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June 2018
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BACA speaks out on London airport overnight restrictions

The majority of London's airports will suffer closure and severe reduction to overnight movements this summer in order to comply with national and local Government noise contours, and this will have a major impact on commercial and charter flights in and out of London. BACA is asking for a more prag- matic approach towards overnight airport operations in one of Europe's key cities. Luton, Stansted, Gatwick, Heathrow, Biggin Hill, Northolt, Farnborough and Oxford airports are all now effectively closed or severely restricted for overnight flights, Southend is the sole remaining airport close to London that operates 24 hours a day.

Luton airport, at night, has traditionally been the major backstop for the commercial meeting of East and West, facilitating business and diplomatic missions, medical flights and ad-hoc freight movements among others. Apart from Southend, the nearest airport allowing overnight operations is now Birmingham, 115 miles away. BACA feels this is an unacceptable challenge to the ability of the UK to do business 24/7.

BACA chairman Richard Mumford advises: "Over the past decade aviation has made huge strides to be a better neighbour, with technology reducing the impact it has on the environment. Luton airport has made further moves to reduce noise impact, most recently by 50 per cent with new operational procedures for arriving aircraft. While we all understand that aviation cannot be silent, it is vital to the development of our country and these continual impacts, which need to be reviewed by the Government as part of a joined-up aviation strategy for the country as a whole."

 

Contact details
The Air Charter Association