Response to another complaint to Heathrow. A slight variety from the one posted on Friday but they come from the same databank.

Thank you for contacting Heathrow Community Relations. 

Aircraft begin to arrive from 04:30 each day and this has been the case for many years. On average, there are 16 arrivals between this time and 06:00. These are scheduled flights. We do have an arrangement in place with the airlines that prevents flights arriving before 04:30.

There is no formal ban on night flights at Heathrow but the Government places tight restrictions on the numbers and types of aircraft that can operate between 23:30 and 06:00. Most night flights are in the early-morning period.

More information about night flights at Heathrow can be found here: https://www.heathrow.com/company/local-community/noise/operations/night-flights

We appreciate that early-morning flights can be disturbing for local residents and Heathrow is continuously finding ways to reduce aircraft noise. For example, we provide a strong financial incentive for airlines to use the quietest planes available, including in the early-morning period, through the use of variable landing charges.

I’m sorry you are being disturbed. Please be assured your complaints has been registered. 

I’ve attached a copy of ‘Understanding Heathrow’s Runway Operations’ which you may find helpful. 

Disclaimer: CONFIDENTIAL NOTICE: The information contained in this email and accompanying data are intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and / or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, the use of this information or any disclosure, copying or distribution is prohibited and may be unlawful.

WHAT TYPICAL BIG COMPANY NONSENSE. WHAT EXACTLY IS CONFIDENTIAL? OTHER THAN THE IDENTITY OF THE RECIPIENT WHO IS ENTITLED TO DISCLOSE IT.

And the recipient Kate Thompson (permission to disclose given) replied:

As I was awoken again this morning and believe my quality of life and livelihood is being impacted by the increase in noise from planes overhead, I found your response that this has been going on “for years” vague and not helpful.  Your minimizing the impact does not match my lived experience, nor that of the majority of residents of Richmond Park Road, SW14, as we are in regular contact with one another about it.

I would also appreciate you letting me know what research Heathrow carries out about pollution levels, both air and ground, in local areas beneath the flight path as this is a concern for us also.  With Heathrow planning expansion, alongside the noise pollution for residents under the flight path, I would like to know about investigation into long term impact on health from this perspective and what Heathrow is doing about it.”

What comes to mind from the recent exchanges is that Heathrow (and the Government) believe it is more important to fly in a few thousand people when most people are in bed to the obvious detriment of millions of local residents. Heathrow say that incoming flights from 430am have been arriving for many years. Heathrow would have to produce better data than that mere assertion to convince those who have experienced such a bad and sleepless week.