Travel welcomes Heathrow pledge to end capacity CAP this month
The travel industry has welcomed a pledge from Heathrow airport not to extend its 100,000 passenger-a-day capacity cap beyond the end of October, with one association claiming the cap pushed costs for its members up by nearly a third.
The cap, though, was quickly extended through to 29 October owing to the level of flight demand and the post-Covid operational pressures on the airport, such as staffing.
However, while the decision not to extend the cap has been welcomed, the airport this week signalled it will introduce a new system to manage capacity during peak periods this winter, one it says will prioritise the protection of existing airline schedules
Gatwick hails “innovative” runway resurfacing initiative
Gatwick airport has completed works to resurface its main runway, using what it called “a break from traditional methods” to reduce costs and save time.
The airport had originally intended to carry out the resurfacing programme in 2020 – the fifth “rehabilitation” of the runway since it was built in the 1950s – but the work was postponed as a result of Covid-19.
Instead of resurfacing the whole of the runway as would normally have been the case, the airport has resurfaced “only the most ‘trafficked’ parts of its main runway” – where aircraft land and exit – as other sections were shown to still have seven to ten years of expected life.
“The cost savings can now also be reinvested in improvements across other parts of the airport.”
Daa International appointed as operator of Red Sea airport in SAR1 billion deal
The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) has signed a SAR1 billion agreement to appoint Daa International as the operator of the upcoming Red Sea International (RSI) airport in Saudi Arabia.
Powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, the facility is expected to become the region’s first-ever carbon-neutral airport.
The airport is being readied to receive its first guests early next year and is aimed at ushering in a carbon-neutral, net-zero era for airport designs and operations. It will be able to serve an estimated one million domestic and international tourists per year by 2030 – at a peak of 900 travellers per hour.
Travel news as a glance:
- Dublin airport eases contingency measures as security processing times stabilise
- Air Canada and United Airlines to Increase International Network Beginning Summer 2023
- Emirates to resume A380 services between Narita and Dubai
- Delta expands air-rail programme in Europe
- Lufthansa unveils B787 business class seating
- Loganair up for sale