Latest News

European Commission Publishes ‘Airport Package’

At the beginning of December the European Commission published an ‘Airport Package.’ The proposals are intended to make airports more efficient so that more planes can use them. The Commission is worried that Europe will not have enough airport capacity. But there are some proposals about noise. The Commission wants more powers to try to make sure that there are fewer differences between the noise regulations in the different member states of the European Union. UECNA will examine the proposals and produce a briefing sheet outlining the key points.

More details of the proposals can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air/a...

Big Protests in Frankfurt over 4th Runway

Every Monday over 1,000 people gather in Terminal 1 of Frankfurt Airport to protest against the impact of the 4th Runway which was opened on 21st October. The new runway has created noise problems for over 100,000 new residents. 20,000 peopletook part in a demonstration the day before it opened. Although the authorities have (reluctantly) agreed to ban flights between 23.00 hours and 05.00 hours, a huge number of people are suffering as a result of the new runway. The runway was only built after a bitter battle with local residents and environmentalists.

Thousands of campaigners marched through the streets of Paris

On 12th November in protest against plans to build ‘Nantes International’ airport. The protest was the culmination of a week-long, 400km bike and tractor ride from Nantes. On the day thousands more people descended on the French capital in coaches from the Nantes area. They were joined by supporters from Paris and from the rest of Europe. The protest was timed to influence the presidential elections next year. Two weeks before the rally the campaigners launched a report by the Dutch consultants CE Delft, the same people who produced the hugely influential report for HACAN on Heathrow’s Third Runway, which has shown that the costs of the new airport will outweigh its economic benefits. http://bit.ly/sZoIdP . If the airport goes ahead many of the small farmers whose land will be taken will lose everything: their homes; their land; their livelihood. But, such is the momentum behind the campaign, the odds must be that the protesters will stop the airport http://bit.ly/sIQxYb

Major New Book on Noise: Why Noise Matters

A major new book on noise, written by UECNA President John Stewart, has been published. It examines noise policies across the world. It also suggests solutions. It includes an important section on aircraft noise: http://www.earthscan.co.uk/?TabId=1...

Next year the European Commission is expected to start revising its Energy Directive. This will give it a chance to introduce a tax on aviation fuel for aircraft using EU airports. UECNA will be urging it to do so.

We think it is makes no sense that one of the noisiest and dirtiest industries in the world receives such generous tax-breaks.