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29-Jun-2011 11:34 AM

NATS quantifies wastage due to Heathrow overcrowding

London Heathrow Airport's overcrowding means that vast quantities of fuel are wasted and passengers are facing constant delays, according to NATS (Breaking Travel News, 28-Jun-2011). Some 60% of Heathrow arrivals are forced into holding patterns, which slows air travel and results in greater carbon emissions. NATS claims aircraft circulate above south-east England for a cumulative 55 hours every day, needlessly consuming 190 tonnes of fuel and costing GBP119,000 a day. This wastage discharges 600 tonnes of CO2 into the skies above London. Heathrow operates at 98% capacity.

NATS: "It is not a great environmental story and it is not something we will be shouting from the rooftops. But it is important that people know that when you are operating at 98% capacity and you have the two most utilised pieces of infrastructure in the world [Heathrow and Gatwick] then one of the results is that you have airborne holding." Jon Proudlove, MD. Source: Breaking Travel News, 28-Jun-2011.

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