Swans moved on from City Airport amid bird-strike safety fears
Planes taking off from London City airport are at “significant risk” of being
brought down by swans, aviation bosses have warned.
Flocks nesting in Docklands have been seen flying close to Britain’s leading
business airport, used by almost 8,000 passengers a day.
Airport executives have written pleading with east London residents not to feed the swans “as a matter of urgency” and have ordered a
“relocation programme” to reduce the risk.
They say swans flying between Western Beach and Royal Victoria Dock “pose a significant
risk of bird-strike” which could cause “a serious threat to aircraft, passengers
and the local area.”
Bird strikes, one of the most common causes of air accidents, have been blamed
for a number of emergency landings in recent years. The airport has started to
move the swans, which are owned by The Queen, to a new home at Windsor. But some alarmed residents want all flights grounded until the programme is
complete.
Campaigner Alan Haughton, 39, of nearby Blackwall, said: “If there is this clear
and present danger, flights should halt immediately.”
The airport, which got permission to move the birds from Natural England and the Swan Marker, the Queen’s adviser on swans, hopes to protect them but
warned that if the programme fails, a cull may be needed.
The airport said: “We have a wildlife management programme in place to ensure
any risk is mitigated. We initiated the relocation in the interests of passenger
safety and to avoid bird strikes, as well as for the safety and wellbeing of the
local community and the swans – 27 were moved and the rest will go in the coming
weeks.”
— wild swans.
to “unmanageable levels” in recent months.
an incident is believed to have caused the downing of US Airways Flight 1549,
which was forced to land in New York’s Hudson River. The City Airport swans have
been transferred to a new home in the River Thames at Windsor, with the help of
environmental organisations, Newham Council and the Civil Aviation Authority.
in the area. They want residents to avoid feeding wild birds, as it encourages
them to settle.
a matter of urgency. Their wellbeing is important.”
to the local community to not feed the swans to ensure that this situation does
not reoccur.”
a flock of swans located in the airports Crash Zone pose a significant risk of
bird-strike and potentially putting passengers and the public in severe danger.
Bird-strike is the most common cause of aircraft accidents. To make matters worse
the swans are located in the London City Airport Public Safety Zone – also known
as the Crash Zone – which itself already has a heightened risk of an accident.
The Airport said that “an incident of this nature could cause serious threat
to aircraft, passengers and the local area” and was a “matter of urgency” but
has continued to operate flights potentially risking both passengers and the public.
London City Airport have already moved a flock and warned residents who they
accuse of feeding the protected species that this may not be an option again and
have implied that the swans may have to be culled.
Alan Haughton said “London City Airport have demanded that residents not feed
the swans due to the safety risk yet continue to put those very same residents
at risk with the knowledge that the swans could bring down a plane on top of them.
There should be no grey area when it comes to safety. If there is this clear and
present danger, flights should be halted immediately until the swans are relocated.”
Ends.
Alan Haughton 0790 515 6922
(1) London City Airport swan risk information sheet