by Trevor Sturgess

Biggin Hill Airport is spending £600,000 on a bigger apron to boost capacity ahead of the Olympic Games.

Airport chiefs have held frequent talks with Olympic officials about the likely impact of the 2012 Games on executive aircraft movements.

Biggin Hill, a major player in business aviation, is expecting a surge in demand from sponsors, officials and competitors throughout 2012, building up to a surge from July to September during the games and paralympics.

The apron area will be expanded by 6,000 sq metres and work is due to begin in the next few weeks. "We need an apron in preparation for 2012 and to meet our business needs as well," said airport director Peter Lonergan.

"We have been working with the 2012 Committee for about three years. They weren't altogether au fait with the sponsors' and business travel needs but they are well up to speed now. Sponsors usually come a good few months before the games and there are a lot of them."

Mr Lonergan says that during the last Olympics in Beijing, many sponsors were refused entry because the airport runway was not big enough.

He expects business people to use their aircraft to bring in customers, with some flying in high-profile athletes for onward rapid transit to the Olympic Village.

There is unlikely to be enough airport space around London to meet demand, forcing the diversion of some flights to Paris.

"We will park a lot of aircraft but we will also leave space for shuttles," added Mr Lonergan, who intends using Biggin Hill's crucial Olympic role to promote the airport. Don't bet against those five rings being clearly seen from 8,000 feet.

Mr Lonergan expects business to be brisk for several months before and during the games. But this raises issues over flying times.

Local residents fear that te Olympics could mean round-the-clock aircraft movements. But Mr Lonergan denies there are any such plans.

However, it is likely that the Bromley council-owned airport will seek permission to extend landing and take-off hours. At the moment, aircraft are allowed to take off from 6.30am but only land from 7.30am. In the evening, the times are 9pm and 10pm.

Mr Lonergan would like to see take-offs and landings harmonised from 6.30am and a similar arrangement up to 10pm. But for the Olympics, he hopes to gain an extension of take-off and landing hours to 11pm or 11.30pm. He claims that would enable the airport to cater for competitors and others who need time to get to the airport. "At 9pm, the games will still be going on," he said.

His message to locals is that the new generation of executive jets are not as noisy as older ones. "This is a very quiet operation. Once they get to 2,500 feet, you don't hear them at all."