Fly Quieter and Greener

Heathrow is an industry leader in managing the impact of aircraft noise for local communities. Since the 1970s, there has been a tenfold decrease in the number of people within Heathrow’s noise footprint, despite the doubling of aircraft numbers over the same period. This fall in the population affected has continued in recent years, thanks to the newest types of aircraft such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 replacing older generation aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A340.

Managing the impact of aircraft noise for local communities is not just about improving aircraft technology. How and where aircraft are flown are also important factors. Airlines, airports and air traffic controllers employ a number of procedures to organise air traffic for the purpose of limiting noise, and Heathrow has been at the forefront of promoting the use of these.

Fly Quieter and Greener league table

Every three months, Heathrow will publish a league table of the 50 largest airlines showing a red/amber/green rating for nine different noise and emissions metrics.

When the programme was originally launched in 2013, Heathrow was the first airport to release a quarterly league table which ranked airlines according to their noise performance, and through the continued engagement, we observed a step change in adherence to our published noise abatement requirements.

By publishing the table each quarter, Heathrow aims to recognise good performance, provide airlines with regular feedback and identify specific areas to be targeted for improvement.

The Fly Quieter and Greener league table is one of the many commitments set out in our Noise Action Plan that aims for quieter flights and quieter nights.