New research “destroys the myth that planes would need to leave America or Asia at unsociable hours if night flights were banned at Heathrow”
Joint Press Release from London Green Party and HACANClearSkies
Press Launch:
10am, 20th September at City Hall
Brand new research challenges the myth that night flights are required for operational or economic reasons. It destroys the the argument that planes would need to leave America or Asia at unsociable hours if night flights were to be banned at Heathrow. The findings form part of a new guide (1), published by pressure group HACAN ClearSkies, which will be launched by Darren Johnson, Chair of the GLA Environment Committee, at City Hall on Monday 20th September (2).
The launch of the guide comes at a time when the Department for Transport is consulting on a new night flight regime for Heathrow (3). It is also published to coincide with a major meeting in Paris in a few weeks time when organisations from across Europe will come together to plan a campaign to ban night flights at all European airports (4).
The question of night flights at Heathrow soared up the political agenda when Heathrow residents defeated the UK Government in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in October 2001, successfully arguing that the right to a good night’s sleep was a human right. That ruling was partially overturned when the Strasbourg Appeal Court ruled in the Government’s favour in July last year, allowing night flights to continue at Heathrow (5).
Green GLA member Darren Johnson said, “I am delighted to launch the guide. The call for a ban on night flights at Heathrow has wide support across the political spectrum. What is so useful about this handy guide is that it answers simply and clearly many of the basic questions people ask about night flights.”
John Stewart, Chair HACAN ClearSkies, “Our guide exposes the airlines to be myth-makers. It destroys the argument that planes would need to leave America or Asia at unsociable hours if night flights were banned at Heathrow. It shows the real issue is not time zones, but that it would cost the airlines more if flights were confined to the day. It will provide useful ammunition to the growing Europe-wide campaign to ban night flights.”
Notes for Editors
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The guide asked key questions. Is a night ban practicable? It also asked questions about the economic value of night flights – below is an extract from the guide:
“Won’t a ban merely move the problem to other countries, as it is not possible to depart and arrive during the day because of time zones?”
Time zones are unlikely to present insuperable problems. It is on long-haul flights to Europe where it is alleged there could be problems. We consider several examples of routes to/from the UK:
From the East Coast USA — flight time 7 hours, time difference 5 hours — so a departure after 7pm but before 10pm would arrive in the UK between 7am and 10am. Allowing a four hour turnaround, a plane leaving the UK at 2pm would arrive on the east coast at 4pm — no problems with this example.
From the West Coast USA — it is 9/10 hours flight time and eight hours difference making a total time of 18 hours. So a US west coast departure at 6pm would arrive at 12 noon UK time. If it then took off from the UK at 2pm, it would arrive back on the US west coast at 4pm — so again, no night flights at either end, and no scheduling problems.
From Africa — there is only a marginal time difference of +/- 2 hours. So taking Jo’berg as an example, leaving London at 7pm would arrive Jo’berg at 8am — return at 10am, would arrive at 11pm in London.
From the Far East — a 9pm flight to Singapore would arrive at 6pm — you could not do a 24 hour return trip so they would need two aircraft. In which case a Singapore departure at 8am would arrive London at 2pm.
In conclusion, you may not be able to get the businessman to a 9am meeting every time but it certainly looks possible to rota most flights outside the night period in both directions. The main issues for airlines appear not to be different time zones but the threat of competition (who gets in earliest) and cost (maybe some flights you can only make two rotations a day instead of three, forcing the cost up: the airlines would get less trips out of each aircraft and may also, if the rotation became particularly difficult, be required to buy additional aircraft).
The real issue is not time zones, but that it would cost the airlines more if flights were confined to the day
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The launch will take place on Monday 20th September in Room CRI (Lower Ground Floor) at City Hall, Queens Walk, London SE1 at 10am. GLA members, London and Thames Valley MPs and key local authority members have been invited. Some residents who live under the flight path have also been invited. Refreshments will be served.
Copies of the guide will be available at the launch and thereafter by email.
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The Department for Transport is currently consulting on the night flight regime at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. The current agreement with the airlines runs out in Autumn 2005. The Department is consulting on proposals for 2005-2011. It is a two-part consultation. Deadline for responses to part one is the end of October. That has taken the form of a consultation on general principles. The detaled proposals will be contained in part two, expected towards the end of the year.
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On the 2nd October, community groups from Europe’s major airports will meet in Paris to start planning a Europe-wide campaign to ban night flights. In January 2005, the groups expect to launch ‘The Million Signature Petition’ calling for a ban on night flights at Europe’s airports. Under the terms of the new EU Constitution, if citizen groups from EC countries collect a petition with a million signatures on any topic, it requires to be taken note of by both the European Parliament and the European Commission.
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The Judgement of the Appeal Court upheld the finding of the lower court that, in certain circumstances, night flights could infringe people’s right to a good night’s sleep under Article 8 of the Human Rights Convention, but ruled that, in this case, the UK Government had balanced that against the needs of the economy, of air passengers and the profits BA claim to make from night flights.
For further information contact:
Green Party Press Office on 0207 983 4424 or 07795616812
John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957 385650