‘Leave Gatwick Airport alone’: readers react to call to ban night flights

Several campaign groups, including Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) and Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE) are calling for night flights to be banned.

The groups have written to the Aviation Minister in advance of a consultation on the future of night flights expected to be published by the Department for Transport shortly.

But readers have leapt to the defence of the airport, which has laid off hundreds of staff as passenger numbers plummeted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Samantha Carbone said: “Gatwick is struggling leave it alone.”

Paul Gilchrist added: “It’s not like the airport has just been built. If you don’t like the idea of being near an airport, don’t live there.”

Chris Blythe hit out at the ‘ridiculous idea’ while Rhoda Murphy said the call to ban night flights was ‘insensitive’.

She added: “If you don’t use it we will lose it.”

Mark Stevens said: “We need a busy Gatwick Airport. It drives the local economy. Yes to flights night and day.”

In August Gatwick axed 600 jobs – almost a quarter of its workforce at the time.

In March the airport slashed 200 jobs and bosses took a 20 per cent pay cut in a bid to reduce costs.

Daniel Manley said: “The jobs and revenue, and infrastructure is required for the UK to keep growing bigger and better and to stop the whole country coming to a standstill.”

Paul Ockenden added: “The airport was there before the majority of houses surrounding it were built! If people wish to live round the flight path don’t moan about planes in the skies above.”