London City airport has submitted an application to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to enable Airbus A320neo aircraft to operate at the airport.
The move, which is part of the airport’s attempt to boost its leisure offering, comes as London City aims to reach its permitted passenger capacity of 9 million by 2031.
The airport said that if the submission to welcome the “cleaner, quieter aircraft” is approved, it would open up possible new routes and encourage airlines to modernise their fleet.
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London City chief executive Alison FitzGerald said: “The potential introduction of the A320neo aircraft at London City airport is incredibly exciting. It would broaden the range of leisure destinations for our passengers, enable growth without increasing the number of flight movements, deliver much needed economic growth and accelerate refleeting to cleaner, quieter, new generation aircraft.”
In August 2024, the government approved the airport’s plans to increase its annual passenger cap from 6.5 million to 9 million by 2031. This included no increase to the permitted number of annual flights and no new infrastructure.
The airport views the introduction of the A320neo as “key” to building its leisure offering. The aircraft is able to carry more than 180 passengers – depending on the seat configuration – and can travel over 1,000km, which covers large parts of mainland Europe.
London City’s application is asking the CAA to approve a new flight procedure, as the current approach angle limits the type of aircraft that can use the airport and requires those that can be certified for a steep approach.
Picture supplied by London City airport.