Airport wants to help green aviation to take off
Aviation is often considered a significant challenge in the UK’s move to be net zero, but with Leeds Bradford Airport having already outlined plans to be net zero by 31 December 2030, its chief executive Vincent Hodder recently discussed how it could deliver this ambition.
Speaking to aviation industry publication Routes, Hodder who took office earlier this year and has been at the helm as the airport has faced a number of challengers over its future development plans, explained how its ownership by AMP Capital offered benefits on its carbon free journey.
He also outlined the airport’s plans to invest in power generation on site via solar power “in the appropriate time”.
Hodder said: “One of the benefits that we have is that we’re part of the portfolio of AMP Capital, our key shareholder as well as a significant investor in Newcastle (NCL) and Luton (LTN) airports here in the UK and Melbourne Airport (MEL) in Australia.
“Newcastle has invested recently in power generation on-site using solar. We’re following the lessons they are learning through that process and, in the appropriate time, we’ll make our own investments into solar hopefully. But we will draw on their experience to do that more effectively and efficiently, and avoid some of the issues that they may find.”
The chief executive also noted that they are already actively working with airlines to encourage them to be greener by offering special “rack rates” and “airline specific agreements”.
He also noted that at Leeds Bradford Airport the approach aims not to penalise airlines but provide a “financial incentive to deploy the most efficient aircraft” to the airport, as it’s important to the airport’s local community.
However Hodder also said that airlines and airports can’t do this alone and said he would like governments to incentivise investment in green technologies.
Routes questioned how the airlines had responded to this approach and for Leeds Bradford Airport Hodder said Jet2.com, Ryanair and KLM were in the process of agreeing new long term plans which will support the airports growth and the use of more efficient aircraft.
“We’re very committed to delivering the services, products and the infrastructure which [the airlines] need to conduct their businesses” he said.
Adding: “And if they’re not successful in operating their business, then we as an airport will never be successful.”
Controversially according to the Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport, which has been vocal in its objection to future development at the airport, Hodder also said he’d like to be able to encourage airlines to invest in the latest aircraft in order to enable them fly as much as they want at night – at present the airport has a noise cap on operations which restricts it to 2,800 overnight movements between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. during the summer.
Chris Foren, chair of GALBA, said that at present “the existing rules do prevent an unlimited number of night flights – and that’s the way it should stay. But the airport’s planning application wants to rip up these rules. GALBA won’t let that happen.”
Adding: “In the interview, Mr Hodder said he believes that the airport has ‘an obligation to be encouraging people to reduce their carbon emissions.’ If he was serious about that obligation, he’d withdraw the airport’s expansion plans which would cause a massive increase in emissions from the 16,000 extra flights per year using LBA.”
However in the interview Hodder noted that part of encouraging people to reduce their carbon emissions needed to include schemes such as the one currently in effect which offers passengers who use an electric vehicle for pick up or drop off no charge for a 60 minute wait – something that is charged for users of traditional motor vehicles.
What is clear from the interview with Hodder is that he is ambitious about the future of Leeds Bradford Airport, despite the challenges the sector has faced over the last 21 months.
