A PRO-AIRPORT campaign group has spent the day at Stansted Airport exchanging ideas about how to promote expansion plans to the community. The Friends of Doncaster Sheffield Airport were given a tour of the Essex hub including the airfield, terminal and f

A PRO-AIRPORT campaign group has spent the day at Stansted Airport exchanging ideas about how to promote expansion plans to the community.

The Friends of Doncaster Sheffield Airport were given a tour of the Essex hub including the airfield, terminal and fire station.

The group then had a question and answer session with Stansted's head of airport communications, Graeme Wade, and spoke about working with the local communities on issues such as aircraft noise.

"We were very happy to play host to the group and give them an insight into how Stansted operates day-to-day, and our interaction with the community," said Mr Wade.

"They were interested to learn how cash generated by noise and track infringements benefit local good causes in the community around Stansted."

The Yorkshire airport - also known as Robin Hood Airport - opened in 2005 after a long history as an RAF base. Friends of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (FODSA) campaigned long and hard to secure its future as a civil airport.

Chairman, Andrew Bosmans said: "FODSA is a group of like minded people who agreed that it was in the best interests of South Yorkshire and the surrounding districts for the old Finningley RAF base to be turned into an international airport.

"The group gave support to the planning application, actively collecting many thousands of letters of support for the development and giving evidence at the public inquiry.

"We were very grateful to the staff at Stansted for taking the time to meet with us, giving us a behind the scenes look at the airport and explaining their plans for growth in the years ahead.

"Working alongside my colleagues I have campaigned tirelessly for the future prosperity of the airport and it has been my pleasure to give something back to the aviation sector, and specifically Stansted, to assist them in their future expansion - long may the relationship continue.