London Stansted received permission from Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Hazel Blears last week to increase the annual passenger cap to 35 million from 25 million on its existing runway. STN MD Stewart Wingate said he was "delighted" and that the airport "will now take time to study the full detail of the decision, including the independent Planning Inspector's report, before commenting further." BAA and STN submitted their original request to lift the passenger cap and increase annual aircraft movements to 264,000 from 241,000 in April 2006. It did not request a modification to night flight restrictions. The UK's only capped airport serves nearly 23 million passengers per year. STN's unrelated application to construct a second runway was submitted last March.
ATWOnline
ATWOnline
