27 OCTOBER 2014

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Article from BTNews 27 OCTOBER 2014

Northolt in Court

Royal Air Force Northolt, on the A40, 12 miles west of Marble Arch (and four miles to the north of Heathrow), is being challenged for unfair competition by the owners of Biggin Hill Airport and Oxford Airport.

In March last year the military airport said it would begin to expand, more than doubling potential civilian flight movements – take-offs and landings – from a self-imposed cap of 7,000 to 17,500 by 2016.  Of that total, military movements will remain at about 5,500 a year.  This could also pave the way for scheduled flights.  Many years ago Northolt was Europe’s busiest airline airport.

As well as being granted a judicial review that will be heard next month, Biggin Hill and Oxford airports have also taken their case to the European competition authority. They claim they will lose business to Northolt although both airports are currently under-utilised.  The Ministry of Defence says it needs any extra revenue in order to save taxpayers money and that it charges commercial rates.

Biggin Hill in Kent is over 20 miles from central London, whilst to the west Oxford is 60 miles away.  Neither Luton nor Farnborough, the UK’s busiest executive airports, are involved in the case.  www.bigginhillairport.com   www.oxfordairport.co.uk   www.londoncityairport.com/AboutAndCorporate/page/NortholtJetCentre

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