08/07/2003

Night flights to continue at Heathrow

Anti-noise campaigners have lost their court battle to have night flights banned at Heathrow.

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled that the night flights did not breach the right to peaceful enjoyment of their homes by citizens.

The pressure group HACAN ClearSkies had previously won a European court case on the issue, but the subsequent appeal case brought by the UK government overturned this earlier decision.

In 2001, the ECHR ruled that flights between the hours of 11.30pm and 6.00am violated the rights of people living near Britain’s largest airport.

The government appealed on the grounds that a cessation of night flights would mean severe disruption for the carriers using Heathrow and give European airlines an unfair advantage.

Aviation Minister Tony McNulty said that the government position had been vindicated and that a “thorough review” of policy on night flights would be undertaken.

Estimates put the potential loss of 16 flights, mainly by British Airways would have incurred a loss in excess of hundreds of millions of pounds a year.

Campaigners said that they had received great support throughout their lengthy campaign, but were disappointed by the ruling of the European Court.

(SP)

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