OVERNIGHT cargo flights will have to continue to keep Southend Airport afloat as it battles to weather the coronavirus storm, councillors claim.

The controversial night flights, which have plagued neighbours for years, “are the only thing keeping the airport running”, Tory councillors have warned.

Conservative councillors Mark Flewitt and Kevin Buck both say the night flights will have to continue, despite the anger from those living under the flight paths.

In a new report from Southend Airport, which the Echo has seen, airport bosses reveal only 75 per cent of the quota for night time flights was used over the past year, with 32 per per cent of those flights flying over Leigh.

The report also states 27 of the airport’s 19,300 departures did not follow “noise preferential routes”; routes put in place to ease the burden on residents.

Kevin Buck, shadow councillor in charge of transport at Southend Council, said: “It’s not viable to scrap the night flights.

“The airport will have to continue running the night flights. It’s a crucial lifeline. The aviation industry has taken a massive hit.”

The airport’s cargo flights with Amazon had been operating three times every night between 1am and 5.30am.

As part of a supposed agreement reached earlier this year between the airport and residents, alongside MP Sir David Amess, the final night flight would depart at 12.20am, with no other flights until after 6am.

But that agreement is now no longer seen as viable.

John Fuller, a member of the Friends of the Earth group, has said Southend Airport must close as it’s location is “not appropriate.”

Mr Fuller said: “Night flights have been a huge issue for the community for a while.

“It’s damaging people’s health and reducing life expectancy.

“But the airport see it as crucial for their finances, and always have done.

“The airport must be closed. It’s not the right place for it.

“It’s in the middle of Rochford and Southend and needs to be further out of town. This is now the time to take climate change seriously and reduce flights. I welcome the reduction in flights and easyJet withdrawing.

“There is no way any airport should be expanding in the current climate.”

Amazon said earlier this month night flights would be staying, further to re-assessment.

Southend Airport was asked to comment.

The apparent agreement between airport bosses and campaigners to pause the flights between midnight and 6am has been ignored, with this “no longer viable.”