London Area Airport Night Slot Restrictions Summer 2024 – No Night Slots for GA

Ops Update, United Kingdom

By Sean Raftery

March 7, 2024

2 minute read

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For more information on operating to the UK, visit our destination and regulatory guides:

London Night Slot Ban

Universal Aviation Stansted

London airspace will be closed to general aviation at night in the summer of 2024, marking a first for the city. Traditionally, London-Stansted (EGSS) has provided limited night-time access for business aviation through a small number of ad-hoc slots. This year, these slots are being withdrawn to accommodate airline traffic that extends into the night. The slot system at Stansted is managed by the airport and voted and approved by the airlines, whose voting power means the business aviation community has little power to stop the airline lobby.

Slot System and Airline Influence

The slot system at Stansted, governed by the airport and controlled by airline votes, leaves the business aviation community with minimal influence. Despite efforts by Universal Aviation – UK and the BBGA, airlines typically secure a more favorable position regarding slot allocation.

Planning for London Summer 2024 Operations

Daytime Access and Night Strategy

While daytime access remains unaffected, avoiding the nighttime restrictions will require careful planning. Despite the new limitations, Stansted continues to be the preferable option for business aviation. Keep in mind that without a night slot, the last available slot would be 23:10L, and late running departures will be refused departure clearance should their pax be running late, for example. We were made aware of a situation involving a recent flight (not handled by our Universal Aviation UK Stansted team) that was late, and the passengers and crew had to stay on the aircraft all night and depart in the morning.

Considerations for Airport Selection – Stansted is Still Best Option

Operators should carefully consider their airport options when planning missions to London this summer. Fees and operational costs can vary significantly, with parking fees at Luton potentially five times higher than at Stansted.

Support from Universal Aviation’s Stansted location offers 24/7 assistance to navigate these changes. Operators can explore this location further, including a virtual 360 view of the FBO, via Universal Aviation London-Stansted online. Additionally, the London Airports Destination Guide provides a comprehensive overview of regional airports. Learn more about operating to Stansted in our Business Aviation Destination Guide.

Our London Airports Destination Guide has a breakdown of all the region’s airports.

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Tagseggw egss london luton night slots stansted uk united kingdom

Sean Raftery

Sean Raftery has more than 30 years of aviation experience, including over 20 with Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. Based in Stansted, United Kingdom, Sean was an airman in the Royal Air Force where he worked in air traffic control and squadron operations. In 2002, he was appointed Managing Director of Universal Aviation U.K. – London-Stansted and in 2010 took on the additional responsibilities as Managing Director of Ireland as well. Under Sean's leadership, Universal Aviation U.K. – London-Stansted and Universal Aviation Ireland, with FBO locations at Dublin and Shannon, have continued to grow and add new services, including the European Operations Centre and a new fuelling into plane business in Dublin. Sean has also been instrumental in Universal Aviation continuing to upgrade its facilities and recently led efforts in Dublin to relocate the location to a new, larger facility while in Stansted he oversaw the complete refurbishment of Universal Aviation U.K. – London-Stansted in time for the '12 Games in London. Well respected within the business aviation industry, Sean has worked closely with government officials to develop and implement industry leading Health and Safety practices and was highly instrumental in influencing the U.K. government for fairer and better immigration procedures for visiting business jet passengers.