COMMENT: Snow and ice

The simply astonishing weather in the United Kingdom last week has predictably caused vociferous criticism of airport operators.  It was snow and yet more snow.  Airports for the most part were closed and it did not help that over the weekend just past Spanish air traffic controllers went on strike causing even more chaos.

But was this censure justified?

The operation of civil aircraft is a complex process.  When snow is falling in great quantities it is not just a question of sweeping the runways clear.  And the aprons.  And the taxiways.

All staff have to get to the airport whether it is those dealing with the aircraft in the air, the flight deck and cabin crew, plus the air traffic controllers, or on the ground.  

Firstly, and in no particular order, the check-in staff and baggage handlers, the security personnel, the refuellers and ramp people, and, whilst clearly not crucial, the retail outlet staff.  The fire and emergency personnel probably top the list.  Fuel actually has to be delivered to the airport, and also catering (and this one too is not essential).  An airport operation is very complex.

Finally it is not much use operating to a schedule if the passengers cannot get to the aerodrome, but it is astonishing that in spite of atrocious conditions somehow fans will make soccer matches.  Arsenal more or less managed a full house when most of north London had given up.  Likewise with airports.  If travellers are assured of getting away they somehow make it.

AERBT believes that on balance airports need to do a great deal more in preparation for the worst of winter conditions.  Gaining publicity with advanced runway clearance equipment may be fine but that is only one element of a very multifaceted process.

A great many lessons need to be learnt from last week’s fiasco. 

Airports will have to appreciate that it may have been a one off, but it could happen again before Christmas, maybe again before winter is out and definitely into the future.  Nobody can predict with certainly when.  Money has to be spent and notice should be taken on how worse conditions are dealt with in Canada and Northern Europe.  Airfields in those parts also close too due to fearsome circumstances but somehow the services get going again far, far quicker.

Roll on summer.

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Airline to use biofuel on scheduled flights

Lufthansa is to become the first airline to use biofuel in commercial aviation.  Whilst others, including Air New Zealand, Continental Airlines, TAM and Virgin Atlantic have run test flights this will be the initial time that the fuel will have been used on a commercial service.

Lufthansa is to begin a six-month trial with an Airbus A321 on flights between Hamburg and Frankfurt.  Pending certification, one of the aircraft’s engines will use a 50-50 mix of biofuel and traditional kerosene.

The primary purpose of the project is to conduct a long-term trial to study the effect of biofuel on engine maintenance and engine life.  During the six-month trial Lufthansa will save around 1,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The project will cost Lufthansa an estimated €6.6m.  Over the years the airline has invested heavily in research.  Thanks to new technologies, it has improved its fuel efficiency by 30% since 1991.  Average fuel consumption per passenger is now down to 4.3 litres of kerosene over 100 kilometres. www.lufthansa.com

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Basra wins another carrier

Dubai carrier Emirates says it will launch flights to the Iraqi city of Basra starting 2 February to tap growing demand for the destination.

Basra will be Emirates' first Iraq route after the airline postponed the launch of flights to Baghdad earlier this year citing "operational reasons".  Services will initially operate four times per week using a three-class Airbus A330.

"The city's recent growth has paved the way for numerous multi-national companies and industries to invest in infrastructure and we have seen strong potential from a number of our markets," Chairman and Chief Executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said in a statement.

"Since the 2009 oilfield bid, traffic from the US and Europe into Basra has increased significantly and we are ready to capitalise on this growth," he added. www.emirates.com

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City Inn says goodbye (and becomes Mint Hotel)

Mint Hotel is the new name of City Inn.  The company has rebranded in advance of opening two new hotels in prime locations in London and Amsterdam nearly doubling the number of rooms in its portfolio.  The London property is in Pepys Street (EC3) near the Tower of London, has 583 rooms and opens 20 December 2010.  Expanding overseas for the first time the Amsterdam property has 553 rooms and opens in Spring 2011.

As City Inn the group currently operates properties in Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, London (Westminster) and Manchester.

With all its properties custom-built, Mint Hotel has been consistently innovative in its hotel designs.  The pioneering SkyLounge concept offers publicly accessible city rooftop terraces, with private dining and meeting rooms.  At the Tower of London property the SkyLounge will have uninterrupted views of the City of London www.minthotel.com

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Festival of Speed confirms aviation exhibition

will be take place 30 June to 3 July next year at the ex-Battle of Britain airfield as a significant part of the Festival of Speed and Moving Motor Show.

For 2011 the event will see a significant increase in the number of exhibitors, covering a wide spectrum of aviation, from aviation service suppliers and equipment to microlights and light aircraft – including the Beech 200 and Cessna Caravan. 

The Goodwood Aerodrome is less than half a mile from the main Festival of Speed site within the grounds of Goodwood Park, with a regular free shuttle service transferring between the two locations.  Aircraft manufacturers will also have the opportunity to take prospective clients on an evaluation flight. www.goodwood.co.uk

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Holiday Inn at Manchester

Andy Cosslett, CEO of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), returned to his home town of Manchester to open the new Holiday Inn Manchester MediaCityUK.

The 218-room property is in the heart of MediaCityUK in Salford Quays.  The hotel has good transport links.  It is a 20-minute drive from Manchester Airport and has a tram station nearby.  Three meeting rooms are provided and guests can choose to dine in The Green Room Restaurant which serves British food, or the Hub Bar for a light meal.

From 2011, the BBC is relocating more than 2,300 staff to MediaCityUK.  BBC Breakfast, Radio 5 Live, Children's Sport, Learning, and Future Media and Technology will move from London to MediaCityUK in addition to all the BBC's existing Manchester operations.

The MediaCityUK development is on a 36 acres site (roughly the size of 18 football pitches) and includes office space, a state-of-the art studio building, shops, restaurants, apartments, a five-acre public piazza, and the Holiday Inn. www.mediacityuk.co.uk

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IPO for Flybe

Flybe, as predicted by AERBT, is planning an initial public offering (IPO) in December that would value Europe's largest regional carrier at about £240m.  Half of the proceeds will be used to fund the expansion of its fleet and the other half to strengthen its cash position to allow it to pursue other growth opportunities, such as acquisitions.  British Airways, which owns 15% of Flybe, said it planned to subscribe for enough shares in the offer to maintain the size of its holding.

The airline, which carried more than 7m passengers last year, recently struck code-share deals with Air France on some European routes and Finnair on Scandinavian and Baltic co-operation.

As at 30 September 2010, Flybe employed 2,931 people, operated 215 routes from 73 airports across Europe.  Its aircraft fleet consisted of 14 Embraer E195 and 54 Bombardier Q400 aircraft.  From June next year the airline will be taking delivery of 35 88-seat Embraer E175 regional jets at a rate of approximately one per month. www.flybe.com

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ON TOUR: Ecuador "The centre of the earth"

What does the name Ecuador mean and where are the Galapagos?

The translation of Ecuador in simple terms means “the centre of the earth”, the country claiming that its highest mountain, the inactive volcano Chimborazo at 21,000ft, is further from the world’s core than Everest.  In English “on the Equator” would be an easier explanation.  The Galapagos, explored by Charles Darwin in 1835, are a group of islands 500 miles off the coast and are the subject of part two of this discourse.

I flew to the Ecuador capital Quito via Houston on Continental Airlines, a highly recommended routing.  The American immigration and customs were no problem and a very late evening collection at Quito International Airport was organised by one of South America’s largest holiday organisers Metropolitan Touring for which there cannot be enough praise.  They were terrific over 14 days.

Visitors need to know that with its location the sun rises every day in Ecuador at 06:00 and goes down at 18:30.  There are no seasons as such (although there is a rainy period) and Quito itself is 9,000ft above sea level.  The highest point of the whole trip touched 15,000ft, about the same as Mt Blanc.  A coat was not essential at that height although most sea level dwellers will notice the thin air.  The whole country sings the environmental tune with very little litter around and a noticeable lack of smoking.  The US dollar has been the official currency of the country since 2000 with a meal for two in the excellent Quito Hilton just US$26.  Spanish is the official language but English is widely spoken.

Quito itself dates back to the 15th century and in 1978 became the first UN World Heritage Site.  Ecuador is very much a north to south country with a narrow extremely fertile central strip surrounded by mountains on both sides often called “The Avenue of Volcanoes”.  There is also a slender coastal plain boarding the Pacific and to the east massive Amazon rain forests.  Self-sufficient in food it has huge oil reserves and is one of the world’s largest producers of both roses and bananas.  It is also prone to revolutions and changes of governments with seven Presidents over the last ten years.  During my stay there was a minor resurrection.  People just got on with their lives, normality returning within 48 hours.

Quito is really two cities, the old and the new, my initial residence, the Patio Andaluz, a fine boutique property very near Independence Plaza and the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace.  Nearby is The Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium that leads to its fine Baroque interior .

After one day to recover from the journey it was along magnificent valleys and mountains to the Cotopaxi National Park and the volcano of the same name.  High-altitude birds were observed around the Limpiopungo Lagoon.  That night our residence was at the Hacienda Manteles, a 300-year old hacienda, hidden among the mountains.  Magical.

Then it was south once more along narrow mountain roads following the gorge of the Pastaza River, more or less parallel with the Pan American Highway (which is far from a highway in parts).

There is art to be seen, old railway stations to be visited, and a gorge to be crossed by cable car.  The Inca Fortress of Ingapirca is a reminder that parts of South America were home to advanced civilisations well before the Spanish arrived.  More volcanoes.

After three fairly tiring but exhilarating days on the road we eventually arrived in the south of Ecuador at Cuenca the country’s third largest city and captivating.  Its red tiled roofs, cobblestone streets, flowery plazas and museums make it very special.  From an early dinner one felt quite safe to walk through the streets to another spotless boutique property, Hotel Carvallo.

It was back to Quito by ‘plane for two more nights in the city. 

An early rise and up into the mountains again for a dramatic day that finished at La Mirage Garden Hotel & Spa, the first Relais & Chateaux property in South America.  Horse riding is one of the activities on offer.  The property is near the small town of Cotacachi, dedicated to the production and sale of leather goods: coats, belts and all kinds of handbags.  Leave your wife to wander.  Prices are one third of London.

Then it was to Guayaquil, the largest city of Ecuador sitting near the mouth of the River Guayas with its splendid public waterfront walk stretching for 1.5 miles and featuring historical, cultural and entertainment areas.  Just back from the river is Bolívar Park, also called "the park of the iguanas", as here they roam undisturbed and perch on the treetops, blending perfectly with the green leaves. 

Seven days at sea in the Galapagos followed (more anon).

Where to finish such an enjoyable trip?  Up in the mountains of course, and not much more than one hour’s drive from Quito.  At 11,000ft above sea level the Papallacta Hotel and Hot Springs is a popular ‘away from it all’ resort on the edge of the Amazon rain forest.  You can water raft or take an adventure trail into the mountains.  With 15 hours of flying due the next day the best thing was to relax in the 80ºF open air pool and then take a superb lunch. www.metropolitan-touring.com

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