UK
Airport Operators are going green too….
They
have launched new guidelines to reduce aircraft ground emissions
A
major initiative to reduce the carbon emissions of
aircraft on the ground at UK airports was launched
on 29th June 2010 by the Airport Operators Association
the trade association that represents the interests
of British airports as well as the principal body
with which the UK Government and regulatory authorities
consult on airport matters. at their Environmental
Conference.
Developed by the UK's largest airport operator BAA
through the Sustainable Aviation coalition, the Aircraft
on the Ground CO2 Reduction Programme |
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offers
guidelines to airports working with partners to cut aircraft
ground movement CO2 emissions and also improve local air quality.
The programme seeks to capture best practices across the industry
today with potential for even greater efficiency improvements
in the future.
Aircraft ground operation CO2 emissions can be significant.
Practical action steps for airports, airlines, air navigation
service providers and ground handling companies to reduce
emissions are clearly set out in the innovative programme.
Amongst the initiatives being outlined are savings through
reduced engine taxiing as well as use of fixed electrical
ground power and pre-conditioned air, instead of keeping auxiliary
power units running on planes when stationary. It is estimated
that these two projects at Heathrow are already saving 100,000
tonnes of CO2 per year.
AOA member airports have been invited to sign up to a twelve
month period, examining how best to implement the programme's
action steps, and further develop the aviation industry’s
understanding of and ability to manage carbon dioxide emissions
on the ground. So far 15 airports across the country have
joined the programme, representing 70% of all passenger traffic
in the UK.
Commenting on the guidelines, AOA Chairman Ed Anderson says:
"Airports have an important role to play in reducing
the environmental impact of aviation. This new, exciting scheme
will complement the existing great work being done by airports
across the country and enable all to share best business practice
going forward. It’s not a case of competition, as the
industry must work together to take action on environmental
challenges.”
For the BAA group, Heathrow's Director of Operations, Colin
Wood, says:
"The UK aviation industry is leading the world in our
collective work to pioneer new procedures and technologies
that will improve our environmental performance. As part of
this work, the new AOA guidance provides a clear framework
for airport operators to address targeted areas of operations
by encouraging measurement of current practice, planning to
deliver results and a system of review."
Penny Coates, Managing Director, Regional Airports Division,
Manchester Airports Group says: "Manchester Airports
Group was pleased to contribute to the development of the
guidelines for reducing CO2 emissions from aircraft while
they are on the ground. We welcome the introduction of the
supporting guidelines, which we will apply at our airports.
We believe that the programme provides a clear, evidence based
and pragmatic approach to ensure that we continue to bear
down on the environmental impacts of all aspects of aircraft
operation."
Paul Kehoe, CEO of Birmingham International Airport says:
"Birmingham Airport has long recognised the importance
of improving environmental performance. We have an established
programme through which we work with NATS and airlines to
identify and adopt environmental best practice, including
measures to reduce CO2 emissions on the ground. The programme
reflects the work already underway at Birmingham Airport and
through signing up, we are demonstrating our ongoing commitment
to improving environmental performance.”
Alan Davies, Planning and Environment Director Bristol International
Airport says:
"We expect the Aircraft on the Ground CO2 reduction programme
to bring a number of environmental benefits to our operations
including savings in CO2 emissions, improvements in local
air quality and a reduction in the noise impact on local residents."
Graeme Mason, Newcastle’s Corporate Affairs Director
says:
"Even in these difficult economic times it is critical
that aviation, including the airports sector, continues improve
its environmental performance. Great progress has been made
but there is more to do. The Aircraft on the Ground CO2 reduction
programme is just one way that airports can and will make
a difference, and we are happy to sign up to it"
Laura Duggan, George Best Belfast City Airport's Environmental
Officer says:
"GBBCA have signed up to Business in the Community /
Arena Network NI Environmental Pledge to help tackle climate
change by measuring, reporting and managing our carbon emissions.
The Aircraft on the Ground CO2 reduction programme could assist
us with measuring and managing our carbon emissions from ground
operations to enable us to honour this pledge."
AOA members will meet three times a year to share experiences
and results. They will report on measures taken after a year,
to highlight beneficial outcomes, and to set out the next
stage of the programme.
Download the full document here
Member
airports that have signed up to the programme include
BAA (Heathrow, Stansted, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen,
Southampton); MAG (Manchester, Bournemouth, East Midlands,
Humberside); Belfast City; Birmingham; Bristol; Gatwick
and Newcastle. Together those airports handled 153.3
million passengers in 2009, or, 70% of all UK passenger
traffic (CAA Stats 2009). |
Airports
are being asked to sign up to the principles of the
Aircraft on the Ground CO2 Reduction Programme; and
beyond this, to assess and implement the action steps. |
A
short history of London Heathrow Terminal 2
• 1951 - Construction of Terminal 2 started. The architect
was Frederick Gibberd (who also designed the former Heathrow
control tower, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and London
Central Mosque). The original cost for the central terminal
area improvements including the road tunnel was £21
million
• April 17 1955 - The terminal opened and was officially
inaugurated by Her Majesty the Queen on December 16 1955
along with the adjacent QueensBuilding (the former office
block, closed in June 2009) and the former control tower.
The terminal was originally named the ‘EuropaBuilding’
• 1957 - The first non-stop flight from Heathrow to
California set a new record for distance and time
• 1961 - The OceanicBuilding (now Terminal 3) opened
for long haul flights. The EuropaBuilding became home to
short haul flights
• 1964 - The Beatles famously travelled through the
terminal
• 1965 - The M4 Motorway to Heathrow airport opened
• 1968 - A cargo tunnel opened in 1968, linking Terminal
2 and the rest of central area to the 160 acre cargo site
on the south side of the airport
• 1969 - The building was renamed ‘Terminal
2’ when Terminal 1 was opened
• 1977 - The London Underground link provided the
world's first direct connection with an airport
• 1998 - The Heathrow Express direct link to Paddington
was opened in 1998.
Terminal 2 at a glance
• Terminal 2 is 49,654 square metres in size
• Terminal 2 was originally designed to accommodate
1.2 million passengers annually but in its last years regularly
saw around 8 million passengers a year
• In its history, Terminal 2 has seen 316 million
passengers pass through
• The average number of Terminal 2 passengers per
year was 5.8 million
• The busiest day ever at Terminal 2 was July 19 2003
with 35,918 passengers
• The busiest year at Terminal 2 was 2002 with 86,824
flights
• In 2008, its last full year, Terminal 2 saw 7.5
million passengers
• Airlines operating from T2 in February 2009 (the
last month when a full schedule operated) were: Aeroflot,
Air Algerie, Air Astana, Air France, Air Seychelles, Air
Transat, Alitalia, Arik Air, Atlas Blue, Austrian Airlines,
Azerbaijan Airlines, Bellview Airlines, Bulgaria Air, China
Eastern Airlines, Clickair, Croatia Airlines, CSA Czech
Airlines, Iberia, Jat Airways, Libyan Airlines, Lufthansa,
Olympic Airlines, Rossiya Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Swissair,
Syrianair, TAP Portugal, TAROM, Tunisair, Uzbekistan Airways
and Yemenia
• HeathrowAirport handles an average of 180,000 passengers
and 1350 flights daily. It is the world's busiest international
airport and serves over 180 destinations on around 90 airlines.
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