Which Aircraft Can Land at London City Airport? Complete 2025 Guide to LCY Operations

London City Airport (LCY) is one of the most tricky and challenging airport to fly in and out of in all of Europe. So much so that pilots need extra qualifications in order to be allowed to operate flights to the tiny airport located in the heart of one of the largest cities in Europe. Its complicated approach and short runway make it useable only by certain types of plane. That’s exactly what I’ll be covering in today’s post: which aircraft types fly in and out of London City Airport?

Why London City Airport Is So Challenging for Aircraft Operations

Steep Approach Requirements Due to Urban Obstacles

Pilots landing at London City Airport (LCY) face two main challenges:

• Dealing high obstacles on the approach path, that force the crew to a steep 5.5 degree glide slope into the airport
• Landing on a short runway compared to what is found in most other European airports

This challenging approach is necessary because of:

• Canary Wharf’s towering skyscrapers directly on the flight path
• Dense urban development surrounding the airport
• Strict noise restrictions requiring precise flight paths

Short Runway Limitations at LCY

The runway itself on the other hand is only 1,500 meters long (4,921 feet). Just to put that into context, that’s not even half the length of the shortest runway at London Heathrow Airport. This constraint means only aircraft with short takeoff and landing (STOL) performance capabilities can operate here safely.

Current Aircraft Types Operating at London City Airport 2025

As you might have guessed by now, only smaller planes are adequate to land at this airport. Particularly planes that have particularly good take off performances and don’t need much runway to get airborne.

Anything either equal or larger than an Airbus A319 will not be able to land here. Although nowadays there aren’t any A318s flying here, there used to be an all Business class British Airways flight to New York via Shannon operating from LCY airport. At the moment of writing this article the largest plane to operate flights to the tiny London Airport is the Airbus A220-100.

Primary Commercial Aircraft at LCY

• Airbus A220-100 (Operated by: Swiss and ITA Airways)
  • The largest aircraft currently serving LCY
  • Capable of medium-haul routes across Europe
  • Advanced flight systems designed for steep approach operations
• Embraer E190 (Operated by: British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, LOT)
  • Most common aircraft type at London City Airport
• Embraer E190-E2 (Operated by: Helvetic Airways)
• DHC Dash 8-400 (Operated by: Luxair)
  • Turboprop aircraft ideal for short European routes
  • Excellent STOL performance characteristics

Historical and Certified Aircraft for London City Airport

As you can see these are all small sized planes with the A220-100 being the only capable of covering even medium haul, longer routes. There are however other planes less commonly used or out of service that are certified to operate flights to LCY airport, such as:

Previously Operating Aircraft Types

• Avro RJ146
• Airbus A318
• Dornier 228
• Dornier 328
• Embraer ERJ-135
• Embraer E170
• Saab 2000
• Saab 340
• Fokker F50
• Fokker F70
• ATR 42
• ATR 72

London City Airport: Key Facts and Statistics

Just to get some extra context about this very unique and special airport let’s cover some of the key measurements and information about the airport.

Passenger Traffic Recovery

The airport wrapped up 2023 with 3.4 million passengers transiting. That is still far from what it used to be in the pre-covid world. 2019, the last year prior to the pandemic, saw the central London airport welcome 5.1 million passengers. Progress is being made to recover the lost passengers by expanding routes.

Why Only Small Aircraft Can Use London City Airport

The combination of London City Airport’s short runway and steep approach requirements creates a unique operational environment that demands aircraft with:

1. Exceptional STOL Performance Requirements: Ability to take off and land in under 1,500 meters
2. Steep Approach Certification: Aircraft and pilots must be certified for the challenging 5.5-degree glide slope
3. Noise Compliance: Strict noise restrictions limit aircraft engine types and sizes
4. Urban Operations Capability: Enhanced navigation systems for dense urban flying