London City Airport (LCY) has filed an appeal against the decision made by the local council to prevent the extension of operating hours on Saturdays. Newham Council, citing concerns over

increased carbon emissions and disturbance to local residents, unanimously voted against the airport's proposal, prompting the appeal.

Currently, the airport enforces strict operating hours, with no flights taking off or landing from 13:00 on Saturdays until 11:00 on Sundays. This measure, implemented for the past 25 years, aims to provide residents with respite from aircraft noise.

In December 2022, London City Airport submitted plans to extend Saturday operating hours until 19:30 during the summer and 18:30 during the winter. The airport also sought to increase the number of permitted departures from six to nine between 06:30 and 07:00.

Robert Sinclair, CEO of London City Airport, expressed disappointment in Newham Council's refusal, emphasizing the benefits the proposals would bring to the local community. These include job opportunities, expanded holiday destinations for passengers, and improved local transportation connections. Sinclair also highlighted that an expedited appeal process would allow airlines to transition to cleaner, quieter aircraft sooner, reducing overall noise impact as early as the next summer.

The airport further stated that the expansion of operating hours would generate 4,500 additional jobs across London, contribute £702 million ($917 million) to the city's economy, and enhance connectivity and passenger options by enabling airlines to serve new routes.

London City Airport has demonstrated a commitment to sustainability, with a focus on achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The airport published its 2022 sustainability report, outlining its plans to reduce environmental impact. In addition, it achieved Level 4+ in the Airport Carbon Accreditation program, becoming one of only two UK airports to do so.

Prior to the pandemic, London City Airport served over 5 million passengers annually, and by 2022, passenger numbers had recovered to around 3 million. British Airways is the main carrier operating from the airport, alongside several European airlines such as KLM, ITA Airways, and Lufthansa. London City Airport aims to collaborate with airlines and manufacturers to attract fuel-efficient regional aircraft, including the Airbus A220 and the Embraer E195-E2. Photo by T A, Wikimedia commons.