-The French minister of transport has confirmed his intention to restrict flights from Paris' second airport, Orly, to those with a range of less than 5,000km (2,700nm). The move, which is expected to take effect in 2001, means that a few slots (2.5% of the total) will be released for extra domestic and European flights, but will also force at least two airlines, AOM and Corsair, to move their long-range services to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
-Toronto City Council has voted to lift the ban on jet operations at Toronto City Centre Airport, which is on an island in Lake Ontario adjacent to the city. The council has also agreed to replace the ageing ferry service with a bridge.
-The planned privatisation of Rome's airport management company ADR is moving forward, with a 54.2% shareholding being offered for sale in block. Total privatisation will take place by mid 1999.
-The Israeli Airports Authority (IAA) has recommended that Israel's second international airport should be located on an artificial island off the coast to allow operations without the restrictions imposed at Tel-Aviv Ben-Gurion Airport because of its location near the most populated areas in central Israel. The expansion of Ben-Gurion will allow it to handle 12 million passengers a year when it is completed in late 2002, compared with the 7 million who pass through its two terminals each year.
-Barclays Capital, Chase Manhattan Bank and AMP Asset Management Australia have won a three-tranche A$1.3 billion ($823 million) Sydney Airport financing deal in competition with a rival group of four major Australian banks. The facility represents the Sydney Airport Corporation's (SACL) first major financing since its corporatisation by the federal government last July. The funds will be used to pay the federal government for SACL's 99-year lease on the airport, payment for which is due on 1 February, as well as to pay for future capital expenditure and working capital requirements.
Source: Flight International
