The Government is asking for comments on Stansted Airport’s request to dramatically increase its take off and landing numbers from 120,000 to 185,000.
Interested parties have until March 12 to send comments to the Department of Environment, Transport and Regions.
In the last financial year, Stansted handled 5.5m passengers with 75,000 aircraft movements, but it is concerned present restrictions will cap its operations at 8m passengers a year.
Stansted is BAA’s fastest growing airport due to the rise in low-cost airline traffic from Go and Ryanair and also KLMUK. In 1998 it handled 6.8m passengers – 27% up on 1997.
It has already started a terminal expansion programme and offers a dedicated terminal for KLM UK. Meanwhile, the number of satellite terminals is being doubled to four.