Residents band together to protest against major airport's upsetting plans: 'This is purely and simply about the greed of the airport'

Environmentally conscious citizens in the United Kingdom are outraged over a proposed plan at Farnborough airport in Hampshire, England.

The plan includes expanding Farnborough's private jet flight frequency, size, and operating hours.

Protesters have been gathering outside the airport ever since the initial proposal was submitted a few months ago. Protests have continued into June and have only grown in support.

As part of an International Day of Actions targeting the global aviation industry, activists from Extinction Rebellion, Farnborough Noise, Scientists for XR, Greenpeace, the Alton Climate Action Network, Friends of the Earth, and Waverley Borough Council blocked the main entrance to Farnborough Airport for two hours.

Paul Follows, Leader of Waverley Borough Council and leader of the opposition at Surrey County Council, said at one of the protests, "Farnborough Airport is not about people or even planes, it's about profit. The expansion will significantly increase noise and pollution; there isn't even the pretense that economic growth can possibly be the driver."

"This is purely and simply about the greed of the airport," Follows continued, "It's the convenience of the wealthy at the expense of people and planet."

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For years, climate activists have rallied against the regular use of private jets as they create tremendous amounts of waste and noise pollution.

Rather than opting to take a commercial flight, many celebrities and politicians frequently use private jets to travel. This means far more planes travel the skies on a regular basis than is necessary, making noise pollution and carbon emissions from the engines much worse.

"The particles emitted by jet engines are very small, typically smaller than most viruses," Dr Pete Knapp, an air quality scientist, explained when asked about the health impacts of nitrogen dioxide and ultrafine particle pollution for local people. "They can travel large distances and have been recorded 20 km from an airport in distant residential areas."

According to Extinction Rebellion, nitrogen dioxide levels recorded at Farnborough College exceed World Health Organisation guidelines by two-and-a-half times, contributing to heightened risks of asthma, allergies, and reduced academic performance.

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Citizens and organizations like the ones at these recent protests are fighting hard to make sure private jets don't dominate our skies. Only time will tell if the Farnborough airport's proposed plan will go through.

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