London City Airport Seeks CAA Approval For Airbus A320neo Operations

London City Airport (LCY) has applied to the UK Civil Aviation Authority for approval to allow Airbus A320neo operations, a key step in the airport's plan to increase annual passenger capacity to 9 million by 2031 without breaching its annual flight movement limit.

The application includes a request for a Required Navigation Performance with Authorization Required (RNP AR) flight procedure to accommodate the steep approach required at the airport. The change would allow a broader range of aircraft to operate at LCY, enabling airlines to use higher-capacity equipment. Currently, about 90% of the airport’s flights are operated by small narrowbody jets, including the Airbus A220 and Embraer E-Jet families.

Alison FitzGerald, CEO of London City Airport, believes A320neo operations represent a pivotal opportunity for growth. “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,” FitzGerald said Jan. 27.

In August 2024, the UK government approved LCY’s request to raise its passenger cap from 6.5 million to 9 million annually, citing its potential to stimulate economic growth. However, the decision maintained the existing flight movement limit of 111,000 annually and rejected LCY’s proposal to extend Saturday operating hours beyond the current closure at 12:30 p.m.

The airport believes the introduction of A320neo aircraft, combined with the recent increase in passenger capacity, offers an opportunity to scale up operations sustainably while addressing growing demand for connectivity. It could also open the door to new airlines using the airport, such as easyJet and Wizz Air.

In October, Aviation Week reported that LCY recorded a net profit of £4.2 million ($5. 3 million) in 2023, compared to a net loss of £3.3 million in 2022. The figure marked its first profit since 2019.

Located in London’s Docklands, east of the city center, the airport has traditionally drawn much of its traffic from Canary Wharf’s financial district. However, with several financial institutions downsizing since the pandemic, LCY is shifting its focus to add more leisure-oriented destinations.

British Airways previously operated A318 aircraft with steep approach capability from LCY, launching an all-business-class route to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport in September 2009. The service provided a premium transatlantic option, offering passengers quicker access to central London compared to London Heathrow Airport. However, flights were discontinued in early 2020 as the pandemic began, followed by the retirement of the airline’s two 32-seat A318s.