In January 2008, a campaigner wrote to London City Airport requesting the location of the London City Airport 'Holding Area'. It was a simple straight forward question. This is an area of air space in which aircraft can be held in if they are queuing to land due to delays, bad weather etc.
This was the response sent by Rob Grafton, Environment and Planning Officer of London City Airport on 1st February 2008:
With regards to ‘holding areas’ we can confirm that there are currently no holding areas designed solely for use by London City Airport traffic.
So how interesting it was in a conversation with the Civil Aviation Authority in the last few days that it was confirmed that London City Airport DO indeed have a holding area for their use (we were not informed by the CAA that the holding area was shared with any other non LCA aircraft - so that sneaky little insert by LCA as holding areas 'solely for use by LCA' seems not to apply) called ALKIN.
Alkin is 8 miles South East of London City Airport over Dartford and Swanley. So that more than explains why residents in those areas have been writing to the local papers complaining about increased noise from LCA planes.
You would also have thought that the residents of Dartford and Swanley should have been consulted as they live under the holding area? How unsurprising they were not. Newham failing once again to understand, or want to understand that planes do not just morph out of the sky vertically to land on LCA's runway.
Why is it that London City Airport consistently, and what appears purposely, give out incorrect information or deny to share any information requested at all? That wasn't a very accurate statement was it Rob?
And LCA wonder why so many have a complete loss of confidence or trust in anything they say...................
