Forum Topic

Night flights consultation closes March 3

The DfT is holding a consultation exercise on night flights which closes on March 3. Stop Heathrow Expansion  have a lot of helpful info. on their website: www.stopheathrowexpansion.co.uk

Elizabeth Balsom ● 1878d3 Comments

Hello Jill, I plodded my way through it online this morning, took ages. You're right, there's very little publicity which no doubt is what they want, so thanks for emailing Fleur.Every questions which demands you provide evidence I quote the European Heart Journal, December 2020 which publicised a study that showed night time aircraft noise can trigger heart attacks.I'd not heard of the journal before, but when I glanced at the website it was interesting to see references to several studies pointing in the same direction. The DfT and Heathrow are, no doubt, aware of this but choose to ignore it.

Elizabeth Balsom ● 1877d

Thanks Elizabeth.  I've just taken an hour to fill in the consultation.  There is limited to no publicity of this consultation.  I have messaged Fleur

Jill Ridley-Smith ● 1877d

Thanks Elizabeth - I have sent this to the CAA this morning.-------Heathrow Airport management is clearly grossly incompetent, is failing toprovide effective efficient management and is indulging in daily anti-socialbehaviour, especially since the advent of Covid 19.Although some reports state traffic through Heathrow may be down by up to 97%the management has continued to operate night flights from 04:30. These nightflights originate in cities such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Lagos and the US -airports from which numerous day-time flights have been cancelled.The present government limit of 5,800 night-time take-offs and landing couldvery easily be managed now between 06:30 and 22:30. Closing for 3 night-timehours (morning & evening total) would represent a reduction of 16.6% inoperating hours. Obviously because of fixed overheads this would not translateinto an equivalent reduction in costs but a nimble management should be ableto reduce costs between 5%-10%. Heathrow management should do whatever isnecessary to mitigate their own costs before burdening the long-sufferingpublic further.VIRGIN and BA flights are usually amongst the first to overfly London everymorning -no co-incidence that both airlines also being the most vociferous inseeking bail-outs from the taxpayer/travelling public. There is absolutely noreason whatsoever now for these flights to arrive so early - night-flightsshould all be cancelled and daytime flights re-instated or substituted.The fact that the present Heathrow management have failed to take this actionto mitigate their own own operating costs and reduce noise pollution andenvironmental damage speaks for itself. If they cannot manage under the newcircumstances then they should make way for those who can. I have no doubt agroup of 6th.formers from any London school would be able to manage Heathrowbetter than the present incompetent management which is clearly not fit forpurpose by any yardstick.

Timothy Horgan ● 1877d