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Leeds-Bradford International Airport says it will work with airline in bid to stop breaches
Night-time flights to Pakistan have regularly breached planning conditions at Leeds-Bradford International Airport, a council report states.
A report to Leeds City Council’s Plans Panel West states a total of 32 flights since May 1, 2008, breached restrictions on night-time aircraft movements.
Councillors, who meet on Thursday, have been advised to request an update from the airport on measures it has committed to, along with carrier Pakistan Inter-national Airlines, to mitigate further breaches, including rescheduling and replacing aircraft.
The report says between May 1 and October 31, 2008, 15 flights exceeded night noise quotas, 11 Shaheen Airlines flights, predecessors of Pakistan International Airlines, and four PIA Islamabad flights.
In the winter 2008/09 and summer 2009 periods, ten flights were in breach of the conditions, all of which were PIA flights.
The report says: “Officers wrote to LBIA in September 2009 advising the airport that the PIA flights to Islamabad (despite being scheduled to arrive at 7.25pm and depart at 9pm), had been breaching the above planning conditions.” The airport said it had encountered problems beyond its control, including the late arrival of the aircraft, technical problems and security incidents.
It said departures had been authorised by senior airport management to reduce distress to passengers.
In the report, an airport spokesman said one complaint had been received in relation to the PIA flight. He said they would work with the airline to mitigate breaches. The airport spokesman said it received no complaints from residents.
The report advises panel members that as technology evolves, aircraft noise will decrease.
It requests members to authorise the Chief Planning Officer to write to the airport and request an update and firm timescale on the measures LBIA and PIA have committed to.
These are: l the introduction of a Boeing 777 for PIA flights l the reduction of the numbers of departures per week of the PIA flight l the re-scheduling and earlier departure time of the PIA flights, and l the implementation of the Noise Action Plan.
No-one at Leeds-Bradford International Airport was available for comment.
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