[Anonymous]

[continentalclub]

BT readers may be interested to know that the UK Government is conducting a two-stage consultation on the future of UK aviation to inform its draft White Paper in 2013. The first stage of the process is a scoping document covering a wide range of issues that will frame the actual cosultation expected in March 2012. This is the Developing A Sustainable Framework For UK Aviation, published on 31 March. The closing date is 30 September 2011.

The Department for Transport has indicated that it would particularly value feedback from airline customers in their own words. Although the consultation is extensive – it has 49 questions – respondents are asked to answer only those that are of specific importance to them:

http://bit.ly/mUqlsZ

As this consultation appears, ironically, to be somewhat ‘below the radar’ at present, Business Traveller readers, and in particular those who are CEOs and Managing Directors of businesses with significant UK outbound and inbound travel requirements, may wish to read the consultation document and to respond to any relevant questions.

The airlines will of course be responding too, against a backdrop of issues such as the CAA’s announcement that it will investigate BAA’s pricing at Heathrow, following bmi British Midland’s complaint that the current, newly-introduced, structure discriminates against domestic operations.

http://bit.ly/q8Gw3R

The consultation is intended to cover the totality of the UK commercial aviation environment, so it is just as relevant to passengers and of flybe and KLM as it is to those of Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. Likewise, the futures of Aberdeen and Durham Tees Valley Airports will be potentially just as affected by any final White Paper as will be those of Heathrow and Gatwick – or indeed that of Boris Island.

The foreword to the document, penned by Transport Secretary The Right Honorable Philip Hammond MP, begins with:

When this Coalition set out its programme for government last May, we promised great change and real progress. In aviation, we began straight away by cancelling the third runway at Heathrow and making clear our opposition to additional runways at Gatwick and Stansted. The DfT Business Plan makes promoting sustainable aviation one of our five structural reform priorities, with a specific objective to adopt a sustainable framework for aviation in the UK by 2013.

– so it is perhaps unsurprising that almost every airline operating within, from and to the UK is likely to be responding directly to the consultation, and encouraging their key customers to do likewise.

Personally, there are a number of things that I find rather worrying about the consultation – and indeed the document itself. Most concerning is that such a consultation is not part of an overall road, rail, air and maritime strategy for the country. Subordinately, there seems to be a pernicious carbon-obsession – which bears all the hallmarks of an ulterior agenda to prioritise short-term Treasury income at the expense of long-term international competitiveness and private-sector economic sustainability.

So, perhaps, if you value being able to get on, off and around this island in order to conduct your business, you may wish to at least have a read of the document and learn about what’s being discussed (and how), if not ultimately to contribute.

Best put the kettle on and make some sandwiches before you embark on the 39 pages however!

[VintageKrug]

Interesting, I hadn’t heard about this.

Let’s hope some positive results emerge from this consultation. Maybe even Boris Island…?

[Author]

Posts