Stansted delays after protests
Updated on 08 December 2008
Travellers have been left stranded at Stansted after a runway demo by climate change activists led the the cancellation of 21 flights.
The Plane Stupid protest began at 3.15am when campaigners occupied a runway that had been closed for maintenance work.
They chained themselves together and created "a fort" by surrounding themselves with security fencing.
Airport operator BAA was forced to close the runway as a precaution. Several inbound flights were diverted to other destinations and 21 outbound flights had to be cancelled.
The runway reopened just after 8am but hundreds of travellers were affected by the disruption.
A spokeswoman for the Essex airport said passengers should check with airlines before leaving home.
Police said 29 people had now been arrested and expected to bring the protest to a close.
In a statement, Plane Stupid said the disruption to flights will prevent "the release of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere".
One of the activists, Lily Kember, 21, said they had used bolt cutters to get in to a secure area around 50 metres from the runway.
The protest was over the Government's decision to allow the expansion of Stansted Airport with a second runway.
Plane Stupid said aviation was the fastest growing source of emissions and already contributed to at least 13 per cent of the UK's carbon budget.
It also pointed to plans for a new runway at Heathrow.
Last month, another organisation, Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE), launched a High Court appeal against the decision.
SSE said the Government was disregarding the climate change and noise impacts of the expansion at the Essex airport.
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