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Stansted The Latest Victim Of Airport Protests

Thailand apparently isn't the only place protesters can shut down airports: London Stansted was closed for three hours this morning after 57 protesters cut their way through a fence and attempted to stage a sit in on the airport's only runway. While it's unclear whether they actually reached the tarmac, the group still created quite a scene, with at least 52 flights canceled and further delays likely.

The protest group, Plane Stupid, claims short-haul flights are the fastest growing source of carbon emissions in Britain; Stansted is a hub for Ryanair and EasyJet. And recently approved plans call for more passenger facilities and a second runway to be built; long-haul international service will get a boost in March 2009 when AirAsia X touches down at Stansted. The planned expansion has predictably spawned at least one anti-growth group besides Plane Stupid.

Ryanair, which was forced to deal with more angry passengers than usual after canceling dozens of flights, has been blaming BAA, the agency that runs Stansted, for its lax security oversight. Pointing fingers won't get delayed fliers home any faster, but Ryanair makes a decent point: At least the people who broke into the airport overnight were peacefully trying to raise awareness about climate change--not attempting something much more sinister.

Related Stories:
· Plane Stupid Shuts Stansted Airport [Official Site]
· Runway Protest Strands Passengers [BBC]
· Airport Hell coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Plane Stupid]