News

Airport Operators Association response to the Government’s update on the Airports Commission Interim Report

The AOA acknowledges the Government’s update on the Airports Commission Interim Report, published today by the Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin MP, but calls for the Government to do more to promote UK aviation before next year’s general election.

Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Airport Operators Association, said:

  • “The Airport Operators Association welcomes the Government’s support – reiterated today – for the Airport Commission’s objectives to maintain the UK’s status as an international hub for aviation. We also agree with Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin when he says that in the UK we sometimes take for granted the benefits which come to us from having a well-connected nation and strong aviation sector.
  • “To deliver that strong aviation sector, we need vibrant point to point airports and sufficient world class hub capacity. Airports support a million jobs, contribute more than £50bn GDP to UK plc, generate over £8bn a year tax revenues to the Treasury, and support a whole range of economic and social activity so it’s extremely welcome the Government recognises the contribution our members can make to the recovery.
  • “We believe, however, that in addition to supporting the Airports Commission, there is much more that can be done to realise the full potential of UK aviation, including: reducing Air Passenger Duty for all passengers; incentivising the take-up of sustainable aviation biofuels, to help aviation become ever more sustainable; and building on the positive language contained in last year’s Aviation Policy Framework by promoting a planning regime which enables all UK airports to grow. It also, of course, needs to commit to act on the recommendations set out in the Airports Commission Final Report when it is published in the summer of 2015.”

AOA ‘asks’

  1. Support sectoral growth: promote UK airports’ growth, through the Aviation Policy Framework and the Sir Howard Davies Airports Commission
  2. Review and cut further all levels of Air Passenger Duty
  3. Incentivise the take up of sustainable aviation fuels, to help enable ever more sustainable aviation
  4. Improve surface access – rail and road – to airports through a single national transport strategy
  5. Speed up planning by setting clear land-use policies in noise contours, curtailing the building of housing and other noise sensitive buildings around airports so that fewer people in future live in areas where there is aircraft noise
  6. Align UK security requirements with the nature of threats

For further information please contact Tim Alderslade on 0207 799 3171 or timalderslade@aoa.org.uk.