57 Aviation Noise Statistics

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These aviation noise figures cover the measurement periods and populations identified in the available source material. Estimates, surveys and forecasts retain their reported scope.

Key Aviation Noise Statistics

The main findings are:

  • In 2023, 3.4 million people were inside the Lden 55 dB aircraft-noise contours at 98 major EU27+EFTA airports.
  • At Heathrow’s >57 dBA LAeq, 6.5h night contour, 3,500 people were within 4.0 square km (winter 2016-17/summer 2017; Heathrow Airport).
  • The FAA surveyed more than 10,000 residents near 20 representative U.S. airports for its Neighborhood Environmental Survey (survey fieldwork 2015–2016).
  • For each 10 dB increase in aircraft Lnight when sleep questions specifically mentioned noise, the meta-analysis found an odds ratio of 2.18 for high sleep disturbance (updated systematic review published 2022; pooled aircraft-noise studies).
  • The RANCH cross-national study assessed 2,844 children aged 9–10 years at 89 schools around three major airports (study published 2005; Netherlands, Spain and United Kingdom).
  • In 2023, 1.6 million people experienced more than 50 aircraft-noise events above 70 dB per day at the 98 major EU27+EFTA airports.
  • At Heathrow’s >60 dBA LAeq, 6.5h night contour, 1,300 people were within 2.1 square km (winter 2016-17/summer 2017; Heathrow Airport).
  • Just over 2,000 mail-survey respondents elected to participate in the FAA follow-up phone survey (survey fieldwork 2015–2016).
  • The 95% confidence interval for the aircraft-noise odds ratio was 2.01–2.36 per 10 dB when sleep questions mentioned noise (updated systematic review published 2022; pooled aircraft-noise studies).
  • The RANCH study found a statistically significant aircraft-noise association with impaired reading comprehension (p=0.0097) (study published 2005; Children near three European airports).
  • The 2023 population exposed to more than 50 daily aircraft-noise events above 70 dB was 59% higher than in 2005 (2005–2023; 98 major EU27+EFTA airports).
  • At Heathrow’s >63 dBA LAeq, 6.5h night contour, the population was below 100 people within 1.2 square km (winter 2016-17/summer 2017; Heathrow Airport).
  • The FAA initially identified 95 airports meeting its minimum jet-operation and household-exposure criteria before selecting 20 for balanced sampling (survey design).
  • When sleep questions did not mention noise, the aircraft-noise odds ratio for high sleep disturbance was 1.52 per 10 dB Lnight (updated systematic review published 2022; pooled aircraft-noise studies).
  • The RANCH study found a statistically significant aircraft-noise association with impaired recognition memory (p=0.0141) (study published 2005; Children near three European airports).

Contents

Aviation noise statistics: global and regional exposure scale

Population inside reported regulatory contour; not a global estimate.

N50A70 event indicator, not annual average exposure.

Comparison uses the report’s event indicator and airport series.

Dose-response estimate, not a direct census of annoyance.

WHO dose-response estimate.

Modelled outcome and changing population/traffic conditions.

Based on Member State Environmental Noise Directive reporting.

Transport-noise context; threshold is WHO-based.

Comparative interpretation of WHO dose-response evidence.

END/WHO threshold comparison; broader than the END 55 dB reporting contour.

END/WHO threshold comparison.

Reported END contour population.

Aircraft noise events, decibel contours and affected populations

Modelled contour population.

Rounded/reporting threshold.

Modelled contour table reports zero, which may reflect rounding.

Official options-assessment modelled contour.

Altitude-truncated modelling scenario.

Aviation noise annoyance and complaint statistics

  • The FAA surveyed more than 10,000 residents near 20 representative U.S. airports for its Neighborhood Environmental Survey (survey fieldwork 2015–2016). (Neighborhood Environmental Survey)
  • Just over 2,000 mail-survey respondents elected to participate in the FAA follow-up phone survey (survey fieldwork 2015–2016). (Neighborhood Environmental Survey)
  • The FAA initially identified 95 airports meeting its minimum jet-operation and household-exposure criteria before selecting 20 for balanced sampling (survey design). (Neighborhood Environmental Survey)
  • FAA survey eligibility used DNL 50 dB as the minimum aircraft-noise exposure for sampled households (survey fieldwork 2015–2016). (Neighborhood Environmental Survey)
  • Schiphol’s BAS focus-group reports totaled 199,960 in 2023, versus 173,860 in 2022 (operating years 2023 and 2022; Amsterdam Schiphol). (Royal Schiphol Group 2023 Annual…)
  • Schiphol’s 2023 habitual-complainant reports totaled 148,620, versus 167,141 in 2022 (operating years 2023 and 2022; Amsterdam Schiphol). (Royal Schiphol Group 2023 Annual…)
  • Schiphol had 10,724 focus-group complainants in 2023, compared with 10,520 in 2022 (operating years 2023 and 2022; Amsterdam Schiphol). (Royal Schiphol Group 2023 Annual…)
  • Schiphol recorded 90,977 specific focus-group reports in 2023, compared with 76,137 in 2022 (operating years 2023 and 2022; Amsterdam Schiphol). (Royal Schiphol Group 2023 Annual…)
  • Schiphol recorded 96,980 period focus-group reports in 2023, compared with 88,336 in 2022 (operating years 2023 and 2022; Amsterdam Schiphol). (Royal Schiphol Group 2023 Annual…)
  • Schiphol recorded 12,003 general focus-group reports in 2023, compared with 9,387 in 2022 (operating years 2023 and 2022; Amsterdam Schiphol). (Royal Schiphol Group 2023 Annual…)

Survey scope; sample size is included only as context for the measured annoyance findings.

Participation was voluntary and not the primary mail-survey outcome.

Sampling-frame statistic, not an exposure outcome.

Eligibility threshold, not a population prevalence estimate.

Focus-group reporting excludes habitual complainants making more than 500 reports per year.

Habitual complainants are reported separately and excluded from focus-group analyses.

Focus group is one to 500 reports per year.

Specific report means nuisance at a particular time.

Period report concerns nuisance during a specified period.

General reports include matters not directly tied to a specific air-traffic nuisance event.

Aviation noise statistics for sleep and health outcomes

  • For each 10 dB increase in aircraft Lnight when sleep questions specifically mentioned noise, the meta-analysis found an odds ratio of 2.18 for high sleep disturbance (updated systematic review published 2022; pooled aircraft-noise studies). (Environmental Noise and Effects on…)
  • The 95% confidence interval for the aircraft-noise odds ratio was 2.01–2.36 per 10 dB when sleep questions mentioned noise (updated systematic review published 2022; pooled aircraft-noise studies). (Environmental Noise and Effects on…)
  • When sleep questions did not mention noise, the aircraft-noise odds ratio for high sleep disturbance was 1.52 per 10 dB Lnight (updated systematic review published 2022; pooled aircraft-noise studies). (Environmental Noise and Effects on…)
  • The 95% confidence interval for that unprompted aircraft-noise association was 1.20–1.93 per 10 dB Lnight (updated systematic review published 2022; pooled aircraft-noise studies). (Environmental Noise and Effects on…)
  • The Orio al Serio study found previous-month sleep disorders in 19.9% of the <60 dBA reference group (2013; Orio al Serio airport, Italy). (Effects of aircraft noise on…)
  • The Orio al Serio study found previous-month sleep disorders in 29.9% of the 60–65 dBA zone (2013; Orio al Serio airport, Italy). (Effects of aircraft noise on…)
  • The Orio al Serio study found previous-month sleep disorders in 35.7% of the 65–75 dBA zone (2013; Orio al Serio airport, Italy). (Effects of aircraft noise on…)
  • Adjusted annoyance scores near Orio al Serio were 2.7 points higher in the 60–65 dBA zone than in the reference zone (2013; Orio al Serio airport, Italy). (Effects of aircraft noise on…)
  • Adjusted annoyance scores near Orio al Serio were 4.0 points higher in the 65–75 dBA zone than in the reference zone (2013; Orio al Serio airport, Italy). (Effects of aircraft noise on…)
  • The UK airport assessment estimated Heathrow high sleep disturbance fell from 23,900 in 2016–17 to 9,600 in 2021–22 (2016–17 to 2021–22; Heathrow Airport). (Annex F: noise contours for…)
  • The same assessment estimated Gatwick high sleep disturbance fell from 1,100 in 2016–17 to 300 in 2021–22 (2016–17 to 2021–22; Gatwick Airport). (Annex F: noise contours for…)
  • The same assessment estimated Stansted high sleep disturbance rose from 900 in 2016–17 to 1,100 in 2021–22 (2016–17 to 2021–22; Stansted Airport). (Annex F: noise contours for…)

Meta-analytic association; moderate-quality evidence and self-reported sleep outcomes.

Confidence interval around pooled association.

Low- to very-low-quality evidence.

Cross-sectional study of adults aged 45–70; not causal.

Cross-sectional exposure-zone comparison.

Study-specific annoyance scale; cross-sectional association.

WHO exposure-response relationship applied to a 6.5-hour quota period rather than its 8-hour basis.

WHO exposure-response relationship applied to a 6.5-hour quota period.

Traffic was still recovering from the pandemic; WHO relationship applied to a 6.5-hour period.

Aircraft noise statistics for children, operations and mitigation

  • The RANCH cross-national study assessed 2,844 children aged 9–10 years at 89 schools around three major airports (study published 2005; Netherlands, Spain and United Kingdom). (Aircraft and road traffic noise…)
  • The RANCH study found a statistically significant aircraft-noise association with impaired reading comprehension (p=0.0097) (study published 2005; Children near three European airports). (Aircraft and road traffic noise…)
  • The RANCH study found a statistically significant aircraft-noise association with impaired recognition memory (p=0.0141) (study published 2005; Children near three European airports). (Aircraft and road traffic noise…)
  • The RANCH study found a non-linear aircraft-noise association with annoyance at p<0.0001 (study published 2005; Children near three European airports). (Aircraft and road traffic noise…)
  • The Heathrow altitude-based 2024 assessment said prioritising noise below 4,000 ft would reduce the number of people assessed as adversely affected at 45 dB by 9% (Heathrow Airport). (Options Assessment: air navigation directions…)
  • The FAA survey’s sampled exposure bands were arranged in five-decibel increments beginning at DNL 50–55 dB and extending upward (survey fieldwork 2015–2016). (Neighborhood Environmental Survey)
  • FAA airport eligibility required at least 100 jet operations per day (survey design). (Neighborhood Environmental Survey)
  • FAA airport eligibility required at least 100 households exposed to DNL 65 dB or above (survey design). (Neighborhood Environmental Survey)
  • FAA airport eligibility also required at least 100 households exposed between DNL 60 and 65 dB (survey design). (Neighborhood Environmental Survey)

Study population is schoolchildren near three airports, not all children.

Cross-sectional exposure-effect analysis; p-value is not an effect size.

Association does not establish causation.

Scenario estimate, not an implemented intervention result.

Survey design context; it describes exposure stratification rather than an outcome.

Selection criterion, not a national operations average.

Selection criterion, not a national prevalence estimate.

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