British flights increase by up to 40% in just five years

THE number of flights in and out of British airports has soared by as much as 40 per cent in just five years.

As MPs backed a third runway at Heathrow, Britain’s skies were already becoming gridlocked.

Anaylsis of official figures reveals the dramatic increase in air traffic that has blighted the lives of anyone living near an airport and driven up air pollution.

In total there were a record 2.32million flights in and out in 2017 – 231,256 more than in 2012.

Analysis by the Mail reveals a rise in passenger and cargo flights of more than 40 per cent at Luton, 34 per cent at Birmingham, 30 per cent at Stansted, 26 per cent at Bristol, 23 per cent at Glasgow, 21 per cent at Manchester and 17 per cent at Gatwick.

Overall flights have risen by more than ten per cent in five years. The 2017 figures, which come from the Civil Aviation Authority, do not include flights to reposition aircraft, or trips in private jets.

Heathrow is operating at capacity and registered 471,000 flights – a small decrease. But it hopes to run an extra 260,000 flights a year if it manages to build its third runway as planned by 2026.

At Luton last year there were 107,270 flights carrying passengers and cargo in and out of the airport, up from 75,783 in 2012.