London City airport's plan to attract more leisure flights thwarted
London City airport has failed in its attempt to gain permission to operate on Saturday afternoons, a key plank of its ambitions to attract more leisure passengers.
The airport in London’s Docklands, which is surrounded by thousands of homes and new residential developments, shuts for 24 hours at from 12.30pm on Saturdays to give people respite from noise.
It had applied for permission to operate until 6.30pm on Saturdays and for an extra hour during British Summer Time, with up to a dozen additional arrivals.
However, following a two-month public inquiry, which concluded in February, the airport has this week been refused the necessary permissions.
The airport did, however, score a key victory by gaining permission to increase passenger numbers from 6.5 million to nine million. Inspectors also granted it permission to expand its terminal and for an extra three early morning flights, catering mainly for business travellers.
Alison FitzGerald, London City chief executive, said: “While we welcome the approval to increase our passenger numbers, we are disappointed with the government’s decision to reject our proposal to fly from 12.30pm to 6.30pm on Saturday afternoons.”
She claimed the decision would slow the introduction of quieter aircraft to the airport.
Alethea Warrington, senior campaigner at climate charity Possible, criticised the decision to allow expansion.
"The new minister for transport must explain why the government has ignored the clear scientific consensus on constraining aviation emissions – along with the advice of their own scientific advisors, the Climate Change Committee, which recommended no increase in the UK’s airport capacity – in favour of allowing more planes and more pollution.”
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