A public inquiry into the significant expansion of London City Airport is set to begin this week.
The airport wants to raise its annual passenger cap from 6.5 million to 9 million, introduce more morning flights and allow flights up until 7.30pm on Saturdays.
Currently no planes take off from the airport between 12.30pm on Saturday and 12.30pm on Sunday.
But the bid for expansion was unanimously refused by Newham council in July amid backlash from residents, councils and MPs.
The airport's appeal will be heard by the Planning Inspectorate in two weeks of hearings at Stratford Town Hall starting on Tuesday December 5, before resuming for another week in the new year.
Objectors have said the proposals will result in unacceptable levels of noise and increase pollution in east London.
John Stewart, chair of HACAN East, the residents’ organisation which is a major objector at the inquiry, said: “These proposals are highly unpopular. People greatly value their weekend break from the noise.
“It is often forgotten how many people are annoyed by the noise from London City Airport. It impacts more people than Madrid, Brussels or Schiphol Airports. Local authorities many miles from the airport have objected to these expansion proposals.”
London City Airport has argued its plans could create up to 4,500 additional jobs across the capital and will add more than £700million to the economy.
