aviation

You may remember that a few weeks ago we ran a story about British Airways emailing the members of its Executive Club (who number in the tens of thousands) asking them to sign a petition supporting the proposed third runway at Heathrow Airport.

In it, BA chairman Willie Walsh made the rather remarkable assertion that the massive increase in traffic wouldn't increase emissions in climate change gases. According to Mr Walsh, the fact that airliners would spend less time queuing for take-off and landing spots would reduce CO2 emissions by 330,000 tonnes a year, a figure which the email implied had been endorsed by the government.

The Heathrow expansion consultation is a complete sham and a blatant stitch up from start to finish - it excludes any consideration of the most important issue - climate change - and is essentially a cosmetic exercise to allow the government to implement a decision they have already made with a pretence of having consulted with stakeholders. There are other ways of trying to influence this issue which we feel are far more likely to be effective, and you can find them by visiting our Stop Heathrow Expansion homepage.

For environmentalists partial to a mild bit of schadenfreude over their tea and toast, this morning's Today Programme was a treat. You can listen to it here, if you're quick (Fiona and farnishk, I think you'll like John Humphreys' stance).

Environment minister Hilary Benn was invited on to talk about how things have been going in Bali (not so well). As Benn waxed lyrical about the urgent need for action to reduce emissions, Humphreys pulled him up on the yawning gap between the government's rhetoric and reality, what with the government wanting to build new runways and all. Then he pulled him up again. And again. And again. And again. It was a little like listening to a kitten being mauled by a teddy bear.

Thanks to marcus for letting us know about an email that's been sent from British Airways to members of its Executive Club. In it, CEO Willie Walsh appeals to members' sense of loyalty - nay, duty - and asks them to support a third runway at Heathrow. He's even provided an easy online petition to sign - how sweet is that?

He makes no mention of how vital a third runway is supposed to be for the UK economy which is curious, seeing as it's the drum government ministers have been beating recently. Instead, he plays on the drubbing Heathrow's customer service has received in the press by insisting that a third runway will make the "customer experience" that much more comfortable.

Local MP Emily Thornberry lent her support as the airstream tour arrived in Islington

Today the intrepid airstream crew were in Islington talking to the locals about plans to expand Heathrow airport and increase flights over London by some 70%. The tour is part of our 'alternative' Heathrow expansion consultation.

Today the government begins its long-awaited consultation process into the need for a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport. Strangely enough, given Gordon Brown's recent public declarations that tackling climate change is right at the top of his agenda, it's already looking as though Heathrow expansion will be given the go-ahead. But then documents we've been given by Justine Greening MP show just how closely the government has been working with BAA on preparing the consultation.

This move towards a third runway is despite the fact that it will mean a 70 per cent increase in flight numbers and the resulting rise in climate change pollution will be equivalent to the entire annual emissions of Kenya. Worse still, the bulk of the additional 500 flights a day from Europe's busiest airport will be short-haul hops to cities like Paris, Brussels, Edinburgh and Newcastle - all easily reached by rail.