Local MP Jeremy Hunt has spoken out about a bid by Dunsfold Aerodrome to increase flights by up to 1500 during the Olympic Games next summer. As a result of increased pressure on airspace during the games, airports that currently do not have slot control (specific times when aeroplanes must land and take off) are required to have slot control from 21 July to 15 August 2012 so Air Traffic Control can manage the airspace appropriately. Dunsfold is just one of 40 airports and aerodromes in the South East which are subject to this new slot control. Part of this is a requirement to reveal the flight capacity of the airfield which in Dunsfold’s case is 6 planes an hour but this is not necessarily the amount of flights that will occur during this period. The vast majority of air traffic is expected to come through the main airports. The application is currently with Waverley who must decide if they will approve this potential increase.
Jeremy said: ""I appreciate that we will need extra capacity for the 6 weeks of the Olympics and Paralympics but I would be concerned if any permission granted were to set a precedent.""
Jeremy said: ""I appreciate that we will need extra capacity for the 6 weeks of the Olympics and Paralympics but I would be concerned if any permission granted were to set a precedent.""