Members of Aberdeen Campaign Against Climate Change held two protests this week: On Thursday, 16th November, Aberdeen City Council's Planning Department debated BAA's application to extend the runway. This is part of BAA's Masterplan which aims for a doubling of the number of air passengers by 2030. Already, Aberdeen is the fastest growing airport in Scotland. Councillors were greeted by placards and banners, and each member of the committee had already received large numbers of emails expressing concerns about the serious climate change impacts of airport expansion. Three Councillors got the matter deferred to full Council. Two of them gave very moving speeches about the need for the local authority to show leadership and do what is right for the future, and one of them spoke of his fears for his grandchildren who, he said, might one day look back on this decision if the sea levels rose and not agree that it was right, just because all the right boxes had been ticked at the time. Group members will now be able to make verbal representations during the Council meeting on 13th December, when another protest will also be held.

On Saturday, 18th November, 8 campaign members held up banners against airport expansion and short haul flights outside the airport. Meantime, other group members handed out 500 spoof 'British Airways' leaflets, urging customers to stop making short-haul flights, and explaining how damaging those flights are. Aberdeen airport is primarily used for domestic flights, and British Airways is responsible for more of those flights than budget airlines in Aberdeen. The group had originally hoped to hold this protest to coincide with the Plane Stupid Day of Action, but were prevented by the police from holding up a banner on airport territory at the time.