Stansted is the third largest airport in London, which was acquired by Manchester Airport Group from Heathrow airport, has recently seen huge growth. They have shown an increase of 5 million passengers annually, which is an 11 percent increase over the previous year. If the airport continues to grow at this rate they will exceed their maximum flight limit in about six to seven years.
MAG is requesting the government raises the cap sooner, as Stansted is not slated to have another runway built for another ten years. If they continue their growth at this rate they will be at capacity before the new runway can be built. If they are allowed more flights, it should allow them to handle their projected growth until then.
There aren’t the same concerns with regard to noise, as with aviation engine advancements, it’s quieter now at Stansted than it was ten years ago, so an increase in traffic would not equal in increase in noise pollution. As the government is currently considering the expansion at Heathrow, they need a short-term measure in place, as the proposed expansion won’t be completed until about 2026.
As air travel becomes more affordable and more people take advantage of this; the projected numbers will only continue to increase. We should keep an eye on what the government decides to do, as this is a problem that cannot be pushed under the rug. Hopefully they can come to some sort of resolution.