n Gooding to chair airport operators’ association
London City Airport managing director Richard Gooding has been appointed chairman of the Airport Operators’Association. He takes over from Jersey Airport director Mike Lanyon who has held the annual position. Gooding has promised to campaign for keeping duty-free sales and for a reduction in Air Passenger Duty.
n BAA teams with highways agency to improve links
BAA and the Highways Agency have agreed a ú26mjoint-funding deal to improve London access to StanstedAirport from the M11. The new slip roads from the motorway will be open in four years and are part of BAA’s ú500m commitment to improve its Stansted facility.
n virgin gets licence to operate on chicago route
Virgin Atlantic has been granted rights by the Civil Aviation Authority to serve Chicago from Heathrow. Daily flights are scheduled to begin in August using Airbus A340s.The new services will put Virgin in direct route competition with British Airways, United Airlines, American Airlinesand Air India.
n suckling airways to start dundee link flights
Suckling Airways launches four-daily London City-Dundee flights on April 12. Services are timed to give a working day in either city. A 32-seater Dornier 328, painted in Scottish livery, will operate the route.