Newcastle Airport Consultative Committee: Quarterly Meeting 2nd June 2009.
There were 19 members of the committee and NIA staff present and 5 apologies.
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved. There were no major matters arising.
P C’s Inskipp and Wardhaugh of the Northumbria Police Airport Team gave a presentation on the Key Individual Network Scheme, which is designed to operate if there is a major incident at the Airport. Committee members were asked to sign up to support the scheme in the areas they represent and name and address forms for completion were handed out so contacts could be made if an incident took place.
Jon Sunderland, Duty Manager, informed the Committee that the airport landside operation continued to be very busy despite a reduction in passenger numbers. Mobile customer co-ordination staff are now in place to help customers with advice and assistance around the Terminal and a new team to help customers with reduced mobility had been trained. It was emphasised that passengers with reduced mobility should give the Airport advance notice of their travel plans to ensure prompt and appropriate support. The security process had been improved with a new layout and there are plans to trial new liquid testing equipment.
Noise Action Plan. This was being developed by the Airport company and a sub-committee, and would go out for consultation with local groups in July. The Committee will discuss the plan in more detail at their next meeting.
The Chairman reported on the Annual Meeting of the Liaison Group of Airport Consultative Committees (UKACC), held in Belfast, and reported that a major debate about maintaining Heathrow slots for regional airports had received substantial support and would be the subject of representations to DfT, the European Parliament and the Treasury. It was suggested that any third runway at Heathrow should be conditional on maintaining these slots. (The full minutes of this meeting are available at www.ukaccs.info.)
The Chairman also reported on a meeting held by the Which? organisation of a number of UKACC representatives, at which issues raised included: looking after people with reduced mobility, stealth charges eg. trolley charges, plastic bag vending machines, and the fact that some committees were given security passes to enable them to make random checks on the customer experience.
Airport Report. Graeme Mason advised that passenger numbers were down in common with most airports, year on year. The petrol station is now open and the hotel should open in September. A new Lego store has opened and a promotional campaign is scheduled for July to cover shops and restaurants airside.
Noise. As a result of helicopter activity out of Gosforth Park Racecourse, complaints were being followed up. Local organisations were being advised of the Sunderland Air Show in advance of the 25th/26th July event.
Any other business. It was requested that information for people with reduced mobility be included in the next edition of Horizon Magazine. Airport staff commented that the in house handling of car parks was working well. A complaint about delays in baggage handling for arrivals and provision of free drinking water fountains would be investigated.
Date of next meeting. 8th September, 2.00pm, Boardroom. This will also be the AGM.