LONDON City Airport contributes �1/2 billion to the British economy every year, according to research by a transport consultancy.

York Aviation conducted a study which included on site-research and interviews with leading buisness figures across London. It highlighted a number of benefits attributed directly to the airport.

Among them it listed: �197 million spent by business tourists coming through the airport, �115 million spent by leisure tourists coming via London City Airport, �71 million from productivity benefits delivered through journey time savings, �21 milion in air passenger duty and �100 million through operations and businesses at the airport that also support over 2,700 jobs.

Louise Congdon, Managing Partner at York Aviation, said: “Our study clearly demonstrates that London City Airport makes an important contribution to the economy through its own activities and the convenient access which it affords to passengers travelling to and from Docklands and the City of London.”

The findings of the study were revealed shortly after the Prime Minister David Cameron commented that ‘quick access’ from the airport had been an integral part of the growth and success of east London.

Richard Gooding OBE, chief executive of the airpport, said : “This study confirms just how important London City Airport is to the national, regional and local economies. Our growth has gone hand in hand with the success of Canary Wharf, the City of London and enterprises like ExCeL showing that we are key to business prodfuctivity and the revenue that is generated by passengers using the airport.”

The airport, which has been operating for 23 years, is in the middle of a legal challenge between Newham Council and campaign group Fight the Flights. The council’s decision to allow the airport to increase its flight movements to 120,000 a year is the subject of a judicial review hearing which started at the Royal Courts of Justice yesterday.