Heathrow expansion - local impact of flight routes

Aircraft landing over our Borough line up with the runway as far away as Greenwich using the Instrument Landing System (ILS).

How we are affected

By the time aircraft reach Wandsworth on their descent, they are flying at roughly 3000 feet and then glide down on a 3 degree path to the runway.

If this is done carefully using a Low Power/Low Drag approach (LP/LDA) and in a Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) it reduces the audible noise from the aircraft.

However, this approach only has a slight benefit to our residents, as most aircraft are already on the glide slope when they are over the Borough.

You can find out more about arrival flight paths and departure flight paths.

The Cranford Agreement

The Cranford Agreement is a Government agreement made in the 1950s that prevents aircraft from taking off over Cranford from Heathrow’s northern runway when the airport is operating on what’s known as ‘easterly operations’.

In 2009 the Government agreed that the Cranford Agreement should be ended, however certain measures need to be put in place to allow this to happen.

Read the latest on the Cranford Agreement.