News / Bristol airport
Airport exceeds health-damaging night flight quota once again, say activists
Bristol Airport has already exceeded its yearly quota of 4,000 night flights, according to campaigners Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN).
The group met on Friday to coincide with an International Day of Action on night flights, involving over 120 campaign groups around the world. Protesters wore pyjamas, carried teddies and held banners saying ‘Ban night flights so we can sleep’ when they gathered at the A38 roundabout.
The activists and residents cite the destructive impacts night flight noise has on the health and wellbeing of those who live under flight paths.
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While they claim the Airport has exceeded their agreed quota, they also suggest the limit itself is far too high – with 4,000 flights almost the same as that granted to Heathrow.
Campaigner Mary Collett said there were 1,000 night flights in both July and August this year, amounting to over 30 flights each night. “We should seriously consider banning night flights,” she said. “It just makes profits for airlines, it’s not fair on the people who live here.”
Local resident Racheal Dodds from Dundry attended the protest with her family. “Night flights are really disturbing our sleep as we are right on the flight path,” she said, as her child nodded vehemently in agreement.
“Sleep deprivation is a form of torture. So we’ve gone to bed and are falling asleep and it’s just immediately your sleep is disturbed. We need sleep to be well and healthy – to be productive, form good communities and be a good neighbour. This is really having a detrimental effect on our lives.”
Research shows aviation noise-induced sleep disturbance causes heart disease, strokes, obesity, stress and mental health issues, and that blood pressure increases immediately even when sleepers are not woken by the noise. Studies also reveal the disruption impacts children’s cognition and reading comprehension.
The 4,000 limit on night flights was agreed as part of Bristol Airport’s planning conditions attached to the expansion that was granted in 2022 despite local opposition to the planning application.
Last year, BAAN set up the ‘Eyes on Bristol Airport’ site to track the number of flights to and from the airport.
“Various studies have shown that night flights cause a wide range of medical and mental conditions for those who suffer from severely disturbed sleep caused by aircraft noise,” said Richard Baxter, a BAAN member.
“We vowed to hold the airport to account on behalf of local residents and our worst fears have been realised. Despite a yearly quota being placed on the airport there seems to be no control or disincentives placed on late flights that arrive at night.
“Airport management have little regard for the disturbances that local people have had to endure which affects their wellbeing.”
Stephen Clarke, another BAAN member, hailed the international efforts on September 13: “We are demonstrating in solidarity with other residents around the world who are badly affected by night flights,” he said.
“From Bristol to Barcelona and Antwerp to Amsterdam; together we say these damaging and unnecessary night flights should be banned.”
A declaration signed by the international community involved in the day of protest said: “Take-offs and landings during the night are an unreasonable burden with particularly harmful health consequences for all people in the vicinity of airports. They are unnecessary and avoidable.”
Activists and residents joined together on Friday, September 13 to highlight the damaging impacts of night flights on their lives, and to call for a ban – photo: Richard Baxter
In response to the claims, a Bristol Airport spokesperson said: “The airport operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week under tight noise and environmental controls.
“We work closely with the airlines and North Somerset Council to remain within our consented operating limits and report all night flights and dispensations to North Somerset Council on a monthly basis.
“For summer 2023 and winter 2023/24 there were 3,806 night flights, which is within the 4,000 limit for this reporting period. From 31 March to 4 August 2024, we have had 1,969 night flights.”
BAAN has contested these figures, saying North Somerset council has confirmed the 4,000 quota is measured per calendar year, with no summer/winter distinction, while the March 31 – August 4 period quoted is a selective four month period without any particular frame of reference.
In addition, BAAN say the airport are ‘vastly’ over-claiming emergency exemptions, or dispensations, for night flights above their quota – for reasons including blocked toilets and delayed plane cleaning.
Main image: David Mathias
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