expansion

Lyin' Air: Plane Mad versus O'Leary

Clowns and Banner

Last month the Irish group Plane Mad had a chance to see Michael O'Leary's own madness first hand. When confronted at his AGM by a topless protester O'Leary's insane ranting demonstrated an acute state of denial. Muddling up the science he claimed that he believed in climate change but not global warming. He said "There is no scientific evidence yet" and "there has been no increase in global temperatures for the last ten years".

Now we know that O'Leary didn't manage to finish his time in University but this stuff is taught at secondary school level. But he's in no way consistent: if he doesn't believe in global warming why does he boast about having the most efficient fleet or pretend that aviation accounts for 2% of CO2 emissions? Surely he shouldn't care about emissions if he thinks the Earth is not warming? Or maybe he's lying! Lying to protect his polluting business.

So how does the Irish political establishment treat someone who is clearly very stupid or very dishonest (or both)? Do they rein him in with tight regulation? Do they try to educate him or simply shun him? No, as usual our conservative government is completely in bed with business. This Irish climate criminal is treated with friendship and respect. The Tanaiste (deputy prime minister) attended his wedding. He receives 15 million Euro in direct subsidies for internal flights that he operates within Ireland.

In July he was in the Dail (Irish parliament) giving his opinions to the transport committee. Our politicians licked his ass and congratulated him on his business leadership. The chairman went as far as to say that it was always a pleasure to fly with Ryanair!

So, Plane Mad carried out an action at the ryanair AGM to expose O'Leary's lies. We hung a big "Lyin' Air" banner off the hotel where the AGM was taking place. Rob Mac confronted O'Leary directly about his dishonesty. And a spoof shareholder briefing was circulated that pushed the lies to their logical conclusion:

Dear Shareholder,

As I'm sure you are aware, a key threat to our revenue is the possibility that passengers would heed environmental concerns and fly less. We clearly need a strategy to avoid consumers becoming aware of the climate impact we have.

I want to take this opportunity to assure you that I will not let this eco-bollocks affect our profit, and to outline my strategy for dealing with it.

The tactics of denial employed by the tobacco industry proved successful for decades after the health impacts were proven. Exxon have successfully used the same tactics and many of the same personnel to deny the reality of climate change.

Currently very few passengers know that flying is the most carbon intensive way to travel. We need to direct attention away from the science by fostering a culture of doubt around the facts. The eco-loonies may attempt to cling to peer-reviewed science, but we don't need to be able to refute their facts, all we need is to spread enough misinformation for doubt to linger.

I have already been active in national newspapers and on radio questioning whether climate change is caused by carbon dioxide. In the letters pages of the Irish Times on July the 17th, I used the current inclement weather to suggest that the climate could not be warming. The liberal idiots who read the Irish Times will believe anything.

The International Aviation and Transport Association (IATA) have done commendable work suppressing information on the damage caused by aviation. There are certain concrete facts that we cannot afford to allow to become accepted. If they did so environmental awareness could become a ticking time bomb for the health of our profits. The following facts will be denied by me, like lying is going out of fashion.

 

  1. The reductions in emissions per passenger are meaningless due to our growth.
  2. Due to the additional pollutants released by airplanes and the altitude at which they are released the total warming effect of aviation emissions is 2.7 times greater than the warming effect of the carbon dioxide alone.
  3. The 2 per cent figure I always use for the share of carbon that aviation accounts for, conveniently ignores the whole story of other pollutants and recent growth.

Despite their sandal-wearing, muesli eating carry-on, these eco-loons have the potential to mess up our marketing. I'm just a lad from a farm in Mullingar, but I know how to put bums on seats. People want to fly, they want to fly cheaply and they don't want to have to deal with the guilt peddled by those eco fun-police. All we need to do is to make it seem like the science might not be solid and our money will keep rolling in.

I know that you are rational people who understand business. I hope that you can stand behind my blatant lies, as I am working to protect our profits.

The millions of passengers I carry around Europe on cheap flights may well be causing climate change but it's putting money in my pocket. I am making money today. It is not my business to care about tomorrow.

And who do these eco-loons think they are anyway, denting the bottom line of the company I've been tying my ego to for years? I lie very hard every day so my kids can be richer than their friends. Will I be sparing a thought for those who are now dying as a result of climate change? You must be eco-joking!

Screw the Bangladeshis.
Screw the next generation.
Deny climate change.
Fly Ryanair.

Yours sincerely,
M. O'Liary
Chief Executive

With someone like Michael O'Leary in our country is it any wonder that Plane Mad have formed to campaign against the aviation industry? And with a government that treats people like him with such respect is it any wonder that we are going to do it by taking action?!

Newham approves expansion at London City Airport

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No expansion flight attendants

Last night Plane Stupid had the opportunity to witness the failure of democracy first hand, as Newham councillors voted 5-1 in favour of a 50% increase in the number of flights using London City Airport (LCA), accepting the airport's generous promise of a one million pound sweetener to spend on noise abatement in the area.

This was in the face of a flash-mob gathered outside the town hall and in the teeth of the large number of very pissed off residents who had come to register their objections, telling tales of noise intrusion and asthma mortality for the communities living around the airport. A local teacher told how his students had carried out a project monitoring aircraft noise around their neighbourhood over a number of months, and consistently read average levels of 85 – 90db. This is well in excess of what the airport admits to – anything over 57db is judged to be a nuisance.

Stansted expansion decision is an act of war

Charge!

The Government has given the go-ahead for the first expansion at Stansted, paving the way for 10% more flights each year. It's a decleration of war: on the climate, local communities and democracy.

Stop Stansted Expansion have fought long and hard against any expansion, citing noise, environmental destruction and climate change. The local council opposed expansion, so the Government overruled them and found in favour of the airline industry. That's not democracy - that's dictatorship.

The inquiry into a second runway will take place next year, but don’t expect a miracle. The Government has shown that it’s prepared to stamp on local democracy and bulldoze through the science if it keeps the aviation industry happy. Fine – all that does is galvanise residents and environmentalists who aren’t so prepared to roll over for a dinosaur industry. If the Government wants a fight, it’s going the right way about it…

Tories rule out third runway

Bullingdon

We’re through the looking glass people. I woke up yesterday morning to discover that the Conservatives have opposed the third runway, and are actively warning contractors that if they sign a deal with Labour it won’t be honoured under the Tories. What the bloody hell is going on?

A little background: as a child of the early eighties I grew up under a blue Government, and came of age under a red one. I still associate Conservatism with milk theft (not so bad: I was allergic to it) and very spotty six formers. At age 11, that’s about as evil as life gets. Only axing Cities of Gold could have increased my hatred.

But Cameron and Villiers have been tiptoeing around the third runway for some time now: last year’s Quality of Life Commission report opposed expansion, and there have been constant noises from Tory HQ on ‘economic arguments’ not yet being proven. But the industry is hopping mad and pushing harder than it's ever pushed before, so until the plans are six feet under, forgive me for not raising a glass just yet.

Vote Plane Stupid for Transport Secretary

Vote for me

So it’s goodbye to Ruth Kelly, bane of environmentalists and apostle of airport expansion, who has resigned to spend more time with her family. Who will be next? No one seems to know (but everyone has an opinion), so rather than play musical cabinet chairs, I’m going to throw my hat in the ring. Gordon, if you’re listening, I’d be very happy to take over as Secretary of State for Transport.

I know that I’m not a Member of Parliament – although that didn’t stop you opting for Digby – but I have taken transport issues to the very top of the House of Commons. That’s got to count for something, right? After all, from what I’ve seen Transport Ministers are just meant to get in bed with aviation bosses, and how hard can that be?

Businesses in third runway economic growth shocker

Fat cat 2

There's something refreshing about the credit crunch: the high-pitched sound of the City of London starting to panic. After years of making oodles of money the fat cats are worrying about how they'll make the repayments on that Maserati they impulse bought last summer.

Luckily for the huddled masses of London's famous Docklands there is a panacea: expanding Heathrow airport. Despite London business group London First (like Earth First! but with hierarchy and massive environmental degredation) calling for a "better, not a bigger Heathrow", a coalition of 100 businesses has demanded the airport expand to serve their bloodthirsty cries for more economic growth.

Interestingly those calling for expansion include Severn Trent Water (former workplace of current BAA wanker Colin Matthews) and Hilton Hotels (who make a living by giving people a place to stay when they jet off on business). So they're hardly unbiased. Perhaps if these corporations focused less on supporting airport expansion, and more on running their own businesses we wouldn't be staring head first into a recession, hmm?

Boris backs City Airport expansion

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Boris green

Fresh from appointing BA Chairman Willie Walsh as an advisor on making London a global city (whatever that's supposed to mean), Mayor of London and tossle-haired tosser Boris Johnson has given his backing for the expansion of City Airport.

City Airport sits in the heart of Docklands, and flies very important people in suits about to meetings that probably could have taken place by telephone. It already blights some of the most deprived areas of East London, with aircraft noise, pollution and chaffeur-driven traffic. The latest plans will add 50% more flights - mostly to destinations reachable by train in roughly the same time.

The Mayor did add a small caveat though, saying that it would be hard to justify any further expansion. I'm sure that's a great relief for the sleep deprived residents. If Boris thinks City is so great for the local area, perhaps he'd like to dump it in the heart of Kensington. Thought not...

BoJo appoints BA Chairman as adviser

BoJo salute

Boris Johnson - Kyoto opponent and lover of gas guzzling automobiles - has pulled together a list of people to advise him on making London a 'world class global city'. Who's in? Step forward BA Chairman Willie Walsh, the rabid supporter of Heathrow expansion who won't be happy until the whole of West London is one giant airport.

Silly Willie isn't someone I'd trust for advice: last year he was infamously rebuked for telling the entire British Airways 'Executive Club' that the third runway would reduce emissions (something to do with stacking, apparently), and his airline is about to pay out lots and lots of wonga after agreeing to rip off passengers by price-fixing fuel surcharges with Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic.

But the six million dollar question is: what advice will Walsh be giving? We already know the answer to that. Walsh is addicted to expanding Heathrow, and is unlikely to agree with BoJo's support for a new airport in the Thames Estuary. His whole argument centres on making London a world class global city - just the remit of Boris's committee. During the election the mop-on-a-bike signed up to a cross-candidate statement against expansion - doubtless to appeal to the Tory-voting West London residents. Is a volte-face just around the corner?

Frankfurt airport direct action camp

Banneraktion

Things are hotting up over the channel. Campaigners against the expansion of Frankfurt airport have been squatting the forest of Kelsterbach, where the airport's bosses plan to clearcut 100,000 trees to build a new runway. The runway would double the number of flights, destroying any last remenant of peace and quiet for local residents.

This week the protestors have been hosting a direct action camp, with training, information and networking. Today is when everything starts to kick off, with intense action planning meetings; days of action kick off on Friday. There's more information (in German) on the group's website, but expect action and excitement later this week!

P.s. the photo is from a 'Banneraktion' in Frankfurt's Terminal 2 in early August.

Plane Stupid Scotland: BAA ASBO crackdown

ASBO

What would you do if your neighbour blasted loud noise every couple of minutes until late in the night; pumped toxic gases into the air and generally went out of their way to be anti-social? Welcome to the world of Clydebank residents, living near Glasgow airport. Sick of BAA dismissing their complaints as "isolated occurrences", they've banded together and demanded BAA be served with an ASBO.

This is one of the first outcomes of the Airportwatch Scotland's 'PlaneSpeaking' community mobilisation against airport expansion. Whilst Clydebank slaps an ASBO on BAA, other activists are working with airport staff on 'just transition' issues. Meanwhile other locals are plotting hard, with talk of mass kite-flying or balloon-releasing activities (which could ground planes for 'health and safety'). Watch this space...