Boeing 737s (B737s) will begin flying from Lydd airport despite the fact that the runway extension has not been completed.
From June 1, Newmarket Holidays is relocating its flights following the closure of Thanet’s Manston airport. The company is set to use B737s operated by the Lithuanian charter company, Small Planet.
Lydd Airport sought planning permission for a runway extension because it could not operate B737s commercially – ie with a full payload – from the airport. However, in order to get round the short runway issue, the aircraft will apparently be “half laden”.
Louise Barton, co-ordinator of the Lydd Airport Action Group, believes that this is a disturbing development since the aircraft will be operating at the boundaries of their specification on the existing short runway. While this may be acceptable at an airport in a different location the issue with Lydd is that it is located near a nuclear power station, she added. No other airport in Europe operates so closely to a nuclear power complex.
On June 1, an empty B737 will arrive at Lydd at 2.15pm and, after taking on passengers, will depart at 3.05pm. The schedule of B737 flights to take place in June will be on 8th, 14th, 21st, 22nd and 29th.
Passengers will need to hope there is no easterly wind when they arrive as that could leave them stranded at another airport because of the inability to land at Lydd when such weather conditions prevail.
Photograph from Boeing Library