Airport

Protesters chained to private jets at EBACE force Geneva Airport to close

At Geneva Airport, where private planes are on display as part of the largest private jet expo in Europe, the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE), dozens of climate activists participated in the protest action.

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In order to prevent potential buyers from approaching the exhibition space and the aircraft gangways where the jets are being shown, activists have peacefully occupied the planes. They have also shackled themselves to those locations. Private jets “burn our future,” “kill our planet,” and “fuel inequality,” according to the protesters, who marked the aircraft with enormous tobacco-style health warning labels designating them as dangerous items.

BREAKING ‼️
In Geneva 100 climate activists supporting @StayGroundedNet, @ScientistRebel1, @ExtinctionR, and @Greenpeace, are interrupting the biggest private jet sales event in Europe #Ebace2023.
Follow us for live updates throughout this action!#BanPrivateJets
🧵 1/ pic.twitter.com/NRrFV33V8N
— Stay Grounded Network (@StayGroundedNet) May 23, 2023

The loudspeakers carried by the activists were used to broadcast ads that highlighted the devastating effects that private jets have on the environment and demonstrated the hypocrisy of supporting private jets while social inequality is on the rise.

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The main entrance to the business aviation presentation, which is taking place at the Palexpo exhibition facility near the Geneva Airport, was blocked by them. Police in Geneva acted promptly to remove the activists, some of whom were attached to private aircraft. 80 individuals were detained.

Geneva airport is closed until 1345 due to climate activists on the runway. Today is the first public day of Ebace 2023 pic.twitter.com/MA2Xrc2tF6
— dpts.org (@followdpts) May 23, 2023

The normal operations of Geneva Airport were noted in a social media post that: “Due to an incursion of people on the tarmac, air traffic is temporarily interrupted at Geneva Airport.”
Later, the airport verified that regular service had resumed.

Airport

Western Sydney Airport Welcomes Its First Plane After 6 Years of construction

In a historic milestone for Australia’s aviation sector, the first plane has officially taken off and landed at Western Sydney Airport after six years of construction, much to the delight of a small but enthusiastic group of dedicated planespotters.

A test pilot made the inaugural landing using a Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche, successfully completing a series of take-off and landing runs on the newly built tarmac. This crucial test paves the way for larger passenger aircraft, which are expected to start using the runway in two years.

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The Piper PA-30 was employed to assess the airport’s approximately 3,000 Aeronautical Ground Lights (AGLs) by executing operations in various conditions, including daylight, dusk, and evening. This testing ensures that the lighting system is fit for purpose and ready to welcome aircraft when the airport opens to commercial flights in late 2026.

The pilot also highlighted that the rapid exit taxiways have been designed at a 45-degree angle, allowing for quicker transitions on and off the runway. Once operational, the airport will feature a single runway capable of handling up to 10 million passengers annually right from day one.

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As the construction phase nears completion, the airport’s main terminal, apron, and supporting infrastructure will be ready to accommodate around 81,000 flights each year. This milestone marks a significant moment for Western Sydney Airport, the first new airport to open in Australia since Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport more than two decades ago.

Major airlines, including Qantas and Jetstar, have already committed to operating from the 24/7 facility, signaling strong support for this new hub. By 2033, the airport aims to handle up to 10 million passengers and facilitate extensive air traffic movements annually.