City Airport aims to be 2012’s terminal

Date added: 9 August, 2007

Richard Gooding, chief executive of the single runway airport in Docklands, said
it was capitalising on passengers seeking an alternative to Heathrow which, he
warned, faces another five years of ‘ creaking at the seams.   Our expansion will
coincide and be complete very much in time for the Olympics. We are 2 miles from
the Games site and people will be able to take the DLR from City Airport right
into the heart of the Olympic village.  

‘Even with Terminal 5 opening next year, this is unlikely to make a huge difference
as Terminal 2 will be demolished – the reality is the situation is unlikely to
improve for another five years.’  

City Airport, which has traditionally been used for short-haul business trips
or ski holidays, is growing in popularity.   Figures from the Civil Aviation Authority
show customer numbers at City Airport have shot up nearly 25%, with 258,483 passengers
in July 2007 compared with 204,111 in the same period last year.

Unlike Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, City Airport is owned by a private conglomerate
and not BAA.   The airport currently supports 2000 local jobs and Gooding has said
this would increase by around 1000 should the planning application be approved.    
(Evening Standard     9.8.2007)

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=423212&in_page_id=2

Posted: Thursday, August 9th, 2007. Filed in News about Airports.