Heathrow Airport launches noise and pollution league table as part of bid to make residents' lives easier

A new league table, which is available publicly online, is tracking the performance of the 50 busiest airlines as Heathrow looks to reduce the number of aircraft operating at night and provide more predictable periods of noise respite for residents.

The latest move comes after the controversial approval of the third runway in October, which Slough Borough Council backed but the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead opposed.

Nighttime noise was also part of the Royal Borough’s argument as it took a failed bid to the High Court.

Although the airport has tracked noise levels since 2013, the league table includes a new measure tracking unscheduled airline operations between 11.30pm and 4.30am in an enhanced bid to monitor noise.

Airlines’ emissions performance is also being tracked in the new league table for the first time.

Known as the Fly Quiet and Clean League Table, it will be published every three months.

It is an expanded version of the Heathrow Fly Quiet programme.

Matt Gorman, Heathrow director of sustainability said: “While the main contributor to local pollution remains road traffic, Heathrow is playing its part to improve air quality by reducing emissions from its vehicles, buildings and aircraft.”

The first league table, based on data from January to March, reveals British Airways’ short haul, Aer Lingus and Etihad Airways as the cleanest and quietest fleets at the airport.

The table is part of the airport’s sustainability strategy which aims to make it the world leader in delivering the cleanest aircrafts possible, including by linking their landing fees to aircraft’s nitrogen oxide emissions. In 2017 alone, the fee was increased by 100 per cent, the airport says. It also wants more planes to be able to use air conditioning when waiting at the gates, which does not require the engines to be turned on.

To see the table, visit www.heathrowflyquietandclean.com/