MEPs to vote on "Better Airports" Package
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MEPs to vote on "Better Airports" Package
The European Parliament will next week debate and vote on a comprehensive package of proposed measures to help increase the capacity of Europe's airports, reduce delays and improve the quality of services offered to passengers. The proposed measures address the quality of services passengers and airlines receive on the ground before they take off and after they land (for example, baggage handling, check-in, refuelling), the transparency of decisions on airport noise, as well as the efficiency of the complex network of take-off and landing slots that make up every journey. The debate is scheduled for Tuesday 11th December afternoon, vote Wednesday 12th December.
Vice President Siim Kallas, European Commissioner responsible for Transport said: "Europe's airports are facing a capacity crunch. If business and the travelling public are to take best advantage of the air network, we have to act now. 70% of all delays to flights are already caused by problems on the ground not in the air. On present trends, nineteen key European airports will be full to bursting by 2030. The resulting congestion could mean delays for half of all flights across the network. The status quo is not an option for airports in Europe. Faced with intense global competition, if we do not change the way we do business, we may not be doing business at all." The package consists of a policy summary document and three legislative measures, on slots, ground-handling and noise.
Vice President Siim Kallas, European Commissioner responsible for Transport said: "Europe's airports are facing a capacity crunch. If business and the travelling public are to take best advantage of the air network, we have to act now. 70% of all delays to flights are already caused by problems on the ground not in the air. On present trends, nineteen key European airports will be full to bursting by 2030. The resulting congestion could mean delays for half of all flights across the network. The status quo is not an option for airports in Europe. Faced with intense global competition, if we do not change the way we do business, we may not be doing business at all." The package consists of a policy summary document and three legislative measures, on slots, ground-handling and noise.
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Oh dear...once these bozos get involved the only thing you can be certain of is loads of legislation(which keeps the army of jobsworth in Brussels busy) and an increased cost to the travelling public without any discernable benefits 
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I see the usual uninformed prejudices are alive and well.
The Airport Package contains three elements – a revision of the Slots Regulation, a strengthening of the Groundhandling Directive and a new set of noise rules.
From the airline point of view:
The Slots Regulation didn’t need to be revised. The Commission’s proposal contained some good points, mostly bad. The bits the airlines didn’t like were mostly there at the behest of the airports and the slot coordinators. The Council (= national governments) and the Parliament Transport Committee pretty much kept the good bits, threw out the bad bits.
Thye Groundhandling Directive changes were an honest attempt to get rid of anticompetitive practice at many major airports by giving airlines greater choice of handler. It has been scuppered by the unions and a number of key airports (think: Germany). The Parliament will throw our the proposed changes.
The noise proposal is pretty much balanced and sensible.
Kallas and his people are seriously pissed off at the way things have gone through Council and Parliament (on slots and handling) and have threatened to pull the entire package rather than be humiliated by the vote.
By the way, Kallas is spouting rubbish – none of the proposals has anything to do with delay, nor the passenger experience at airports. As far as groundhandling is concerned, the dismantling of monopolies/duopolies means lower costs (which is why the unions hate it) leading to savings which can be passed on to the customer.
As for slots, the Commission’s angle is that tinkering with the rules can squeeze more flights into existing capacity – how is that supposed to help delay?
The Airport Package contains three elements – a revision of the Slots Regulation, a strengthening of the Groundhandling Directive and a new set of noise rules.
From the airline point of view:
The Slots Regulation didn’t need to be revised. The Commission’s proposal contained some good points, mostly bad. The bits the airlines didn’t like were mostly there at the behest of the airports and the slot coordinators. The Council (= national governments) and the Parliament Transport Committee pretty much kept the good bits, threw out the bad bits.
Thye Groundhandling Directive changes were an honest attempt to get rid of anticompetitive practice at many major airports by giving airlines greater choice of handler. It has been scuppered by the unions and a number of key airports (think: Germany). The Parliament will throw our the proposed changes.
The noise proposal is pretty much balanced and sensible.
Kallas and his people are seriously pissed off at the way things have gone through Council and Parliament (on slots and handling) and have threatened to pull the entire package rather than be humiliated by the vote.
By the way, Kallas is spouting rubbish – none of the proposals has anything to do with delay, nor the passenger experience at airports. As far as groundhandling is concerned, the dismantling of monopolies/duopolies means lower costs (which is why the unions hate it) leading to savings which can be passed on to the customer.
As for slots, the Commission’s angle is that tinkering with the rules can squeeze more flights into existing capacity – how is that supposed to help delay?
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I think that sorting the `single sky` should be top of the list as well.... That is a project that is hardly moving forward due to local political delaying tactics... 
Paxing All Over The World
Thanks for a good and helpful summary The SSK but pardon my cynicism,
... leading to savings which can be passed on to the shareholders and CEO bonus.
... leading to savings which can be passed on to the customer.
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As far as the legacy carriers are concerned, prices have fallen more or less constantly over the last 20 years, the easiest way to track them is in revenue per kilometre, which is a statistic which is not difficult to find (on an indistry basis). Sure, it's not benevolence but driven by the LoCos.
So no, it's not 'cut costs and pass the benefits on to the customer', it's 'cut fares and do whatever is necessary to get the costs down to match'.
Oh dear, I started a sentence with 'so'. So sorry.
So no, it's not 'cut costs and pass the benefits on to the customer', it's 'cut fares and do whatever is necessary to get the costs down to match'.
Oh dear, I started a sentence with 'so'. So sorry.
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MEPs to vote on "Better Airports" Package
The only way David Cameron will win the next General Election is by making the election in effect a referendum on the UK membership of the EU..Cameron himself is Euro-Sceptic, but has been restrained by Cleggs Liberals..
With public opinion ante EU, Cameron would only win an election with a manifesto consisting of a referendum in/out on Europe, so what the MEP's decide..Really in the medium term is not relevant to the UK, IMO.
All the above is fact, a majority of the UK population want out of the EU, and Cameron has not a prayer of winning the next General Election, on a neutral EU manifesto, his party is to unpopular and to far behind in the political polls.
Last edited by Ernest Lanc's; 10th Dec 2012 at 15:33.
Why the scepticism ?
Well, for a start, in the lead is Siim Kallas, European Commissioner for Transport. He is introducing legislation about Slots (in particular) and airport Capacity Crunches.
Siim Kallas is Estonian. A politician from a country with just one airport of any consequence, where two flights on frequency together is about as busy as it gets. I believe the sole national carrier has a fleet size of ..... ten. A pretty dull place to go if you were a reggie spotter. How on earth can he lead an informed discussion, let alone legislation, on these topics.
Well, for a start, in the lead is Siim Kallas, European Commissioner for Transport. He is introducing legislation about Slots (in particular) and airport Capacity Crunches.
Siim Kallas is Estonian. A politician from a country with just one airport of any consequence, where two flights on frequency together is about as busy as it gets. I believe the sole national carrier has a fleet size of ..... ten. A pretty dull place to go if you were a reggie spotter. How on earth can he lead an informed discussion, let alone legislation, on these topics.
Last edited by WHBM; 10th Dec 2012 at 22:30.
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Originally Posted by paully
Totally agree with you there Ernest Lancs...although I`m not convinced that
Cameron is Euro Sceptic but a moot point at best
In any case i reckon the Torys have decided to expand LHR, should they get back into power..So really Whatever the toothless MEPs vote for, will be of no consequence in the UK..or anywhere else in Europe, I shouldn't wonder.
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Why the scepticism ?
Well, for a start, in the lead is Siim Kallas,
European Commissioner for Transport. He is introducing legislation about Slots
(in particular) and airport Capacity Crunches.
Siim Kallas is
Estonian
..Seriously, it's a load of Euro Cobblers.
Last edited by Ernest Lanc's; 10th Dec 2012 at 22:49.
Paxing All Over The World
Cameron in most matters, is a Blair. Which means that he will say whatever he is expected to say at the time.
It was only later, when Blair started to believe his own PR, that he made up his own mind - and look where that got us.
/End of thread drift
It was only later, when Blair started to believe his own PR, that he made up his own mind - and look where that got us.
/End of thread drift
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"Why I think Euroland is so wonderful". I don't
"and the panacea for all our problems". It isn't
I observe the workings of 'Euroland; as you call it from very close quarters. I see its flaws and failings, I also see its benefits and visions. I know mant people who work in the EU institutions and thay are extremely high calibre.
Most of the postings I read on PPRuNe are from people who obviously haven't got a clue, thay are driven purely by a prejudiced preconception that everything that the EU is or does is 100% bad. The great danger of a referendum is that the majority of voters will be similarly ill-informed. Still, it matters not to me, I gave up my UK citizenship some time ago.
Will that do you?
"and the panacea for all our problems". It isn't
I observe the workings of 'Euroland; as you call it from very close quarters. I see its flaws and failings, I also see its benefits and visions. I know mant people who work in the EU institutions and thay are extremely high calibre.
Most of the postings I read on PPRuNe are from people who obviously haven't got a clue, thay are driven purely by a prejudiced preconception that everything that the EU is or does is 100% bad. The great danger of a referendum is that the majority of voters will be similarly ill-informed. Still, it matters not to me, I gave up my UK citizenship some time ago.
Will that do you?
