GLA-LCY route extended by 130 miles?
 

Relative, who takes this route regularly, just flew on it and Captain said the flight was now 130 miles longer due to a new routing and this was a permanent change - think they went way out over the Thames estuary before approach.

Any background from those in the know - has LHR changed, with a knock-on effect on flights arriving at LCY from the North?

Cheers!

Mrs HAC reported the same message from the flight deck on her IOM/LCY trip last week, there have been notable delays on our LCY service for several days. We used to get a direct routing from around Luton saving something like 10 minutes so it may be that Thames Radar are now requiring the full procedural approach?

(More costs for BACF before any possible increase in LCY charges under new ownership - that's worrying)

Found the reason buried on the confusing CAA site. London Airspace Management Program introducing RNAV procedures which will be flown by the 70% of aircraft using LCY; the other 30% will follow the same procedure using existing aids. RNAV equipment will be mandatory from 2017

Quote from the decision:

I guess it will settle down once the airlines have built the extra time required into the timetable, but whilst I am sure everything will "flow" along nicely once implemented, adding to aircraft track miles won't do anything to reduce CO2...

See:

Airspace change to go live - NATS

https://vimeo.com/146747219

http://www.pprune.org/atc-issues/574...e-tonight.html

Thanks Talkdownman for the links. All is now clearer to me.

There's a line in the natty video which says "aircraft can stay higher for longer" which I guess means less fuel consumed however the "longer" bit meant my journey down to LCY today took 10 minutes longer than before....

Ah well that's progress I suppose.

Thanks everyone - a mine of information as always!