09/03/2009

City Airport 'Breach' Of Seat Sale Rules Denied

A group representing residents opposed to the runway extension at George Best Belfast City Airport have claimed 'broken promises' by the airport.

A spokeswoman has said that the east Belfast facility sold 80,000 more seats than allowed under planning agreements last year.

Belfast City Airport Watch has claimed the airport had broken the 'seats for sale' clause in its Planning Agreement with the Department of the Environment (DoE) but had not faced any enforcement measures.

However, a spokesman for the airport denied the claim.

The airport's response to the Belfast Telegraph said the DoE was aware of a "process of adjustment" by the airport to reschedule and limit some services so that it could abide by the new agreement.

Belfast City Airport Watch claimed airport Chief Executive Brian Ambrose had told a meeting last week of the airport's consultative forum that 80,000 more seats were sold in 2008 than permitted under the Planning Agreement.

The group claimed the DoE had been informed but did not take enforcement measures.

A spokeswoman for the group has claimed that the airport is disregarding the new agreement, which raised the seats for sale limit from 1.5m to 2m and was signed five months ago.

Belfast City Airport Watch spokeswoman Fiona McKinley said: "These revelations just confirm that the new Planning Agreement isn't worth the paper it's written on.

"We're bitterly disappointed that the Department of the Environment is failing to take any action against the airport for breaching the agreement. Sammy Wilson, the Environment Minister, must tell his officials to enforce the agreement properly."

See: Robinson 'Joins' North's Runway Debate

(BMcC/JM)

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