Gatwick: Holiday Flight Delays (Hansard, 29 July 1988)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Lord Brabazon of Tara)
My Lords, high levels of traffic wishing to use British and Continental airspace, especially on some routes, have again this summer led air traffic control authorities to impose flow management and thereby delay some flights in the interests of safety. Earlier this month delays were greatly aggravated as a result of industrial disputes involving air traffic controllers in some Continental countries. Following the resolution of those disputes, delays to traffic over the last week or so have been much reduced.

§ The Earl of Kinnoull
My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend the Minister for that reply, particularly as we are coming up to the busiest weekend of the year. Does my noble friend agree that consumers are entitled to expect an efficient service for charter flights as well as scheduled flights? Will he confirm that when Gatwick becomes overloaded with air traffic problems, Stansted as well as Heathrow will be considered as an alternative airport?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, of course consumers are entitled to a good service. As regards air traffic control authorities, it is up to them to produce the best service that they can. There is absolutely nothing to stop charter operators using Stansted at the moment. I believe that use of Stansted by charter operators has increased quite considerably this year. As to Heathrow, the measures we announced a little while ago to allow charter operators in for a limited period only over the next two months is purely a temporary measure which will be of assistance in certain circumstances.

§ Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone
My Lords, is there any possibility of the dock lands and City airport potential being increased to deal with this problem?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, the City airport is, I believe, used at weekends for some holiday flights to the Channel Islands. But it is at present restricted to the operation of Dash-7 aeroplanes, which do not have a very great range.

§ Lord Underhill
My Lords, is it not the case that during recent Question Times in your Lordships' 492 House, there has been general agreement that this problem will not be solved until improved control equipment has been installed and there is effective use of Eurocontrol? In the meantime, something must be done about the immediate problem. Can the noble Lord say what use is being made of facilities for charter flights at Heathrow? It has been suggested that few airlines are making use of them.

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, as the noble Lord points out we have been over this ground during the last two weeks anyway. I do not think I have much more to say about future developments on Eurocontrol. We shall continue to press for improvements. Only last week my right honourable friend the Secretary of State wrote to his counterparts in Spain, Italy and Denmark to urge them to consider joining Eurocontrol. Heathrow was used last weekend for charter operations on two occasions, saving passengers, I believe, in one instance from a potential delay of 22 hours and in the other of six hours. So it has proved useful.

§ Lord Boyd-Carpenter
My Lords, can my noble friend say anything further about the relaxation of restrictions of night landings and night take-offs from Gatwick?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, I have nothing much to add to what I said to my noble friend last week on this subject. Restrictions in force at Gatwick and Heathrow on night flights were only set earlier this year. However, there is the possibility—an opportunity that is being used—of relaxing those restrictions in times of hardship to passengers.

§ Lord John-Mackie
My Lords, has the noble Lord seen the statement by the chief pilot, I think in the Independent today, in which he carefully makes the point that the only solution at Gatwick is a second runway?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, we have been over this ground on many occasions recently. I read the article but I have to say that government policy remains, as stated in the 1985 White Paper, not to build a second runway at Gatwick.

§ Lord Orr-Ewing
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that there have been reports in the newspapers that one factor is that the equipment is not as sophisticated and up-to-date as it might be? Its replacement might take several years before coming into operation. Is there a real sense of ugency? We cannot have total disruption of our services. I know that sometimes this is through industrial action but perhaps the excuse is given that our equipment is becoming progressively out of date. Surely more modern equipment could be fitted rather more speedily.

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, the CAA, or National Air Traffic Services, have a programme of investment of £250 million over the next few years. That will include the new air traffic control facility known as the central control function. I am afraid it will take some time to install that equipment. 493 Independent professional advice is being taken as to whether it could be installed any quicker, but I gather that that is not possible.

§ Lord Underhill
My Lords, the Minister referred to night flights. Is it not the case that in a recent transport debate in another place his right honourable friend the Secretary of State made it absolutely clear that any extension of night flights could not be tolerated? He welcomed the fact that the transport spokesman for the Opposition in another place agreed with him.

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for his supplementary question. That was the case. I have made exactly those comments over the past few weeks in your Lordships' House. I am grateful to the noble Lord for his support of that statement.

§ Lord Leatherland
My Lords, as regards difficulties for holidaymakers, can the Minister tell us how many employees or public servants in this country enjoy holidays with pay? Can he also enumerate some of the workers who do not?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, I cannot do so without notice.