Leeds Bradford Airport wants to cut night-time period by 90 minutes to just 11.30pm to 6am

Date added: 30 January, 2020

Leeds Bradford Airport wants rules that impose a range of night-time flying restrictions to be relaxed, so it can operate more flights. The current restrictions, since 1993, are that the airport can only operate 4,000 flights a year during the night-time period, which is 11pm to 7am. Now the airport wants the night-time period reduced from 8 hours to 6.5 hours, so it is from 11.30pm to 6am – an hour and a half less. The WHO says people should have a quiet period for sleep for 8 hours per night. Most adults need between 7-8 hours of good sleep per night. That is not possible, if the night period is only 6.5 hours. That also does not include planes arriving later than 11.30pm, for delays etc. The change the airport wants means lots of flights in the “shoulder periods”. ie. between 6am and 7am, and between 11pm and 11.30pm. This enables airlines to fit in more “rotations” so they can make more return trips to European holiday destination airports, making more money the airlines. The plans will be discussed by Leeds City Council’s on January 30; the airport may submit a planning application in the coming months.

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Leeds Bradford Airport wants night time flight restrictions to be relaxed

The airport says it currently faces “a competitive and economic disadvantage compared to almost every airport in the UK”

24 JAN 2020 (Leeds Live)

Under current rules, which were approved in 1993, the airport can only operate 4,000 flights a year during the night-time period, which runs from 11pm to 7am. [The WHO says people should have a quiet period for sleep for 8 hours per night. Most adults need between 7-8 hours of good sleep per night. That is not possible, if the night period is only 6.5 hours, as being suggested by the airport. That also does not include planes arriving later than 11.30pm, for delays etc. AW comment].

Restrictions on noise levels, training flights and other aircraft movements are also in place during this period.

The airport wants the daytime period to be extended by 90 minutes and the restrictive night-time slot to run from 11.30pm to 6am.

This would allow the airport to accommodate new airlines and extra flights, as it looks to achieve its goal of increasing passenger numbers from 4 million to 7 million by 2030.

As part of the expansion, airport bosses have unveiled plans to build a £150 million terminal building, that will replace the current terminal, and open it in 2023.

The plans will be discussed by Leeds City Council’s plans panel on January 30 and airport bosses are expected to submit a planning application in the coming months.

A council report states: “Leeds Bradford Airport wish to change the day time regime for flights at the airport by reducing the current restrictions during the night to one additional hour in the morning and 30minutes in the evening.

‘A competitive and economic disadvantage’

“The airport states that this is to accommodate new airline operators and designations including a greater emphasis on business flights.

“Leeds Bradford Airport also states that this change in flight time regime will bring the airport in line with the large majority of the operations of other UK commercial airports and enable the airport to increase passenger numbers.

“Leeds Bradford Airport considers that the current restriction on the flights outside of 7am to 11pm, places the airport at a competitive and economic disadvantage compared to almost every airport in the UK, particularly those with which Leeds Bradford Airport competes for airlines and passengers in the north of the country.”

Environmentalists are concerned about the increase in emissions that will come with the airport expansion.

The council is looking to support the expansion by building a new train station nearby, despite declaring a climate emergency in 2019.

Climate scientists from the University of Leeds have told the council that passenger numbers should be “massively reduced” so Leeds can hit its ambitious carbon reduction targets and the expansion is “entirely at odds with any serious attempt” to tackle climate change.

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/leeds-bradford-airport-wants-night-17620287

Leeds Bradford Airport wants flights from 6am

By Richard Beecham

Local Democracy Reporter (Telegraph and Argus)

27th January 2020

Leeds Bradford Airport chiefs hope to extend the facility’s so-called ‘daytime’ hours to begin at 6am as part of plans to revamp the airport’s capacity.

The facility currently has permission to operate flights during the day between 7am and 11pm, but as part of early plans for a brand new £150m terminal, the airport also wishes to extend its operating times to 6am-11.30pm.

According to a report from Leeds City Council officers, LBA wants to make the changes to ‘accommodate new airline operators’ and bring the airport in line with other facilities across the UK.

LBA also claimed its current restrictions give it a ‘competitive disadvantage’ with other UK airports.

The report listed 10 other airports across the UK, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester, which all operated flights between 6am-11.30pm. [And deeply unpopular, and damaging to people’s sleep, health and quality of life they are too. AW comment]

It stated: “LBA wish to change the day time regime for flights at the airport by reducing the current restrictions during the night to one additional hour in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening.

“LBA states that this is to accommodate new airline operators and designations including a greater emphasis on business flights.

“LBA also states that this change in flight time regime will bring the airport in line with the large majority of the operations of other UK commercial airports and enable

LBA to increase passenger numbers from the existing [four million passengers per annum] to [seven million passengers per annum] by 2030.

“LBA considers that the current restriction on the flights outside of the hours of 7am and 11pm, places the airport at a competitive and economic disadvantage compared to almost every airport in the UK, particularly those with which LBA competes for airlines and passengers in the north of the country.”

“Pre-application” plans into the proposed rebuild of LBA’s terminal are set to be discussed by Leeds City Council’s city plans panel on Thursday, January 31.

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/18190855.leeds-bradford-airport-wants-flights-6am/?ref=rss

Reader reaction as Leeds Bradford Airport chiefs say they want to start flights at 6am

Leeds Bradford Airport chiefs hope to extend the facility’s so-called ‘daytime’ hours to begin at 6am as part of plans to revamp the airport’s capacity.

By Gemma Jimmison (Yorkshire Evening Post)

30th January 2020

According to a report from Leeds City Council officers, LBA wants to make the changes to ‘accommodate new airline operators’ and bring the airport in line with other facilities across the UK.

LBA also claimed its current restrictions give it a ‘competitive disadvantage’ with other UK airports.

Alistair Young said: “This is part of LBA’s expansion plans to have 7m passengers by 2030. The air quality in Leeds is in the worst 10 per cent of UK urban areas, and deaths caused by pollution now exceed more deaths than on our roads. The expansion plans include a new access road across green belt (from a park and ride concrete car park) because a train link is not “affordable”.

“So Leeds will have a massive increase in car transport and flights adding to the already dangerous levels of air pollution, not to mention noise pollution over the city. At least if they open a Stockholm route, we can fly Greta over here. Then she can get people to wake up to the fatal harm that this planned expansion will bring to Leeds. Leeds City Council – you are a joke: https://cleanairleeds.co.uk/what-are-we-doing.”

Cheryl Day Dockerty said: “Airports should be 24 hours with limited flights throughout the early hours, but most people are up at 6am these days anyway, and I’m sure I’ve been on 6am flights from there.. having said that I wouldn’t want to live near an airport .. we get motorway noise and that’s bad enough.

Phil Hanson said: “Many large airports have restrictions and Leeds is no different. NO!”

Guy Antony Moxon added: “No we don’t want to hear planes setting off at 6.00am. Noise pollution. Leave it as it is.”

Emily May Brimecombe said: “I think it doesn’t matter what time they fly out. At the end of the day it’s an airport, and if people don’t like it then move where there isn’t any airport nearby. If they want to live nearby then they have got to get used to the airport noises.”

Andy Romero-Birkbeck said: “Great news! Earlier flights and more domestic flights needed.”

Others thought the plans would make no practical difference anyway

Jon Winter said: “Those operating hours are treated as guidelines and all airport operators are allowed a small percentage outside of those hours. Also, if they do exceed the limits then the fines are so small that the airports simply cover them and add the cost into the slots they sell to the airlines.”

Caryn Lomax added: “I thought the times were 6am to 2am… I’ve flown out at 6:30am and also flown back in between 1-2am. I’m two miles away and on the edge of the flight path, I sleep through, even with the windows open.”

What do you think? Email yep.newsdesk@ypn.co.uk

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/opinion/reader-reaction-leeds-bradford-airport-chiefs-say-they-want-start-flights-6am-1379102

Airport campaigns in the area:

There are two active airport groups in Leeds. The North West Leeds Transport Forum (NWLTF) is an established group of nine resident / community associations
and many of its members live directly under the flight path. It has been
campaigning on aircraft noise for some time now and helped defeat LBA’s
recent proposals to change flight path routes.

There is also a newly formed city wide Group for Action on Leeds Bradford
Airport (GALBA) which is particularly active on aviation and climate
change and has some valuable academic expertise on this subject amongst its
Leeds University members. The groups have overlapping membership.

A Pre-Application proposal from LBA is to go before Leeds Council’s City
Plans Panel on Thursday 30th January. This includes plans for a new £150m terminal to
accommodate almost double the number of passengers to 7million per year.

There is also a request to extend night flying hours. Campaigners only heard about this application very recently and are now rapidly trying to brief and lobby councillors on
the issue.

In particular campaigners are seeking information on the situation in other airports
on night flight restrictions (hours, limits on numbers and on “quota”,
limits on runway use, etc)