Air France has said that congestion at Heathrow is unnecessarily pushing up airlines' fuel consumption and carbon emissions. The French flag-carrier criticised air traffic control practices at Heathrow as it touted its own environmental record at an event in Paris yesterday.
Francoise Barrard, the airline's head of flight handling and infrastructure, said Air France reduced fuel consumption in 2006-07 through measures such as reducing taxiing time and changing approach routes to Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in Paris. This saved 13,000 tonnes of fuel, but similar efforts at Heathrow would be hindered because of congestion.
She said: 'It is a touchy subject. In London air traffic control decides to keep all aircraft in the air and you wait a long time. You never wait on the ground.' Pierre Caussade, the airline's vice-president for quality, environment and sustainable development, added that an 'air calculator' used by Air France gave noticeably higher results at Heathrow when the airport was congested. The calculator gives a figure for litres of fuel used per passenger per 100 kilometres. |
