London City Eyes Larger Aircraft

London City Airport submitted an application to the U.K.'s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to allow the operation of the Airbus A320neo jet.

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A British Airways Embraer at London City Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
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Key Takeaways:

London City Airport submitted an application to the U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to allow the operation of the Airbus A320neo jet at the single-runway airport.

According to the airport, the application seeks approval for a new flight procedure (RNP AR) that would adjust the approach angle for the A320neo, overcoming current limitations that restrict the types of aircraft that can operate at LCY. Currently, only aircraft as large as the Embraer E190 and Airbus A220 regularly serve London City.

“The potential introduction of the A320neo aircraft at London City Airport is incredibly exciting,” said Alison FitzGerald, CEO of London City Airport, in a news release. “It would broaden the range of leisure destinations for our passengers, enable growth without increasing the number of flight movements, deliver much needed economic growth and accelerate refleeting to cleaner, quieter, new generation aircraft.”

The introduction of the A320neo would enable the airport to expand its leisure destinations and serve a wider range of European markets, it said. This aligns with the approval in August 2024 for London City to increase its annual passenger cap to nine million by 2031 while maintaining the current number of flights and infrastructure.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
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