Aviation Intelligence Reporter – November 2008


Setting free the Agenda for Freedom
The Environment and Aviation – a tale of competing realities
Single European Sky – did anyone think to tell the European States?
Airports take more bold steps on the road to normality


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Setting free the Agenda for Freedom

Fifteen of the world’s more liberal thinking governments met in Istanbul in late October, at the invitation of IATA, to discuss the liberalisation of air transport. In particular they addressed the ownership and control rules that limit and restrain such much of air transport. It had an unhelpful name, but a good intention. And judging from the comments made by the participants as they left Istanbul, the meeting had as good an outcome as might be expected.

The Environment and Aviation – a tale of competing realities

On Friday of last week, the Council of Ministers in Europe decided to accept, in its entirety, the proposal supported by 95% of the European Parliamentarians to include aviation in the next round of the European Emission Trading Scheme (ETS). A two year campaign has reached a significant milestone. To paraphrase George Bernard Shaw, having established the facts, we must now negotiate a price. And that is likely to prove very difficult.

Single European Sky – did anyone think to tell the European States?

The initial European response to the economic crisis has been completely State driven. Each national capital has been out there, announcing measures to save their banks and national jobs. Post facto, the Member States are only now starting to acknowledge that they might try to think of finding a job for The European Commission. Consequently, the Commission has been reduced to walking around looking like an illegitimate child on Father’s Day, helping with the washing up, sweeping, generally staying out of the way. For airlines that is bad news, very bad news.

Airports take more bold steps on the road to normality

Airports continued to make clear that they intend being considered an important part of the air transport community this month with two very interesting, and possibly significant, announcements. First, Aeroport de Paris (owners of CDG and Orly) and Schipol Group (owners of the main Dutch airports, as well as management contracts in a number of others) announced a cross-shareholding deal. Secondly, Shanghai airport and Dallas Fort Worth announced a strategic alliance arrangement.