Why flying into London's central airport comes with high costs

Operational limitations also arise from the airport's single runway specifications—shorter than most urban commercial airports—which restricts larger aircraft like Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s from operating there. Instead, smaller regional aircraft are used, increasing per-passenger costs due to a lack of economies of scale.

London City Airport focuses primarily on business travelers given its location near key business districts. Airlines operating here target major business hubs rather than leisure destinations. For instance, Lufthansa connects LCY with Frankfurt while British Airways operates flights primarily to financial centers across Europe.

Airline operating costs at LCY are significantly higher than at other London airports such as Heathrow. A search for British Airways flights reveals that roundtrip tickets between London and Zurich cost about $60 when departing from Heathrow but increase by 50% when flying from LCY.

Additionally, pilots require special training for landing at LCY due to its unique approach path—a requirement that adds further expenses for airlines using this airport. According to Daily Express, this involves costly simulator training essential for safe operations under steep approach guidelines.