NIGHT FLIGHTS MUST BE BANNED
Press Release
3 December 2020
For immediate use
NIGHT FLIGHTS MUST BE BANNED
Bad news for communities around Heathrow has been delivered this week, with the current night flights regime proposed to continue for an additional two years until October 2024, meaning continued disruption to sleep from Heathrow planes.
Currently there are 5,800 scheduled night fights permitted between 11pm and 6am at Heathrow per year (2). This quota does not take into account any unscheduled flights that arrive or depart from the airport during the night time period.
The Government’s review of night flights, published on 2nd December and out for consultation until 3rd March 2021, recommends the continuation of the current regime, which began in October 2017 and runs until October 2022, until October 2024. They argue this is in order to provide more time for a wider review of night flight policy in the long term and so a broader picture of the aviation industry post-pandemic to be taken into account (1).
However, Stop Heathrow Expansion believe that the original timetable of October 2022 should be adhered to so that a change to bring about the end of flights at night can take place at the earliest opportunity, given the level of disturbance that night flights have on people’s sleep and quality of life (3).
The group believe that there should be a ban on flights arriving and departing Heathrow between 11pm and 7am, particularly given the high levels of aircraft traffic at the airport throughout the daytime period, including late into the evening. Night flights also generate additional ground noise which can be heard in the areas immediately around Heathrow, adding to disturbances.
Geraldine Nicholson from campaign group Stop Heathrow Expansion, said:
“Night time aircraft noise is loathed by many people around Heathrow, so news that the existing arrangements for scheduled night flights will continue for another two years is not good news, particularly as Heathrow expansion is not yet off the agenda. We deserve eight hours sleep per night, uninterrupted by aircraft noise from scheduled and unscheduled night flights.”
ENDS.
Notes
1. Night flight restrictions consultation https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/night-flight-restrictions-at-heathrow-gatwick-and-stansted-airports-between-2022-and-2024-plus-future-night-flight-policy/night-flight-restrictions#structure-of-this-consultation
2. Current night flight restrictions https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/940002/annex-c-the-current-situation-at-the-designated-airports.pdf
3. ‘Sleep disturbance’; Impact on night time aviation noise on human health https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Environment/Noise/Aviation-noise-and-health/