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Aviation News Item: 01177
10th Jun 2009
Protesters Target BizAv at London City
Source: fly-corporate.com
 Protesters from the activist group Plane Stupid have attempted to disrupt flights at London City Airport by chaining themselves to a private jet.
The five, dressed in pinstripe suits and bowler hats, gained access by cutting holes in the airport's security fence. According to the BBC, the four men and one woman have been arrested and charged with aggravated trespass and criminal damage. Operations at the airport were unaffected.
When FlyCorporate's Dan Smith called the British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) for comment, they strongly condemned the action. BBGA say they are keen to establish a dialogue with Plane Stupid to address the serious issue of transportation emissions. However, the Association fears that, like many other pressure groups, Plane Stupid is more interested in attention seeking than meaningful discussion. "This is not the way you engage in dialogue," Guy Lachlan, CEO of BBGA told FlyCorporate. "Until we have this dialogue, their activities can only be regarded as a dangerous disruption of other people's legal and economically valuable activity."
Business aviation comprises about 8% of air traffic in Europe, and directly contributes some £3.5 billion to the economy of the United Kingdom (UK). BBGA estimates that around 50,000 people in the UK are engaged in the manufacturing, maintenance and operation of business aircraft.
Aviation accounts for about 2% of total global greenhouse gas emissions and of that 2%, business aviation is responsible for less than 1%. "In the United Kingdom that is equivalent to each of us with a car driving just twelve miles (19 km) less in a year," says Lachlan. "I would ask the Plane Stupid people which they think would have a greater economic impact - each of us driving 12 miles less per year, or abolishing business aviation?"
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