London City Airport to expand

London City Airport has announced that it has received planning approval to expand its operations.

Following a decision from the London borough of Newham, the airport plans to boost its services to 120,000 flight movements per year.

According to a statement from London City Airport, the approval recognises the hub's "importance in the community, its contribution to the local economy and the increased number of jobs that will become available to local residents as a result of its growth".

Pre-empting a possible backlash from local residents and eco-campaigners, the airport said that it takes its environmental and community responsibilities "very seriously".

It also stressed that a number of measures have been adopted to minimise the impact of its expanded operations and said that more local homes will now be eligible for its sound insulation programme.

London City Airport is one of the capital's main gateways for business travel, with flights to important commercial centres such as Frankfurt, New York and Tokyo.

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