London City Airport received this Sunday the first flight since it was closed on March 25 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Loganair’s ATR-42 turboprop aircraft landed at the British capital’s central airport at 6:10 pm, putting an end to a period of almost three months with no activity.
The reopening flight was operated on behalf of British Airways and departed from the Isle of Man. Loganair has also scheduled flights to Dundee in Scotland from 6 July, the same date that Eastern Airways will resume its route to Teesside in the north of England.
“This clear early demand from our passengers to get back to flying is really encouraging. It shows a desire to not only enjoy a holiday soon after nearly three months of lockdown, but to get back to business travel as well. We will also be making a number of announcements with our airline partners in the coming weeks which we hope passengers will be excited by”, explained Robert Sinclair, London City Airport CEO.
For now, flights will be limited to domestic connections, but international routes are expected to resume in July, when isolation measures in Europe are relaxed.
With a 1,500 meter runway, London City Airport is located 10 km from London’s financial center and just 5 km from Canary Wharf, where several multinational companies are based.
Due to its urban location, the airport operates under severe restrictions, with small aircraft such as the ATR turboprop and Embraer E190 and Airbus A318 jets used by BA CityFlyer. The British Airways subsidiary is expected to resume services to Spain and Italy next month.
News of the airport’s reopening sparked protests on London City Airport’s social networks. Many followers regretted the return of noise and pollution after months of stillness.
