Edinburgh Airport hails new flight path a 'success'

The new route trial ran until 28 October 2015

Edinburgh Airport has said its trial of a new flight path was a success, despite receiving complaints from residents living under the route.

A report published by Edinburgh Airport shows findings from last year's trial, which saw planes take off towards the Forth, passing over West Lothian.

The trial was held to find a way for planes to depart every minute at peak times instead of every two minutes.

It began on 25 June and was brought to early close on 28 October.

The trial route, which was called Tutur, had been due to run until 24 December 2015.

Airport officials had said flights leaving only a minute apart could relieve congestion at Scotland's busiest airport.

End of year decision

The report said the airport experienced a peak in complaints during the trial period with 7,934 complaints from 567 individuals.

It said analysis showed over 57% of the complaints were not about trial flights but were about aircraft operating on flight paths that have existed since the runway was built in the mid-1970s.

Meanwhile, the report claimed a large percentage of complaints came from the same people - with 40% of all complaints coming from five individuals.

No decision will be made on the new flight plan's future until the end of the year.

An Edinburgh Airport spokesman, said: "While the trial was a success, there is still work to do both technically and with our neighbouring communities.

"The majority of complaints received during the trial period came from a relatively small number of people who live in pockets of communities in West Lothian.

"While the majority of these complaints did not relate to flights on the Tutur flight path, we take our neighbours' concerns seriously.

"Our decision on Tutur will be not be taken hastily."