Police charge 49 over Stansted security breach

Forty-nine protesters were charged with aggravated trespass after breaching security and causing chaos at one of the busiest airports in Britain, according to a police report.

Activists from the environmental group Plane Stupid cut their way through security fencing surrounding the perimeter of Stansted Airport, in Essex, before dawn on Monday morning.

Essex Police said that they had charged 49 people following the incident, and released an additional seven on bail.

The Plane Stupid demonstration caused the runway to be closed, cancelling or delaying dozens of flights and inconveniencing thousands of air passengers.

Airport operator BAA will be required to pay fines if it is determined that it let customers down by providing poor service at the airport, according to airline regulators.

An announcement by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) indicated that BAA will be responsible for paying airlines rebates of as much as seven per cent of its charges to them for using the airport if its service does not meet established standards.

Passengers, whose plans were disrupted by the protest, have spoken about their anger over the occurrence.

Thousands of air travellers, most being Ryanair passengers, had to wait for hours at the airport on Monday as police attempted to end the demonstration and remove the protesters from the runway area.

The demonstrators made their move just after 3:00am when the facility was closed for maintenance. Plane Stupid, the environmental action group, organized the demonstration to bring attention to what they are calling the “hypocrisy” of the government for allowing expansion at the while claiming to be interested in cutting carbon dioxide emissions.

www.stanstedairport.com