NIGHT FLIGHTS CONSULTATION RESPONSE GUIDE
The Government’s consultation on night flights has been split into two parts.
Part 1 focuses on two key areas and closes on 3rd March 2021:
extending the existing night flights regime beyond its current expiry date of October 2022 until October 2024
stopping the use of QC4-rated aircraft at night
Part 2 looks at long term policy on night flights beyond 2024. This part of the consultation will close on 31st May 2021. See the full consultation here.
Below is a guide with suggested responses on issues relating to the first part of the consultation, to assist you with your response. We will provide a guide to the second part of the consultation in due course.
You can send your responses by email to night.flights@dft.gov.uk. Please also copy your response to us at info@stopheathrowexpansion.co.uk and include the first part of your postcode. This will enable us to hold Heathrow to account in any future consultation where flight numbers may increase.
Do you agree with our October 2022 to 2024 night noise objective for the designated airports?
No.
We believe that night flights should be reduced at the very earliest opportunity. For years they have caused major disturbance to sleep for large numbers of people under flight paths. Flights, except in exceptional circumstances, should not be permitted during the hours of 2300 and 0700, allowing those living under airport flight paths the opportunity to have eight hours sleep each night, in line with World Health Organisation recommendations.
The Government’s national noise objective to “limit or reduce the number of people significantly affected by aircraft noise at night” will not be achieved by extending the existing night flight regime for another two years and thus delaying any meaningful policy changes that could be implemented sooner.
Do you agree with how our October 2022 to 2024 draft noise objective for the designated airports will be measured?
No.
Do you agree that we should maintain the existing restrictions for two years from October 2022 to October 2024?
No.
The Government have had many years to review its policy on night flights and the failure to do so does not justify delaying the changes that are long-overdue for a further two years. The review should take place now, so that a long-term policy can be implemented at the end of the existing regime period – October 2022. The pandemic should not be used as an excuse to delay long term reform to night flights policy. Any review must take into account the mental and physical health impacts of exposure to aircraft noise at night time, with the final policy adequately balancing these issues compared to any supposed benefits of night flights that the aviation industry will claim.
What would be the impacts to you should the government maintain the existing restrictions for two years, from October 2022 to October 2024 (provide evidence to support your view)?
Please answer this question in your own words!
What would be the impacts to you should the government allow the night flight restriction in place at the designated airports to lapse (provide evidence to support your view)?
Unregulated night flights activity would be unbearable for so many people not just in the immediate vicinity to Heathrow Airport but for many, many miles around. We believe that it would be seen as a barbaric act by many communities and would be so life-changing for many residents, that it would leave many with significantly reduced mental wellbeing as well as exacerbating the negative impacts to physical health which are already known. It would also likely result in numerous legal challenges.
Do you agree we should ban QC4 rated aircraft movements from operating at the designated airports between 23:30 and 06:00 from October 2022?
Yes.
QC4 rated aircraft should be banned immediately, for eight hours each night, between 2300 and 0700, but certainly by October 2022. This should also apply to QC2 aircraft movements. As so few flights within this time period use QC4-rated aircraft, the industry impact would be minimal.