London City Airport has gained government approval to take its passenger numbers from the current 6.5 million cap to 9 million, but has failed in a bid to extend its weekend operating hours.
38% more passengers
Located in the Royal Docks in the London Borough of Newham, the airport has a reputation for serving the finance centres in the City, 6 miles (nearly 10 km) away to the west and in Canary Wharf, 3 miles (nearly 5 km) away. Opened in 1987, strict noise abatement rules have been in place for 25 years, aimed at giving local residents “weekend respite” by stopping flights at 12:30 pm on Saturdays.
The Planning Inspectorate’s latest partial approval reverses the local authority’s total rejection of airport plans last year, and appears to try to strike a balance between local needs and airport development. Although the airport’s hours were not extended to 6:30 pm on Saturdays as requested, the 38% increase in passenger numbers will allow it to increase flights between 6:00 am and 9:00 am on weekday mornings, as long as newer, quieter aircraft are used.
Disappointment and concern
Still, the decision seems to be a case of “you can’t please everyone all the time”. Despite gaining permission to serve 2.5 million more passengers and operate more morning flights, the airport’s chief executive Alison FitzGerald expressed disappointment that the airport’s Saturday operating hours would still be limited.
Meanwhile, the local Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz, said she remains “deeply concerned that our residents will be seriously harmed by the impact of further air-flight noise with today’s decision to allow an increase in flights in the early mornings throughout the rest of the week,” adding that “we will be studying the decision notice carefully and considering all options as we remain concerned about the detrimental impacts on the health and quality of life of our residents.”
4/ This is great news for our residents.
— Rokhsana Fiaz OBE (@rokhsanafiaz) August 19, 2024
However, I remain deeply concerned that our residents will be seriously harmed by the impact of further air-flight noise with today’s decision to allow an increase in flights in the early mornings throughout the rest of the week.
Fiaz is backed by eight other local councils nearby and environmental groups such as Greenpeace UK, which said: “This decision is a surprisingly clumsy misstep from our new government. Over half of the destinations served by the airport can be reached by train in under six hours, with Amsterdam and Edinburgh among the most popular routes.” The group went as far as to say the approval “undermines the UK’s climate leadership” and would “mostly benefit an elite of wealthy frequent fliers”.
Great to support @fossilfreeLDN protest against London City Airport expansion this morning. This will be one of the first major climate tests for a Labour government, and a clear social justice issue with the air pollution choking Newham.
— No Airport Expansion (@NoAirportExp) July 27, 2024
✈️ THEY FLY, but WE CHOKE. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/38qNGgZEbs
Slowing down climate action?
But FitzGerald appeared to point the finger instead at local activists, highlighting that the noise and emissions they complain of would have been reduced by operating hours that would attract airlines flying more modern craft. “Rejecting our request to extend our Saturday afternoon operating hours will slow down airlines bringing cleaner, quieter next generation aircraft to the airport. Local residents would have had the added benefit of these aircraft operating at the airport throughout the week, not just in the extended operating hours,” she argued.
London City is not the only airport where caps have proven controversial. A Dutch plan to cut Amsterdam’s Schiphol’s operations by 20% was announced in July 2022, but caused a legal standoff between the aviation industry and environmentalists and has ultimately been ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court.
