Asked by: Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what assessment they have made, if any, of the decision by Air Traffic Controllers at Luton Airport to continue flights into the airport during a red storm warning across London and the South-East and (2) what plans they have, if any, to issue new guidance to Air Traffic Controllers to ensure the safety of passengers on flights happening during storm periods.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Air traffic control services in the UK are highly regulated. The effects of strong winds, and other weather events which may have a potential impact on passenger flights, are well understood and reviewed on a regular basis. Information relating to weather (wind speed & direction/ snow and ice/visibility etc.) is constantly available to pilots planning an approach to land at an airport. This provides them with the necessary information on which they can base their judgement as to whether it is safe to continue with the approach or not. The commander of the aircraft and the airline are entirely responsible for making these judgments, based on the conditions that exist at any particular time.
Aircraft and airlines have operational limitations that stipulate maximum winds (including crosswind components and associated gusts) that are acceptable. Crew are trained for approaches in such adverse weather conditions and will abort any landing where they believe continuing the approach will be unsafe or if the wind limits are exceeded. The Civil Aviation Authority’s ongoing review of standards suggests that the limitations and training, together with pilot performance, meant that safety barriers were maintained during storm Eunice.