London City Airport (EGLC) is gearing up for a major increase in passenger capacity, aiming to accommodate 9 million passengers annually. This decision, reached after the UK government overruled local authorities’ opposition, represents a significant shift for the airport, currently handling 6.5 million passengers per year. While the expansion will allow for more passengers, it will not result in an increase in aircraft movements, ensuring business aviation operations at the downtown airport remain undisturbed.
The expansion will primarily involve three additional flights during the early morning hours on weekdays. This change, however, will not affect the airport’s current operating hours, which remain 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on weekdays, 6:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and 12:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Sundays. The additional flights are designed to accommodate delays that may occur earlier in the day, allowing planes to take off or land in the final 30 minutes of operation.
This expansion comes at a time when passenger numbers at EGLC have been declining in recent years, falling from a peak of 5.1 million in 2019 to 3.4 million last year. The airport has reassured the public that it will only use the latest, environmentally friendly, and quieter next-generation aircraft during these extended hours, while also emphasizing that no new infrastructure will be added to the existing site.
