Heathrow faces 'tens of millions' in costs after March fire shutdown
It came as Heathrow revealed its busiest ever start to the year, with a record 39.9 million passengers travelling through the airport thanks to strong demand for Asia-Pacific and Middle East routes. But its half-year profits still sunk by more than a third to £203million for the six months to the end of June, as costs surged partly as a result of higher wages and national insurance contributions.
'I would have liked to see my personal role play out differently. 'That said, we need to have procedures in place that ensures that this company can take the right decisions at the right time by the right people, no matter what the situation is.
'An organisation like ours has to be able to manage, whether the captain's on the bridge or not.' During an interview with BBC Radio 4 earlier in the day, Woldbye denied misjudging what it meant to be the head of one of the world's busiest airports.
Heathrow now awaits a report from energy watchdog Ofgem to finalise its findings into the incident and discover whether it can claim compensation from National Grid Electricity Transmission. Ofgem has launched an official enforcement investigation into NGET after a report found the fire was the result of a preventable technical fault.
The report by the National Energy System Operator (Neso) said 'elevated moisture reading' found in oil samples at the North Hyde substation in west London in July 2018 was not rectified with replacement electrical insulators known as bushings.
It also comes as Heathrow plots a major expansion, including plans for a third runway, to increase its capacity and maintain its status as a global hub. Woldbye told investors on Wednesday Heathrow is still 'delivering on our vision to become an extraordinary airport, fit for the future'.
He added: 'Our new five-year investment plan will mean faster, more reliable journeys, more on-time flights and unlock room to grow - all while delivering better value for customers.
'We will soon submit our long-term expansion plans to the Government, providing the UK with the opportunity to stay competitive, boost jobs and drive nationwide growth. Heathrow has an exciting future ahead and we are ready to get going.'
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The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Birmingham Airport runway reopens after hours of delays from emergency landing
Birmingham Airport has reopened its runway after a small aircraft made an emergency landing, leading to hours of delays and cancellations. Three people from the aircraft were treated at the scene with one suffering minor injuries from the incident, which occurred at around 1.40pm on Wednesday, West Midlands Police said. Other emergency services including police, fire and ambulance all attended the scene at the airport's runway. Footage and images shared on social media appeared to show a small white plane, understood to be a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, lying flat on the airport tarmac. Birmingham Airport first said at around 2.40pm that its runway was temporarily closed following the incident, before later suggesting flights would remain grounded until at least 8pm. In an update posted on X shortly before 8pm on Wednesday evening, the airport said: 'Following the aircraft incident today, the runway has reopened and operations have resumed.' It apologised for the disruption caused by the incident and said passengers must check flight details and follow advice issued by their airlines. 'Our teams have worked as quickly as possible, in line with strict protocols, which must be followed to ensure a safe reopening of the runway following a prolonged closure,' the airport added. Flights originally scheduled to depart as far back as 2.10pm were still running at the airport after the runway re-opened, but other flights faced delays as late as 12.10am on Thursday, according to Birmingham Airport's website. The Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) said it had started an investigation into the incident, with 'a multi-disciplinary team including inspectors with expertise in aircraft operations, engineering and recorded data' deployed to the airport. A Beechcraft B200 Super King Air was also involved in a plane crash at London Southend Airport in July, which killed four people on board. Many people in Europe trying to fly back to Birmingham were still facing lengthy delays after its reopening. Diana Celella, an interior designer from Sutton Coldfield, was due to return from Lisbon on a Ryanair flight departing at 8.20pm after a week-long holiday in the Portuguese city with her husband Luigi, but saw online that the flight will now take off at 11.05pm. The 60-year-old, who also works as a lecturer at Arts University Bournemouth, told the PA news agency: 'My husband and I have had a lovely holiday, so it's a real shame to end it with this delay. That said, if we do manage to take off tonight, we'll count ourselves lucky under the circumstances. 'The atmosphere among fellow passengers is mostly resigned — everyone we've spoken to recognises that it's out of Ryanair's control. 'However, there's been a lack of clear communication. We've had no updates from Ryanair since 6.20pm, and there have been no announcements at Lisbon Airport, which is frustrating. 'Fingers crossed we fly tonight.' Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander earlier said disruption at the airport was 'minimal' but she understood 'how frustrating' the situation was for passengers. Earlier on Wednesday, West Midlands Police said in a post on X: 'We are at Birmingham Airport this afternoon after a small aircraft was involved in an emergency landing at around 1.40pm. 'Officers are among the emergency crews at the scene and one person has been reported to have minor injuries. 'The Civil Aviation Authority has been informed and the airport has suspended operations as an investigation is carried out.' West Midlands Ambulance Service said in a statement: 'We were called at 1.45pm to an incident involving a light aircraft at Birmingham Airport. 'Hazardous Area Response Team (Hart) paramedics and three paramedic officers were sent to the scene. 'Upon arrival we found three patients from the aircraft, all of whom were assessed and discharged at the scene.' Woodgate Aviation said one of its Beechcraft fixed-wing aircraft was involved in the incident. The company said in a statement: 'The turbo-prop aircraft was on a flight to Belfast International Airport when it developed landing gear problems. The aircraft returned to Birmingham and made an emergency landing and the main under-carriage collapsed on touchdown. 'Two crew members and a passenger were on board but were uninjured. 'The aircraft remains on the runway and Woodgate Aviation will be co-operating fully with air accident investigators and airport services. 'We would like to pay tribute to the professionalism of our colleagues and the emergency services at the airport for their prompt action.'
The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Electric car grants and discounts round up – Citroen first to get grants, while Vauxhall and Fiat are the latest with discounts
Citroen is the first car maker to offer discounts on its electric car range as part of the official government Electric Car Grants that were announced three weeks ago, with the eligible Citroen models now showing on the official government website as being available with grant money applied to the list price. Models including the Citroën e-C3, e-C4, e-C4 X and e-Berlingo are getting £1,500 off with immediate effect, with customers automatically benefiting from the discounts without having to do any paperwork. The upcoming e-C3 Aircross and e-C5 Aircross models are also set to get the same £1,500 discounts when they go on sale in the coming months. The first official discounts come three weeks after the government's announcement of the Electric Car Grant, and as news broke of a drop in car sales. Overall car sales were down five per cent in July, while there was a clear slow down in the rate of growth of EV sales. It had been expected that there would be a pause in electric car sales as buyers waited to see which cars would be eligible for discounts and which cars wouldn't. One car company executive, speaking anonymously to The Independent, confirmed that dealers were reporting customers cancelling orders until it was clear which cars were and which cars weren't eligible for grants.. The electric car grant was announced on Monday 14 July and went live on Wednesday 16 July. Car makers must apply for the grants, which are available on EVs up to the price of £37,000 and where car makers have signed up to low-carbon 'science-based targets' around manufacturing. Grants of between £1,500 and £3,750 will be available for eligible cars. While the announcement of the EV grant has been broadly welcomed by car makers, it took many of them by surprise, with some learning about the government plan via the media. As car companies grapple with the process involved in getting approval for the grants, many of them have introduced their own discount schemes to incentivise customers to keep buying their electric cars. The latest discounts come from Vauxhall and Fiat – fellow Stellantis brands to Citroen. Vauxhall is offering £1,500 off its entire range of Corsa, Frontera, Mokka, Grandland, Astra and Astra Sports Tourer, with additional benefits including up to £1,500 deposit contribution on zero per cent finance on some models, or a £2,500 deposit contribution towards finance on the Grandland. Vauxhall's 'Electric All In' offer of £500 towards a home charger or public charging also still stands. Fiat is offering £1,500 off its 500e, Fiat 600e, Abarth 500e and Abarth 600e all-electric models, with zero per cent finance still available on the 500e. Volkswagen Group brands VW, Skoda and Cupra have launched a 'Grant Guarantee' discount scheme while waiting for news from the government. VW is offering £1,500 off selected ID. 3 and ID. 4 all-electric models. 'We welcomed the Government's announcement of its Electric Car Grant and wanted to make sure customers could start benefitting from lower-cost electric motoring as quickly as possible. We have already seen an uplift in enquiries since the Government's grant was announced, which is great news for Volkswagen's electrification plans,' said Rod McLeod, Director of Volkswagen UK. Skoda is offering the same £1,500 discount across its Elroq and Enyaq model range, but not the Enyaq Coupe, while Cupra is offering £1,500 off many of its Cupra Born models. VW, Skoda and Cupra offers apply to cars bought during August and registered for the new 75 registration plate with deliveries starting on September 1. However, VW, Skoda and Cupra have all made it clear that if the government's EV grant comes through, the brands' Grant Guarantee scheme will end – customers won't be able to receive both. Last week, Volvo introduced a discount in lieu of any government grant, with £1,500 off any of the brand's EX30 electric models, even those that cost over the £37,000 limit. Smart also offered its own 'EV grant' with £1,500 off the whole range of Smart #1 and #3, in addition to existing incentives. That means you could save a total of £3,500 off a Smart #1, for example. Hyundai has its own electric grant, with the biggest discount available on Hyundai's smallest model. The Hyundai Inster – recently voted World Electric Car of the Year – gets a £3,750 'grant' bringing the entry-level car's price down to £19,755. There's still an additional £500 off if you go for Hyundai's low-rate PCP finance, too. The rest of the Hyundai electric car range, including models over £37,000, are also getting a £1,500 discount as part of the offer. Buyers of Chinese-made EVs were also left to reconsider their purchases with news that the government wasn't expecting those models to be eligible for the Electric Car Grant. Speaking on Radio Four, Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, said: 'We don't expect any cars that are assembled in China to be eligible for this scheme. 'The grant is restricted to those manufacturers that reach minimum environmental standards. And, frankly, if you generate a lot of the electricity that powers your factory through coal power stations, then you are not going to be able to access this grant." The Department for Transport told The Independent: 'We expect dozens of models will be eligible but manufacturers will need to apply for the grant before we can confirm eligibility. We have held multiple calls with vehicle manufacturers to explain vehicle eligibility and how to apply for the grant. These discussions will continue to ensure manufacturers have all the information they need. 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Daily Mail
10 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
This isn't a case of 'WILL they get it right'? This is a case of 'WHEN they get it right'... GRAEME SOUNESS is backing the new revolution at Rangers
Almost 40 years after being at the vanguard of one revolution at Ibrox, Graeme Souness is now content to be bear witness to another. In the past three months, Rangers have moved into new ownership, with their American custodians quickly identifying Russell Martin as the man to instigate a change of fortunes on the park. While the new manager's nine recruits to date have been much lower profile than the cast of international A-listers assembled by Souness, the wind of change throughout the club feels reminiscent of that which blew in during the summer of 1986. When Souness arrived from Sampdoria as player-manager, the club had long become strangers to the winner's podium. With just one league title in the past 14 years, Martin has also arrived on the scene at a point when losing has become the norm. While 72-year-old Souness purposefully stops short of predicting that the latest incumbent can follow his lead by winning the Premiership at the first time of asking, his instinct tells him that something special is brewing again at his old stomping ground. 'I think the new guys (in charge) have started well,' said Souness of the consortium which includes 49ers Enterprises. 'The noises that have come out sound very professional and it's as if they know what they're doing. Former Rangers manager Graeme Souness is thrilled with the positive signs under new regime 'This is not a case of 'Will they get it right?' This is a case of 'When they get it right'. 'This is not their first dip into soccer. Like in any new business, they will have made some mistakes down in England with Leeds United. 'I expect them to hit the ground running to a certain point. From what I'm hearing from within the club, and how it comes out publicly, I'm very much encouraged. 'It would appear, from the outside looking in, it's settled down. People know what roles they've got within the organisation. And I think there's a clear path that's being led from the top. I think everyone now knows their job and they can get on with it.' His heart tells him that Martin's newly moulded side can come up trumps at the first time of asking. His head tells him that's still a very tall order, 'I think it's a bit like dealing with a politician, asking Rachel Reeves or Keir Starmer when they're going to get it right,' he added. 'In football terms, it's the same. I think you're putting unnecessary pressure on yourself. The US-led revolution at Rangers has been warmly welcomed after years in the doldrums 'I'm a Rangers supporter and, like every other Rangers supporter, I hope it's sooner rather than later. I hope it's this year. The minute you try to attach logic to football, you'll come unstuck.' Souness is sure about one thing, though. When asked if he agreed with former director Paul Murray's view that this felt like the biggest moment for the club since he walked in the door, he fully concurred. 'Yes, 100 per cent,' he replied. 'These people understand soccer. Do they fully understand what Glasgow Rangers is about? I'm sure they have realised that this is a unique football club and a unique football experience. It's a very special football club. And working in the west of Scotland is quite unique, trust me.' Martin will feel more comfortable today than he did on Saturday evening. On the back of a feeble display at Motherwell, the 39-year-old publicly flayed the majority of his players for going through the motions throughout an opening-day draw. Anyone who was in any doubt as to who he felt was responsible was enlightened when the team-sheet for Tuesday's match with Viktoria Plzen dropped. James Tavernier, Nico Raskin, Danilo and Kieran Dowell were nowhere to be seen. 'He went early, but that's his style,' Souness said. 'You'd have to say that he's put his foot down pretty quickly. And I don't see that as a bad thing. 'I think you're putting a marker down that: 'I have my standards and you're going to have to come up to my standards to be a regular member or a starter in this team'. 'It's not about him dropping his standards to accommodate players.' This view is offered with the benefit of considerable experience. 'I expected the senior players to be the standard-bearers,' reflected Souness. 'They were the ones that had to set the standards within the dressing room. And that's how it should be. 'I'm a great believer that you don't have a successful football club unless you have good senior pros. And maybe he's expecting a bit more from some of the senior pros than he got at the weekend. 'I've been talking about Jock Stein a lot recently. I always felt Jock was harder on Kenny Dalglish and me with the Scottish team. 'I was frightened of him, although I'm not sure Kenny was! But the message was: 'If I can do that to them, you make sure you're on it'. 'Some people need a lot more love than others. I was lucky I didn't need any love.' Souness was present on Tuesday as the tough love imparted by Martin did the trick. A three-goal win against Viktoria Plzen planted one foot in the play-off round. Barring a disaster in the second leg, Rangers will face either Club Brugge or Salzburg for a place in the Champions League proper. Despite the last trip to the promised land under Giovanni van Bronckhorst being the most chastening experience imaginable, Souness refutes the suggestion that his old club would be better off in the Europa League. 'I was at the Liverpool game (a 7-1 loss) and it was a sore one,' he recalled. 'That night, Rangers just didn't believe they could get a result against them. They got rolled over far too easily. 'But you want to be in with the big boys. Every professional football player thinks he's proper. And, if you think that, then you want to be in against the very best. 'The Europa League might be more rewarding in terms of results, and you might go further in it. But I would take my chance in the Champions League. I want to play against the best.' As welcome as it was to see a largely positive sequence of European results continue on Tuesday, the main desire of Rangers supporters is for their side to return to the top of the pile in Scotland. Only then would the second revolution feel complete. 'Same old story. It's no good finishing second,' said Souness. 'I'm much-travelled, worked in several different countries. And I come back to this. It's the biggest rivalry in football, that I know of. The next one would be Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, and Manchester United and Liverpool. But this (Glasgow) is above that. 'The way I see football in this country, and I'll upset lots of football supporters, there are four institutions that are football clubs in this country: Liverpool, Man United, Rangers and Celtic. 'And why is it? It's because, as I see it, the passion that the supporters have for their own football clubs is beyond what I've seen anywhere else. It can certainly, if you're involved as I was, keep you awake at night.'
