RNP-AR-approaches

Overview

Welcome to the London City Airport consultation website - have your say on our airspace change proposal

From this page please explore our proposed airspace change for additonal final approach procedures.  You can:

• Read a summary of the consultation (next section below)
• Download the core documents (see bottom of page for links)
• Download supporting technical material for more detailed study (see bottom of page for links)
• Download KMZ files suitable for use in mapping applications, such as Google Earth (see bottom of page for links)
• Find out how to join an online meeting (webinar), where you can watch a presentation and ask us questions - sign up here 
•  Find out how to attend one of the in-person drop-in events where you can talk with us and ask questions - click here
• Find out where our static exhibits are located, one inside the airport terminal, the other bookable for meetings with us in our nearby corporate office, both a short distance from the DLR station - click here
• Explore our digital exhibition room - click here
• Take a survey to submit your response (see below)

Summary

Additional final approach procedures allow more new-generation aircraft 

London City Airport has a steep final approach to both runways compared with other British airports.  This 5.5° approach works very well, but constrains the types of aircraft able to operate here.  Most British airports use 3° to 3.5°.

This airspace change would add a new final approach descent angle of 4.49°, which is shallower by 1.01°, to each runway.  

Doing this will encourage a quicker transition to new generation, efficient, larger capacity aircraft such as the Airbus A320neo.

No change to where aircraft would fly, fewer flights in the long-term

This airspace change would not change where aircraft fly, either arriving at, or departing from, London City Airport.  It would only change the aircraft types able to use LCY, the “fleet mix”, as the airport’s traffic continues to grow.

The number of flights would increase more slowly while still allowing more people to use the airport, because there would be more passengers per flight than today. 

Under this proposal there would be 76,500 fewer flights over the long-term, with 14m more passengers compared with doing nothing.  

The fleet mix would change, instead of an increase in smaller aircraft there would be a slower increase including larger aircraft using the shallower approach.  The majority of the fleet mix would still be the smaller aircraft flying the unchanged steeper approach.  

Improved overall noise 

The addition of larger new-generation aircraft to the fleet mix means fewer flights are needed (compared with our growth without this change).  We can move faster towards our planning limit of 9 million passengers per year, increasing the business and leisure opportunities for the city and benefitting economic growth.

At the same time, this long-term reduction in flights compared with doing nothing would mean almost 112,000 people would experience reduced daytime noise (more than the city of Worcester), and more than 10,000 would experience reduced early-morning noise (i.e. 0630-0700) compared with doing nothing over the longer term.  In almost all cases, the overflight noise differences between the A320neo and the other types using LCY would not be noticeable.  

Improved greenhouse gas emissions, no impact on air quality

The addition of more new-generation aircraft to our fleet would save over 18,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide compared with doing nothing.

Aircraft-related air quality in the region would not be changed by this proposal, nor would tranquillity or biodiversity impacts.

Overall benefit

The change in fleet would make LCY more attractive to customers in our catchment, who would save time travelling to us instead of to other London airports.  

The total economic benefit for this airspace change is expected to be between £38.4m-£97.4m net present value (NPV) over the 12-year appraisal period.

Timeline

If the project proceeds as planned, our application is successful, and the airspace regulator (CAA) decides to approve, the change would take place in January 2027 at the earliest.

Why your views matter

This consultation is your opportunity to comment on the proposed changes. We want to ensure that anyone who could be affected – positively or negatively – is aware of the proposals and has the chance to provide feedback.  

Our engagement so far has focused on:

• Reaching the right audiences and giving everyone the opportunity to respond
• Providing clear, detailed consultation materials to support informed responses
• Ensuring the consultation period is appropriate

Please provide your feedback on our proposal to provide additional final approach procedures, to encourage a quicker transition to new generation, efficient, larger capacity aircraft such as the Airbus A320neo.