IRON MAIDEN Singer Involved In Flight Row Over City Air Space

June 14, 2005

Stephen Breen of Ireland's Sunday Life has issued the following report:

Angry residents [Saturday] night [June 11] hit out at Belfast City Airport bosses for introducing more flights over the summer.

The east Belfast airport is set to offer its first-ever flights to Malaga with the Teleticket travel company over a seven-week period from next month.

And IRON MAIDEN's lead singer Bruce Dickinson has been caught up in the row.

For the heavy metal star could be flying some of the planes after he was employed by Astraeus, the company whose aircraft will be used on the new route.

The rock supremo is a first officer with the company's Boeing 757 planes, but could be asked to switch to the 737s, which will be used on the Malaga flight.

But the decision has caused anger among a number of residents who live close to the airport.

The residents are concerned that the airport already has enough flights and are also worried about noise.

Residents are set to request a meeting with airport chiefs to discuss the new route.

Said one resident: "We don't care who is flying the planes — we just don't want to have more planes flying over our homes.

"We feel there is enough air traffic at the moment in east Belfast. It may be just for seven weeks but it's still more noise for us.

"There have been numerous meetings between the airport and residents over the years but we feel there should have been more consultation on this development."

But the decision to introduce more flights has been defended by airport bosses.

Said a spokesman: "We have an upper limit of 45,000 air traffic movements but we are currently sitting at 30,000.

"The Malaga destination is just one additional flight, is just for seven weeks, and is within the times we set aside for flights.

"We haven't heard about any fresh concerns from residents and we are not in breach of current constraints."

Local councillor Jim Rodgers urged residents to contact the airport if they had concerns.

"The airport works very closely with local residents and if they have concerns they should contact management," he said.

"I think it can also be good for the city if we have someone famous flying the planes."

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