Edinburgh Airport flight path plans rejected by CAA
Edinburgh Airport’s controversial plan to change a flight path in order to allow for an increase in capacity has been rejected by the Civil Aviation Authority.
The CAA said it couldn’t approve the proposal as there were significant differences between the airport’s plan and the version developed in consultation with local communities.
The airport said it accepted the CAA’s decision and would restart the consultation process with a view to delivering the changes as soon as possible.
Edinburgh Airport said its airspace was designed in the 1970s when it had about one million passengers a year, but it now handles 13.4 million passengers per year with flights to more than 150 destinations.
Helena Paul, of the campaign group Edinburgh Airport Watch, told the BBC: "On behalf of communities affected by these damaging proposals we are highly relieved the CAA have looked carefully and agreed the process was fatally flawed and could not be allowed to stand.
"Our hope now is the regulator does not allow Edinburgh Airport to continue using an outdated set of rules for any future consultations and instead enforces the new set of rules brought in for any consultations on new flight paths."
A spokesperson for the CAA said: "When considering proposals to change the design of UK airspace, the CAA decides whether or not the ‘change sponsor’ (in this case Edinburgh Airport) has acted reasonably in meeting the needs of those affected, including local communities.
"The airport has, in many respects, engaged extensively with communities during the consultation process.
"However, the differences between the proposal developed in consultation with local communities and the final proposal submitted to the CAA are too significant. Therefore, the CAA will not approve the proposal."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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