2008 Articles

New terminal increasingly likely at Stansted

Plans for the construction of a second runway at Stansted Airport have entered a new stage after it was announced there would be a public review into the expansion, according to reports.

A public inquiry will assess the practicality of the new runway project but the process is normally understood to be a signal of government support for any proposed scheme.

Runway project director Roger Pellman said: "We welcome today's news that our Generation 2 planning application for the development of a second runway at Stansted has been 'called in' and will now proceed to a public inquiry."

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Siemens lands contract for Heathrow terminal

Siemens Building Technologies has been selected by BAA to design the information and communications system for a new terminal at Heathrow Airport, it has been reported.

In a £3.6 million contract, Siemens will ensure that all organisations working at the Heathrow Eastern Terminal will be able to get passengers quickly and safely aboard their flight.

Peter Hawksworth, managing director of Siemens Security Systems, said: "The experience that Siemens has in similar size projects around the world reassured BAA that they have a safe pair of hands to deliver in these very important areas such as security, fire and information management."

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Stansted confirms safety restrictions

Passengers using Stansted Airport during the busy summer period are being told to become aware of the safety restrictions to avoid any difficulties.

According to the airport, passengers must ensure that they do not travel with sharp items, such as knives or scissors, in their hand luggage in order to save time during the boarding process.

Restrictions also exist on liquids as they must be put in containers of less than 100ml and presented in clear, re-sealable plastic bags which are provided free by Stansted Airport.

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Glasgow Prestwick Airport keeps its name

Bosses at Glasgow Prestwick Airport have announced that they will not be changing its name despite pressure from MSPs, the Daily Record has reported.

There had been calls from the Scottish government to rename the airport after the famous playwright Robert Burns in order to increase tourism to the area but this has been rejected.

Glasgow Airport chief executive Mark Rodwell told the Record: "We appreciate Robert Burns has a hugely important Ayrshire and Scottish identity and has followers around the world. However, like most airports, we rely on the location name to attract the vast majority of our customers."

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Airports to assist disabled passengers

New EU legislation will make life for disabled passengers easier from this Friday, it has been reported.

It will soon be the responsibility of airports to make sure that all disabled people are given the necessary help from arrival through to check in and then finally onto boarding.

A spokesman for Leonard Cheshire Disability said: “Disabled people are still facing barriers when using air travel, when they should enjoy the same opportunities that most of us take for granted."
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New Spanish routes from Leeds/Bradford

Two new routes to the Spanish destinations of Girona on the Costa Brava and Alicante on the Costa Blanca will soon be accessible from Leeds/Bradford Airport.

Ryanair announced that it would launch the new services in the autumn, with the Girona route operating four times a week from October 1st.

The popular holiday destination of Alicante will see three flights a week from Leeds from October 28th onwards.
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More than 2m to flock through UK airports

UK airports are expected to see one of their busiest weekends of the year over the coming days as more than two million holidaymaking Brits leave the country.

According to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta), Heathrow Airport will be the busiest hub, with 460,000 departing passengers, followed by Gatwick Airport (260,000).

With traffic flow of 160,000 travellers, Manchester Airport is set to be busier than the London hub of Stansted (150,000), while the main Scottish gateways are expected to handle 150,000 outbound passengers.
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More than 2m to flock through UK airports

UK airports are expected to see one of their busiest weekends of the year over the coming days as more than two million holidaymaking Brits leave the country.

According to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta), Heathrow Airport will be the busiest hub, with 460,000 departing passengers, followed by Gatwick Airport (260,000).

With traffic flow of 160,000 travellers, Manchester Airport is set to be busier than the London hub of Stansted (150,000), while the main Scottish gateways are expected to handle 150,000 outbound passengers.
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Families offered money-saving tips

People planning family holidays this summer have been offered a number of tips on how to keep their trips as affordable as possible.

At a time of rising consumer prices, it is becoming something of a challenge to keep down the cost of foreign trips, according to family holiday specialist Tots to Travel.

However, the company said there are a number of areas where people can save money, including airport parking choices, as some providers are cheaper than others.
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New store opened at Newcastle Airport

Travellers at Newcastle Airport now have a new shopping option following the opening of the new Biza store on July 15th.

The 1,000-square-metre store reportedly offers an "inspirational, exciting and satisfying" airport shopping experience.

Biza, which takes its name from the word bazaar, offers a boutique-style grouping of products that includes a selection of items that are exclusive to the store in the travel retail field.
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Singapore Airlines launches additional A380 flights

Singapore Airlines has today (July 16th) launched additional services to London Heathrow Airport using the Airbus A380.

Four additional weekly services between Singapore and Heathrow will be made available, giving a broader range of British travellers the opportunity to experience the world's largest passenger airliner.

The extra flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and bring the airline's total number of flights between Singapore and London to 11 a week.
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