It seems a long time ago that we were in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic (OK, it started in March 2020) and a time when we thought we might never be boarding an aircraft again. How times change, not least when it comes to London’s airports. Heathrow is seeking permission to add a third runaway, a development that would come with a £14 million price-tag. Gatwick (see photo on the home page) at present only has one runway – it is the world’s busiest with only one takeoff and landing track to offer. It wants a second. Luton wants to build new terminal. Stansted has been granted permission to extend its terminal.
Which leads us on to London City Airport. In August, the new Labour government, specifically in the persons of the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, and the Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, overruled the decision of the Labour-run Newham council to deny London City its expansion plans. The airport’s current capacity is 6.5 million flights per year. That will rise to 9 million. Not surprisingly, environmental campaigners are hugely concerned about this and the additional early-morning and weekend flights that will henceforth be allowed.
One spokesperson pleased at the news said: “What we have been hearing from the Labour government and the Chancellor [Rachel Reeves], even before the election, is that they are happy for airports to expand. The mood music is no longer knee-jerk against it.” The contrary view goes: “I don’t see how this government can possibly hope to be genuinely seen as a climate leader if it allows airport expansion.” There is, obviously, no pleasing everybody.
Whatever one’s view on this, I was glad not to be on the ‘wrong’ flight a month or so ago. We were going to fly on the Monday but for whatever reason we decided to go on the Tuesday. Once on board, we noted the captain’s tannoy announcement and apology for those passengers who had been expecting to fly out the previous day. It transpired their flight had taken off but had been unable to get the necessary altitude. After flying around for an hour or so (presumably to dump fuel?), it landed back where it had started and the passengers had the treat of an overnight stay at an airport hotel rather than in the overseas accommodation they had been looking forward to occupying.
In some contrast to that, on our flight my wife and I were booked into seats 12B and 12C. We got on quite early and it seemed the plane was admitting far more passengers than there might be room for. But eventually they stopped coming. And no one had taken seat 12A! It was a bit like flying club without having paid for it.