London City airport has formally applied to increase its annual passenger cap from 6.5 million to 9 million by 2031.
This proposal, first introduced earlier this year, follows a comprehensive 10-week public consultation.
The airport clarifies that while it seeks to expand passenger capacity, it does not intend to increase the number of permitted flights, which will remain at 111,000 annually. Furthermore, there will be no alterations to the existing eight-hour night-time curfew.
London City aims to extend its Saturday operating hours, currently ending at 12:30 pm, to 6:30 pm, with an additional hour allowed during the summer season. Additionally, it seeks permission for three extra flights between 6:30 am and 6:59 am from Monday to Saturday, increasing the number of permitted services in this time frame from six to nine.
The airport added that it would “mandate that only cleaner, quieter, new generation aircraft” will be allowed to operate during any extended hours on a Saturday, which would also apply to the additional flights in the first half hour of the day.
London City’s CEO Robert Sinclair said: “As we bounce back from the pandemic and demand increases, we need to ensure London City can accommodate the increase in business and leisure passengers forecast over the next decade or so, particularly as East London grows.
“Most importantly, the proposals have been very carefully designed with input from our airlines to ensure that flying from London City becomes more sustainable, with more new generation aircraft, reducing noise impacts and emissions per passenger.
“Our proposals will create more jobs, invest more money into the local community, fund better transport connections and improve sound insulation for local residents.”
The application has been submitted to the London Borough of Newham, which is expected to conduct its own 30-day consultation on the proposals starting in mid-January 2023.