AIRLINES FLYING GHOST FLIGHTS IS 'MADNESS' - KRAMER

10.43.25am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 16th Jul 2008

Commenting on reports that BMI is to fly near-empty aircraft from the autumn in order to protect flight slots, Susan Kramer, MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston said:

"This is just madness. Flying empty planes around the country is so damaging to the environment, at a time when airlines should be cleaning up their act in terms of pollution and carbon emissions."

"The whole system of flight slots needs to be looked at to ensure that it does not encourage airlines to take such environmentally damaging action or to inconvenience passengers by cancelling uneconomic flights at the last minute to protect their slots."

"I have written to Airport Coordination, the Government and BAA to call for the system of flight slots to be changed to prevent this situation from continuing."