The Newham airport, which previously had a cap of 6.5 million passengers, will also be able to fly three extra flights in the first half hour of operations each week, reports Marco Marcelline
The government has today approved London City Airport’s plans to increase its annual passenger cap from 6.5million to nine million passengers and to fly three extra flights in the first half hour of operations during the week.
In its decision today, the Department for Transport, declined to the airport’s request to extend its Saturday afternoon operating hours to 6.30pm. Planes will therefore continue to fly only until 12.30pm on Saturdays, with the airport having argued that the extended operating hours would have enabled “more choice and flexibility for passengers”.
In its published decision, the government said the airport’s expansion plans were “in line with national policy” on the climate crisis and that there is not likely be harm from any extra noise pollution created by extra morning and weekend flights.
Reacting to the decision, Alison FitzGerald, CEO of London City Airport, 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.
“As the government has recognised in its decision, 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.”
Paul Morozzo, climate campaigner for Greenpeace UK, sharply criticised the move, saying: “This decision is a surprisingly clumsy misstep from our new government. Not only does it undermine the UK’s climate leadership, but it will mostly benefit an elite of wealthy frequent fliers while dumping the environmental costs on some of London’s poorest neighbourhoods.
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“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.”
He added: “It feels like the new Labour government has followed the previous administration in falling for the aviation industry’s arguments that climate change can somehow be dealt with later, by some magical untested technology, instead of taking the tough decisions needed today.”
Environmental activists and local residents have long-argued that the airport causes significant pollution. Protesters have also stressed that it does not serve the communities living around it who cannot afford a plane ticket due to high levels of poverty in Newham.
Close to 200 air pollution and climate campaigners had gathered outside the Department for Transport on 27th July to protest against the proposed expansion of the airport, which has a flight path over Leytonstone.
Activist group Fossil Free London had originally planned to do the action at the airport itself but they received notice of an injunction from the airport’s lawyers stopping any environmental protest there. The penalty for breaching the injunction could have been as much as two years in prison, activists said.
In July 2023, London City Airport’s bid for expansion was unanimously rejected by Newham Council, but airport bosses appealed it, prompting the government to consider the request.
The Department for Transport was contacted for comment.
The government’s full decision can be read here
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