a screenwriter of the film All The Little Animals and married to Jeremy Thomas, producer of The Last Emperor and Crash.

Lila Morgan used to make commercials and her husband is Peter Morgan, writer of The Queen, The Deal, Longford and the play Frost/Nixon.

Lesley Cavendish has worked in films and is married to Jonathan Cavendish, producer of Bridget Jones.

The group are cooperating with a new campaign group, We Can (Climate Action Now). With a website set up last week and coordinated by the former ITN journalist Jennifer Nadel, it is organising a vigil of mothers and children outside the House of Commons on May 20 to protest about Heathrow.

Ms Nadel told The Sunday Times, “We have been deluded into thinking that simply not buying a plastic bag will help the environment hugely. It might make us feel good, but it is giving us a false sense of security. We must go much, much further and very, very quickly.”

TimesOnLine article

Join Protest Vigil and view "When I Grow Up"

Boris Johnson becomes London Mayor

Shortly before midnight on 2nd May, Boris Johnson MP was declared London Mayor after defeating Ken Livingstone.

All four main candidates had supported the anti-runway campaign, with both Boris and Ken visiting the villages during their campaigns to meet members of the NoTRAG committee.

In his acceptance speech, Boris made a point of saying he would protect green spaces. He also said that voters had decided that the Conservatives are a party that can be trusted.

Millions of Londoners who would be adversely affected by Heathrow expansion will be looking for the new Mayor to keep his promise of support.

And Boris, we know you have a "No Third Runway" badge - please don't forget to wear it.

US air chief says Heathrow is the worst airport in Europe

Don Langford, Head of Customer Services Europe for American Airlines, told BBC Radio's File On Four programme that Heathrow suffers from a lack of investment and is "a bit of a dump".

Pinpointing Heathrow's Terminal 3, Mr Langford observed, "If you look at the fabric of the building, if you look at where customers check in - missing light bulbs, duct tape on the floor - I would have to say that Heathrow is in many ways the worst of all the airports that my company flies to in Europe."

As usual, BAA try to blame Heathrow's shortcomings on capacity in a feeble attempt to convince passengers that life would be better if Heathrow were even bigger.

BAA's corporate affairs director Tom Kelly (formerly an advisor to Tony Blair) told the BBC, "This is an airport which was designed for something like 45 million passengers - we have now got 65 million."

Speaking the a company whose owners are already heavily in debt Mr Kelly continued: "We are investing £4bn over the next five years.....you've got to realise that if you are going to invest that kind of money it takes time to put things right."

File On 4 was told that rehearsals for T5's opening had revealed problems. Mick Rix of the GMB union criticised testing of the baggage system, claiming that British Airways had severe reservations about the software that is being used.

One of 250 volunteers taking part in a dry run two weeks before the first working day, teacher Sue Knight from Hillingdon, Middlesex, spoke of problems she discovered during the trials. There were problems with buses transferring passengers between terminals and luggage that was given to volunteers to check in was not taken through the system and returned.

Peter Morris, chief economist of aviation consultancy Ascend said the Terminal 5 trials were on too small a scale. A point disputed by Tom Kelly of BAA who said critics were being wise after the event.

Both BAA and British Airways have been told been by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to produce urgent reports on the Terminal 5 problems so that they do not occur when Heathrow modernises Terminals 1, 2 and 3.

Hear the full story on BBC Radio 4: File On 4 Tuesday 29 April 2008 at 2000 BST, repeated Sunday 4 May at 1700 BST or online at the File on 4 website.

BBC News report

Rising fuel prices weaken argument for third runway

The sky-high cost of fuel is pushing airlines out of business and weakening the argument for expansion at Heathrow, according to environmentalist Leo Hickman.

In recent weeks, market conditions have led to airlines such as Eon, Maxjet, Oasis, ATA Airlines, Aloha, Skybus and Champion Air going out of business. While more well-known airlines such as NorthWest and Delta have been forced to look at merging in order to survive.

Leo Hickman asks whether market conditions will get to decide the fate of the proposed third runway at Heathrow too.

While expansion plans at Heathrow were made when oil was 25 dollars a barrel, it is now heading towards 200 dollars. This price has yet to be paid by airlines, who buy their fuel many months in advance.

However, as ticket prices start to reflect the increase costs, Leo Hickman wonders whether passengers will look back on Summer 2008 as the last time they were able to fly abroad on holiday "on the cheap".

Read Leo Hickman's article

GOVERNMENT TO BETRAY LONDONERS OVER AIR QUALITY

Londoners believed that their air quality would improve in 2010 when new EU limits on air pollution come into force, but the government is set to sacrifice their well being to please the pro-expansionists.

Ministers are planning to ask the European commission for a special deal to exempt the capital from official limits on exposure to air pollutants. They want to pave the way for Heathrow to boost flight numbers by 60,000, with aircraft taking off and landing on the same runway.

The increase in passenger numbers would also increase the volume of road traffic. This would be multiplied with the construction of a third runway, 6th terminal and associated buildings in a development the size of Gatwick airport.

John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, said the government's decision, disclosed in a document obtained by The Sunday Times, was "a disgraceful act of bad faith".

Susan Kramer, Lib Dem MP for Richmond Park, which lies under the Heathrow flight path, referred to this government manoevering on air quality as its "dirty little secret".

The European Union air quality directive, which comes into force in May 2008, would require the UK to meet limits on nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by 2010, in line with World Health Organisation standards.

The government, and BAA, know that Heathrow expansion cannot meet these figures. Although NO2 is known to cause respiratory problems and premature death in vulnerable people, the government is set to ask for formal permission to delay the compliance date for at least five years.

Read The Sunday Times article

BAA caught trying to influence Competition Commission Inquiry

Anti-expansion campaigners are used to BAA's dodgy tactics, so it came as no surprise to discover that investigators have caught BAA trying to influence consultants advising the Competition Commission inquiry that urged a break-up of the airports group.

The commission has censured BAA saying it "takes any suggestion of interference in the discharge of its functions very seriously".

The Sunday Times on 27th April reports that, in January, the commission held a tender for consultants to advise it on BAA's plans for a new runway at Stansted.
It would seem that BAA had some involvement with the tendering and appointment process.

As a result, the commission decided to drop the first tender and appointed a different company to do the work.

BAA claimed it was an "isolated incident involving one employee" which was "in no way authorised, encouraged or condoned by senior management".

It refused to say whether the employee involved had been sacked.

We'll take that as a no then.

Read The Sunday Times article

Campaigners get "Ruth-less"

"Ruth-less" campaigners fighting expansion at Heathrow have launched a bid to get Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly, to meet them.

To mark International Noise Awareness Day on 16th April, members of HACAN, NoTRAG and the 2M group started the Find Ruth campaign to persuade the illusive lady to meet the people directly affected by plans to build a third runway, sixth terminal and end agreements that give residents respite from aircraft noise.

The campaign is asking those affected to write to Ruth Kelly (address on our Write To Them page) and ask her to pay them a visit. HACAN is suggesting that its members invite Ms Kelly to spend a day and a night with them so she can experience noise levels for herself.

Chairman John Steward said: "Ruth Kelly has mixed with aviation bosses but has not come to meet any of the residents in their homes. If Ruth doesn't come to see us, we will go to see her.

He continued, "We think it is entirely appropriate that this campaign is being launched on International Noise Awareness Day. If Government's plans go ahead, it will mean noise all day long for many parts of West London."

Geraldine Nicholson, Chair of NoTRAG, said: "Ruth Kelly has so far refused to come down to meet with any of the thousands of people who will lose their homes if her expansion plans go ahead. We will mount a ruthless campaign to find her."

UPDATE - Ruth found at London venue on 22nd May

Government to examine the economic regulation of UK airports

Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly announced at lunchtime on 22nd April that the government will review the economic regulation of UK airports.

The announcement followed the release of interim findings by the Competition Commission, which were extremely critical of BAA's domination of airports in
south-east England and parts of Scotland. Not surprisingly, the watchdog felt that BAA "may not be serving well the interests of either airlines or passengers". The Commission's full report is due in August.

The government's review will look at how to improve customer service, boost investment and deal with environmental concerns. The government will also be examining the role of the aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority.

In television and radio interviews, the new Chief Executive of BAA, Colin Matthews, skirted the issue of poor BAA service. However, on Radio 4 he said that if BAA service did not improve it would not have a leg to stand on.

Ruth Kelly's statement

MPs slam Government over collusion with BAA on Heathrow Consultation

Heathrow MP John McDonnell has called for an independent Public Inquiry into the Consulation on plans to expand the airport after MPs lined up in a House of Commons debate (3rd April) to slam the Government over collusion with BAA when drawing up the consultation.

MPs forced the Aviation Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, to admit that the Department for Transport had received a stagering 70,000 responses to the consultation. Previously, he had only admitted to 18,000.

Lib Dem Transport Spokesman, Norman Baker, who opened he debate initiated by his Party, likened BAA to "some fiendish drug addict" with the Government "its willing dealer".

He congratulated Justine Greening, Conservative MP for Putney, on her Freedom of Information request, which showed "that the unsatisfactory initial results led to executives from BAA being given unrivalled access to Whitehall and confidential data so that they could select alternative input data for environmental predications until they got the right results."

Justine Greening told the Commons: “The freedom of information results that I have obtained clearly show that BAA was so involved with modelling the air pollution and noise that there was a BAA forecasting team. BAA also sat on the Heathrow project board. I do not remember being invited to sit on that board as a key stakeholder and local MP. BAA was involved with the DfT in developing joint lines to take to deal with media and press inquiries. That is fundamentally wrong.”

The Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Theresa Villiers, echoed the criticism of the Government: “I do not know whether the Secretary of State thinks that cosy meetings at BAA headquarters to “reforecast” and fix the figures to get the answer that is wanted are a proper way to conduct the planning process.”

John McDonnell, the Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, whose constituency includes Heathrow, put down an Early Day Motion calling for no decision to be taken on a third runway and 6th terminal until an independent Public Inquiry into the recent consultation process has been set up and has reported.

McDonnell said in the debate: “For many people out there, the message that comes across loudly is that this place is becoming good enough only for climbing on the roof and hanging their banners, and useful for nothing else.”

Former Environment Minister Michael Meacher said: “I think that there must be accountability for such behaviour. I assume that no Minister was directly involved in the massaging of these data, but I believe that leading civil servants, including David Gray who appears in all the documents, should be disciplined and, if necessary, removed, which is what I believe would occur in any other sector of employment.”

Michael Meacher has written to the EU Commissioner for the Environment, Stavros Dimas, to ask him to investigate the Government’s handling of the consultation since a crucial part of the consultation concerned whether the EU legal limits on air pollution would be exceeded if expansion took place.

John Stewart of HACAN said, “We totally support the call for an independent Public Inquiry. The grilling Ministers were given in Parliament shows this issue of collusion between the DfT and BAA will just not go away.”

Hansard account of the debate