Aviation sector

* How does the aviation sector as a whole benefit the UK? * What is considered to be the aviation sector’s most important contributions to economic growth and social well-being? * How do you think the global aviation sector will evolve in the medium and long term? What do you expect to be the most significant changes? * How, and within what constraints, can aviation growth occur as technological developments and improved operating procedures reduce CO2, pollutant emissions and noise impacts? * Should some aspects of UK aviation be considered to be of strategic national interest (e.g. certain airports, air traffic control)? If so, based on what criteria? * How might the cost of regulation to the aviation sector be reduced, while achieving the Government’s objectives of promoting sustainable aviation, improving the passenger experience at airports, and maintaining high standards of safety and security for passengers and freight?

International connectivity and hub airports

* How important are international and domestic air transport connections to the UK at both national and regional levels? * How will the UK’s connectivity needs change in the light of global developments in the medium and long term? * What are the benefits of maintaining a hub airport in the UK? * How important are transfer and transit passengers to the UK economy? * Can regional airports absorb some of the demand pressures from constrained airports in the south-east? What conditions would facilitate this? * How can regional airports and the aviation sector as a whole support the rebalancing of the economy across the UK?

Making better use of existing capacity

* To what extent do UK airports meet the needs of their customers? How might those needs be more effectively met within existing capacity? * Can more capacity be extracted out of the UK’s existing airport infrastructure? * How can Heathrow’s hub status be upheld within the constraints of its existing capacity? * How best could resilience be improved with existing capacity at the UK's major airports to reduce delays? * Could existing airport capacity be more efficiently used by changing the slot allocation process? * What provision, if any, should be made for regional, general & business aviation access into congested airports? * What is the role of airspace design and air traffic management in making better use of existing capacity?

Climate change impacts

* What is considered the most significant impacts of aviation? How can these impacts best be addressed? * What role should aviation play relative to other sectors of the economy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the medium and long term? * How effective is the EU ETS will be in addressing the climate impacts of aviation? * What is the potential for increased use of sustainable biofuels in aviation and over what timeframe? What are the barriers to bringing this about? * Which aircraft technologies have the most potential to help reduce aviation’s CO2 emissions? * What more could be done to encourage the aviation industry to adopt new technology to reduce its climate change impacts? * What more can the UK aviation industry do to reduce the climate change & local environmental impact of ground operations and surface access to and from the airport? * What is the scope of influencing the people industry to make choices aimed at reducing aviation’s climate change impacts?

Local impacts

* What is considered to be the most significant impacts of aviation for local communities? * Do you think that current arrangements for local engagement on aviation issues, are effective? * Are the current arrangements for ensuring sustainable surface access to and from airports, effective? Could more be done to improve surface access and reduce its environmental impacts? * What is the best way to encourage aircraft manufacturers and airlines to continue to strive to achieve further reductions in noise and air pollutant emissions through the implementation of new technology? * What are the economic benefits of night flights? * How can the night flying regime be improved to deliver better outcomes for residents living close to airports and other stakeholders, including businesses that use night flights? * Should extended periods of respite from night noise be considered, even if this resulted in increased frequency of flights before or after those respite periods?