LEEDS Bradford Airport (LBA) has been accused of making 600 more night flights than allowed over summer.

Airport campaigners the Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA) has made a formal complaint to Leeds City Council, which has confirmed it is investigating.

Leeds Bradford Airport said it takes its responsibilities on operating flights seriously and works closely with the Council regarding the airport’s planning consent.

Ian Coatman, a GALBA member who lives in Horsforth, near the airport, said: “LBA’s recent controversial planning application - which they abandoned in March this year - would have allowed the airport to almost double its passenger numbers.

“Although LBA tried to hide it, the most important part of that application was for a big increase in the number of night flights.”

“Even though they dropped their planning application, LBA’s bosses have repeatedly claimed this year that the airport would double in size anyway.

“That raised a lot of eyebrows because LBA is limited by strict rules on the number of passengers and, crucially, the number of night flights they can operate.”

He said LBA “appears to be simply ignoring the rules”.

Andy Tate, a GALBA member who lives under the flight path in northwest Leeds, added: “We’ve monitored the number of night flights over the summer season using real-time flight data information available online.

“LBA was allowed 2,920 night flights but we have found that LBA actually operated an incredible 600 more flights than allowed.

“Nighttime flying is bad news for anyone living under the flight path.

“The disturbance from these flights is a major cause of all kinds of serious health issues. That’s why there are rules – to protect the public.

“We are asking Leeds City Council to put the health of Leeds and Bradford citizens before the profits of LBA. The Council has a duty to stop the airport from breaking the night flight rules.”

A spokesperson for LBA told the Telegraph & Argus “We work closely with Leeds City Council on all matters relating to the airport’s planning consent, and will liaise with them on any issues raised in respect of how that consent is implemented.

“We take our responsibilities on operating flights seriously and will continue to report on them in an open and transparent way.”

A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “We are currently investigating a complaint made against Leeds Bradford Airport in relation to nighttime flights.”

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