Gama Aviation is preparing for the forthcoming 2012 Olympics and the anticipated increase in business aviation traffic with the recruitment of its own dedicated air traffic specialist.

Consultant Martin Hill brings 30 years’ experience as an air traffic controller and supervisor at the London Air Traffic Control centre to Gama. He is now in situ at the company’s Farnborough Airport HQ and is advising Gama’s operations and charter teams as they communicate to clients about their air travel to London coinciding with next year’s big event.

Gama’s Director of Client Relations Trevor Jones was participating as a panellist at BGAD 2011’s Practicalities of the Olympics Panel at Cambridge Airport on Tuesday, 20th September. “We are advising our customers and charter brokers to book their slots early in order to avoid disappointment. For international clients coming to London between 21 July and 15 August we urge them to contact us as soon as possible so we can make the slot applications accordingly. This is because there will be capacity constraints in the airspace over the London area, affecting a total of 40 airports in the South of the UK.”

Slots will be required for all flights arriving or departing the London area during the period from 21st July to 15th August 2012, inclusive – this covers the Olympic Games only, there are no extra slot restrictions for the Paralympic Games. Flights will also be subjected to security screening, even at small airports/airfields.

Martin Hill explains: “Slots will be issued on a first come, first served basis and where the requested slot time is not available, the closest match will be offered as an alternative. Airports will be charging a non-refundable fee for the booking of the slots, which will be added to the cost of the flight, and in some cases, requiring payment of landing and handling fees in advance.”

Gama is advising its clients and charter brokers that once a slot is issued, changing the time of the flight will invalidate that original slot. There will be no guarantee that a slot will be available for the revised time, on the day concerned. If the slot is not adhered to the flight will not be able to depart until a new slot time is granted, which could be many hours away.

The slot system is now operational to take bookings at Farnborough Airport, and will become active at other London area airports over the coming months.

The following airports, all subject to slot co-ordination, have confirmed their available capacity and effective September 5th it is possible to make a reservation at those highlighted in bold:

Slot co-ordinated airports during the period of the Olympics

• Biggin Hill
• Blackbushe
• Bournemouth*
• Cambridge
• Chalgrove
• Cranfield
• Damyns Hall
• Denham
• Dunsfold
• Elstree
• Fairoaks
• Farnborough
• Goodwood
• Lee-on-Solent
• Leicester
• Lydd
• Manston
• Northolt
• North Weald
• Old Sarum
• Oxford
• Peterborough
• Redhill
• Rochester
• Shoreham
• Southampton**
• Southend
• Stapleford
• Sywell
• Thruxton
• White Waltham
• Wycombe Air Park

The following airports are yet to confirm their capacity so slot bookings are not yet available:

• Birmingham*
• Coventry ***
• Duxford***
• London City**
• London Gatwick
• London Heathrow**
• London Luton*
• London Stansted*

* slot reservations available 30th November 2011

** slot reservations available 1st February 2012

*** slot reservations available as soon as capacity determined

Coventry airport is to close with immediate effect, Sky News has reported.

The airport’s owners, West Midlands International Airport Ltd, are currently face a winding-up order at the High Court.

For more information check out Sky News here

Coventry Airport has announced the times it will be closed for the festive period.

The airport will close at 19:30 on Thursday 24 December and reopen at 9:00 on Saturday 2 January. However, it will be open from 13:00 until 01:00 on 29 & 30 December.

Coventry Airport has signed a £30m contract with City Aviation Services (CAS) to outsource a number of key personnel including baggage, cleaning and in a significant move for the airport security.

The airport is believed to be the first of the UK airports to outsource its entire security department, a move fully supported by the Department for Transport. The Airport’s management team is convinced the appointment of CAS is of great benefit to the Airport, its passengers and importantly, the personnel involved.

CAS, a UK-based aviation services specialist established in 1997, has been working with Coventry Airport for more than 11 years. In spring 1997, the company was initially contracted to provide cargo and car park staff to the airport. It was during 2004 that CAS first began to supply back up security personnel to cover staff holidays and sickness.

“Our existing relationship with CAS was a key factor when we first considered outsourcing our security department”, said Chris Orphanou, Coventry Airport’s CEO. “Over the past four years, CAS has grown with the passenger service operations at the airport. They have organised their own Level One Security training courses, provided uniforms for their staff and have given invaluable back up to our own operation. We are more than satisfied that CAS will surpass our personnel requirements in all departments.”

As discussions regarding the provision of security personnel progressed, other key positions were also considered and last month a contract was signed between CAS and Coventry Airport to provide security, car parks, cleaning, baggage and driving staff. CAS has taken responsibility for the contracts of personnel who were previously employed directly by Coventry Airport. “We were very keen to ensure job security for our employees,” continued Chris Orphanou. “We are therefore very pleased that no personnel have been made redundant during this transition.”

During the past year Coventry Airport’s management has put in place an extensive forward thinking development plan. To date £10m has been invested in improvements to the airport. The management team has lodged an appeal against the recent decision by Government ministers to reject the airport’s planning application to construct a new terminal building for up to two million passengers a year. A High Court hearing is scheduled to take place the week commencing 21st July.