07 October 2008

ABTA/FTO chiefs hit out at ââ¬Ëœillogicalââ¬â¢ Tory plans for Heathrow

Conservative plans to abandon development of a third runway at Heathrow in favour of a new high speed rail line has been condemned by ABTA as ââ¬Åâœillogicalââ¬~.

ABTA has written to shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers, describeing the Conservative plans as ââ¬Åâœillogical, ill-conceived and totally unworkableââ¬~.

Chief executive Mark Tanzer said: ââ¬ÅâœThe Conservative Party announcement that they are against airport expansion at Heathrow and will actively discourage aviation travel is totally illogical. 

ââ¬ÅâœA knee-jerk reaction is not what is needed, particularly when many thousands of jobs depend on aviation and inward investment could well be threatened. 

ââ¬ÅâœWhat about travellers from Scotland, Northern Ireland and the regions who have no choice but to use Heathrow as their gateway to international destinations ââ¬' their plight seems to have been totally overlooked?

ââ¬ÅâœI have written to Theresa Villiers highlighting the serious implications of following this course of action and asking her to reconsider this policy stance.ââ¬~

ABTAÃ~´s ire emerged at the Travel Convention in Gran Canaria following Villiers telling the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham that Tories would say ââ¬Ëœnoââ¬â¢ to a third runway at Heathrow in favour of expansion of a national high speed rail network.

Federation of Tour Operators director general Andy Cooper joined in the condemnation, claiming the Conservatives had "misjudged the mood of the country" as the major issue for voters now is the economy.

"For the economy to grow, aviaition must not be restricted," he said. 

Tanzer added: ââ¬ÅâœHigh-speed rail has its place as part as an integrated transport system but should be seen as complementary to air travel ââ¬' not an expensive substitute. 

ââ¬ÅâœLack of capacity at our airports is damaging our economy it is bad for customers, bad for the industry and ultimately bad for the environment when we have planes in holding patterns across the skies above our heads waiting for landing slots.ââ¬~

Tanzerand Cooper join British Airways and other airlines in attacking the Tory plans. 

by Phil Davies 

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• If you don't speak English, forget terminal 5 Heathrow
  
  

  Nice airy terminal with lots of room but both in arrivals and departures all of the information was in English and English only. So I return to an old hobbyhorse. Doesn't BA or BAA expect anyone coming through terminal 5 to speak a different language? Heathrow is a major hub airport. People catch flights into Heathrow ansd switch to get to their destination. Maybe in the transit lounge there are signs in at least French, Spanish, German and Italian. Maybe there are BAA support staff who can answer questions in those languages but on the public side there is nothing. Little pictures of a train and a bus and things like that but that's it. Read the full post on http://www.cd-traveller.com/en_cd_blog.php

  By thomas thiollier, Wednesday, October 8, 2008