Heathrow starts charging heavy polluters

HEATHROW Airport has started charging airlines more if they use noisier and more polluting types of aircraft to fly in and out of the airport.

They will be hit with a 7% increase in environmental charges after a new scheme to encourage airlines to use their newest aircrafts at Heathrow was launched.

The airport says the new fees, which came into effect on New Year’s Day (Monday), will lead to the use of cleaner and quieter aircraft, and is part of efforts to minimise its impact on local communities.

The introduction of the higher environmental charge forms part of Heathrow’s sustainability strategy Heathrow 2.0, which sets targets to deliver a more sustainable future for aviation.

It includes an aspiration to make growth from a new runway at Heathrow carbon neutral, and also proposes establishing an airside ultra-low emission zone by 2025, to improve the quality of life of local communities through cleaner air. The airport also started using 100% renewable electricity in April 2017.

Heathrow CEO John HollandKaye said: “Heathrow is determined to reduce the airport’s environmental impacts.

“Increasing our environmental charges to incentivise airlines to bring their cleanest, quietest aircraft to Heathrow is the best way to cut emissions and shrink the noise footprint around the airport. It is a tangible step that will make a real difference to local communities.”

Heathrow has recently invested in electric vehicles and charging points at the airport, as well as unveiling a new scheme to encourage colleagues to purchase low-emission vehicles.

With new public transport like the Elizabeth line/Crossrail , HS2, and rail links to the west and south on the horizon, the airport hopes 50% of passengers using the airport will use sustainable transport by 2030.

It says these combined measures will help the tackle emissions at the airport.