Airports
London City Gets Green Light To Expand
Airport in London’s Docklands has gained approval for a range of improvements in a £200 million ($308 million) investment program
London City Airport’s close proximity to the city’s financial district makes it particularly attractive to business travelers. (Photo: London City Airport)
London City Airport’s close proximity to the city’s financial district makes it particularly attractive to business travelers. (Photo: London City Airport)

London City Airport received local planning approval early this month to proceed with developments that will allow it to accept larger aircraft and stimulate an increase in activity from 70,000 to 111,000 flights a year. (There is currently a politically mandated cap of 120,000 flights per year.) Newham Council determined that the increase in noise would “not be significant” despite many local objections. The decision comes against the backdrop of calls for greater airport capacity in the London area, where a wide-ranging inquiry continues into whether authorities should grant Heathrow, Gatwick or both permission to build new runways.