1. The numbers of people living under flight paths are higher than ever before, and it's happening all over the UK. The planned increase in the number of flights at London City Airport from 76,000 to 120,000 with more plans for an increase over the next decade will bring in larger nosier planes, create new and larger flight paths and negatively affect 1,000’s more. In London and the South East over a million people now live under a flight path.
2. Even though the aviation industry claim that individual aircraft types are getting quieter the growth in the number of aircraft has off-set any improvement in the noise climate for people under the flight path. Remember London City Airport is built in the most densely populated area in the UK.
3. For each of the next 20 years flight numbers across the UK are predicted to rise between 4% and 6%. The Government expects this will require up to 5 new runways, plus full use of the existing runways at most of the country’s airports.
4. The Aviation Industries contribution to climate change is increasing. World-wide aviation is currently responsible for 3% of the emissions that contribute to climate change but between 6% and 13% in the UK. Aviation is the fast-growing contributor to CO2 emissions in the UK.
5. Current Aircraft activities harm people's health. The body of evidence is growing. Many reports from the USA claim there are higher levels of cancer around airports. Many people under flight paths near airports suffer higher levels of annoyance and stress and, whenever there are late or night flying, sleep deprivation is increased.
6. Noise harms children's education. There are a number of studies carried out around airports, which show that "aircraft noise" can adversely affect our children's education. London City Airport is built 200m from a school in Newham.
7. Aviation's contribution to the economy is overstated. It is not nearly as important to the country's economy as the industry claims. It is only the 26th biggest industry in Britain, half the size of the computer industry, and just a tenth the size of banking and finance.
8. The aviation industry is heavily subsidised. The subsidy comes in a number of forms: the industry doesn't pay the costs of the noise and pollution it causes; it pays no tax on aviation fuel; and it is zero-rated for VAT. London City Airport’s policing bill is paid for by the Tax payer at a cost of up to £5.5 million a year. Therefore the cost to the taxpayer of creating a job in aviation is much higher than in a less heavily subsidised industry.
9. Aviation runs up a deficit on tourism. Air tourism results in a deficit of around £17 billion pounds each year. This is because the amount of money spent abroad by Britons flying out of the UK for leisure and holiday trips exceeds the amount visitors into Britain spend here. London City Airport claims it's a business airport, but it will be flying to Ibiza and Majorca during the summer months.
10. London City Airport Fight The Flights is not opposed to aviation, but it does aim to give a voice to people under the London City Airport flight paths. We campaign alongside national, regional and local pressure groups and lobby local and national politicians and government for an approach to aviation that acknowledges those who suffer because of the growth of Airports in populated areas. Such as London City Airport
