Abta has voiced concern that a new government aviation consultation omits the crucial issue of capacity constraints at the UK’s busiest airports.
The Aviation Scoping document has been issued for consultation as a first step to build a new aviation policy by the coalition. It raises questions on emissions, sustainability and aircraft noise.
But Abta said the review does not address “one of the most important issues concerning the industry and the travelling public” – that of airport capacity at the UK’s busiest airports.
Head of public affairs Luke Pollard said: “I welcome the government’s challenge to engage in a serious debate about the future of aviation, and the environmental impact of flying, but any serious debate can’t ignore the impacts of a shortage of capacity in the UK’s airports in the South East.
“The government’s decision to remove airport capacity from discussion is like issuing a rail policy without considering train tracks.
“Overcrowding is immediate, real and pressing given that the UK is hoping to welcome tens of thousands of extra overseas visitors in 2012 and hopes to use the travel and tourism industry to grow the UK economy in the long term.”
He added: “Abta will provide a full comment on this discussion before September with the message that unless aviation capacity is considered fully then the future connectivity of the UK will be at risk; it will be more difficult for people to holiday; harder for people to do business and this will ultimately harm the UK’s economy and job growth potential.”
Transport secretary Philip Hammond, launching the consultation, said that aviation should be able to grow, “but to do so, it must be able to play its part in delivering our environmental goals and protecting the quality of life of local communities.”
He said: “If aviation can do better than currently anticipated in tackling its emissions and other impacts, then that will create greater scope to grow.
“I want to move beyond the sterile debate of recent years, where the arguments for and against aviation became increasingly polarised, towards a broader consensus which honestly recognises both the value of air transport and its negative impacts and is prepared to agree the framework within which aviation can develop.”
The review says that a sustainably growing aviation sector must be one which is “significantly reducing” its overall climate change impacts.
The document reveals that the government is to shortly announce a “way forward” on night noise, including arrangements for a detailed consultation on a new night flying regime for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
“We want to ensure that the new regime is consistent with our overall aviation policy framework,” it says.
“We have therefore included some specific questions on night noise in this document so that we can listen to people’s views on overall noise policy and consider broad principles on night noise, before proceeding to consider detailed issues such as movement and quota limits.”