Flight path consultation coming to an end

Residents living under flight paths are being urged to have their say on future changes. Picture: Alan MurrayResidents living under flight paths are being urged to have their say on future changes. Picture: Alan Murray
Residents living under flight paths are being urged to have their say on future changes. Picture: Alan Murray

Edinburgh Airport’s Let’s Go Further survey into flight paths over West Lothian, Falkirk and Fife will close on Monday and airport chiefs and pressure group Edinburgh Airport Watch (EAW), which is objecting to changes due to excessive aircraft noise, want affected residents to submit their views.

EAW has repeatedly criticised the airport for already changing the “pattern” of airspace and claims the current consultation does not give enough detail on what future changes would actually be.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The group has also raised concerns about the airport losing data from feedback from 199 submissions given to the consultation so far.

An EAW spokesman said: “Although the airport is ‘consulting’, they have already changed the pattern of use of the airspace, and we want them to change it back.

“We urge anyone who is concerned about flight paths over their homes either now or in the future to engage with this consultation and make their views known. As the airport has admitted losing a significant number of responses, we would recommend that people retain a copy of their submission and also send it to their MP, MSP, and the CAA. Further information on how to respond and who to copy in is available at www.edinburghairportwatch.com.”

Edinburgh Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar says the flight paths are needed for it to grow and reported this week an 11.9 per cent increase in passengers for August on the previous year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Dewar said: “This summer at Edinburgh Airport we have welcomed more people into Scotland than ever before and people at home have better direct links with the rest of the world. This is great news for inbound tourism, the economy and jobs.

“This underlines the ongoing work we are doing at Edinburgh Airport to adapt and accommodate the ever increasing number of people wanting to fly in and out.

“Last week, following the well-publicised loss of some data for which we apologised, we have extend the consultation by an additional week and I encourage as many people in Edinburgh, West Lothian, Fife, Falkirk and beyond to give us their feedback before September 19.”

l To give your views, visit letsgofurther.com.