Aviation boss refuses to pull plug on changes

Call for consultation to be halted on flight paths shake-up

The man in charge of regulating UK airspace has refused to pull the plug on Edinburgh Airport’s “flawed” bid for new flight paths.

Under the proposed changes, part of Fife would see a 420% increase in the number of days it is affected by aircraft noise.

Green and Labour MSPs, and community councils, have called for the boss of the Civil Aviation Authority Andrew Haines to intervene and stop the consultation into the changes, which they say is confusing and lacks key information.

The letter, which has been seen by The Courier, says there is “no clear justification” for the flight path reforms and a lack of evidence that the airport faces problems with flight scheduling.

On top of that proper assessments into the social, economic and environmental impacts of the changes have not been carried, say the signatories.

Airport chiefs say the letter “does not reflect reality”.

It is signed by Fife MSPs Mark Ruskell, of the Scottish Greens, and Alex Rowley, Scottish Labour’s depute leader.

Fife community councils, including Dalgety Bay, Inverkeithing and North Queensferry, have also backed it.

Mr Ruskell, pictured, said the CAA has allowed the airport to continue with the consultation despite admitting its rules on consultation are not up to scratch.

“This unfair consultation pitches communities against each other,” he said. “Instead we need to agree that this consultation is not fit for purpose and should be halted immediately.”

Campaigners have singled out Dalgety Bay as a major loser in the changes, with the number of flight days affecting the area every year going up from 70 to 365 under the proposals.

The Civil Aviation Authority, which is responsible for the regulation of aviation safety across the UK, said it would not halt the consultation process.

A CAA spokesman said: “The results and conduct of this consultation will be assessed by the CAA as part of the regulatory decision-making phase of the Airspace Change Process, if and when a formal proposal is submitted by Edinburgh International Airport.”

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said the letter is “not representative” of the responses they have received and “fails to accurately reflect” the information they have put out and the consultation process.

“All consultation responses received before midnight on Sunday, May 7, will be used in our findings report and taken into consideration as we work on our proposed new flightpaths which will be submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority in the summer,” he added.