Okęcie to remain 'Warsaw's only airport'

The one thing that protects Jeziorki from being over-developed with housing is the airport. Thanks to the zone limiting construction under the approaches on either side of its two runways, blocks of flats (and the masses of cars that come with them) will not encroach on Jeziorki.

This annoys the old residents, whose agricultural land must... remain agricultural, or else sold in small, unprofitable, parcels to individuals wishing to erect their own detached house. But for those who haven't got land to sell, the noise associated with the airport is a tiny price to pay for living in a low-density suburb.

On Friday, the Minister of Infrastructure announced that Okęcie airport would remain Warsaw's only airport for some time to come. Plans to build a new airport, between Warsaw and Łódź, have formally been ditched. The Ministry has deemed it unnecessary and uneconomic. The notion of turning the former airforce base at Modlin into an airport for low-cost flights is still on the cards, but reading between the lines, I can't see any great enthusiasm for the project. And it's being protested on environmental grounds. Personally, I think it won't work, as the cost of getting there by taxi at 4am to check in for an early flight to London would be twice the price of the airline ticket.

Okęcie recently had its 10 millionth passenger passing through this year. But traffic growth is slowing. Will another runway be necessary? Airport authorities say that with better air and ground traffic management, it won't.

I for one have no objections to aircraft flying over our house. More air traffic? Bring it on. There's something quite splendid about the sight. Below: An ATR-72, shortly after take off, heading west. Photo taken from our attic window.

This time last year:
All Souls' Day - Poland's cemetary season continues
All Saints' Day - Poland's cemetary season
Autumnal perfection in Jeziorki