Why Do Some Airports Have Night Flight Curfews?

Alright - we know the answer to the title of this video is pretty obvious. In fact, you’re probably already typing in the answer as a comment before you’ve watched the first five seconds of this video! But bear with us as we examine night curfews a little more closely and how they are setup at some airports.
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#aviation #flight #avgeek #airlines #flying

[@radjafan]

The straightforward and fact-based answer to the question is: "Because the residents living near those airports are not Avgeeks."

[@jamesau4296]

Good answers!!!

[@Chrisp707-]

Which begs the question why even have residents near an airport

[@jlust6660]

Apparently avgeeks are not supposed to sleep. Who knew

[@Chrisp707-]

@@jlust6660 no it’s just that we’re so used to the sound 9/10 it doesn’t affect us.

[@ThirdEngr]

@@Chrisp707- Many y neighborhoods were there long before the airports.

[@AidanEyewitness]

I grew up and now live close to Manchester Airport. I love the sound of planes landing or taking off, especially at night. It's reassuring and reminds me of my childhood when I used to be able to recognise the Viscounts, Vanguards and DC3 Dakotas passing over at night before I went to sleep.

[@JuanWayTrips]

At LAX, between midnight and 6am (or somewhere around those times), takeoffs will still go towards the ocean/westbound but use the south runways, while landings will use the north runway but switch to an eastbound approach so they are over the ocean and don't disturb residents late at night. Of course, they can only do this if the winds are calm (but usually the sea breeze is active during the day).

[@jace1113]

I remember being on an international flight coming in to land at LAX just after 6am and seeing the highways gridlocked with peak hour traffic at that time. At 6am!! Amazing sight.

[@LuffyRL]

Same at SFO however they use normal runways they would on a daily basis I'm pretty sure because planes normally takeoff either on heading South San Francisco Or Oakland. I've complety forgot what runway I've taken since im in the middle rows and each time was 1AM - 2 AM I think they send planes towards oakland as more citizens are in South San Francisco.

[@LuffyRL]

Correction there is pretty much no takeoffs at SFO only 1 - 2 between 1 AM and 6 AM

[@seanthe100]

@@jace1113 the lights and hills and traffic in LA is a sight to see flying into LAX. You go from no lights at all to an insane amount.

[@mikeydude750]

@@jace1113 Hell, parts of LA will have gridlock even at 1-2 AM

[@ahmedzafar9137]

“Many who live near airports,who aren’t avgeeks and plane spotters may find it annoying” Very true

[@AndoCommando1000]

Sydney International Airport in Australia. The airport is so close to the city, and flies over genuinely expensive residential suburbs, that curfews, flight paths and noise complaints are so extreme that it becomes an election issue every single Federal election.

[@henrivanbemmel]

I wonder which came first the airport or the residences. Often the airport is placed outside of town as in the past jets were even louder. However, developers and town planners routinely allow for homes to be built ever nearer the otherwise removed airport. In that case people knew they were moving near an airport (or a steel mill or what ever) I'm not sure they have a position, but in the converse where the homes were there before the airport was constructed I feel that it should not be allowed anymore than some other disruptive industry would not be allowed in such a place.

[@colinpotter7764]

One of the joys of precision based navigation is flying over exactly the same house every time.

[@JamesSymmonds]

I grew up around airbases so it's something that I actually don't mind at all. As for the Heathrow night ops limit number, you can bet there's some codger that sits around every night and adds them up to complain to their local council.

[@Luddite-vd2ts]

I lived for 12 years in Hounslow, circa 3 miles from from Heathrow until my partner's death last year after which I moved to Hertfordshire. The aircraft passed directly over our house, lowering their undercarriage. Even with Heathrow funded noise insulation measures, including commercial grade (extra-thick) glazing, we were woken every night, sometimes more than once by night flights. It's not a joke; sleep deprivation, e.g. regular shift work, is recognised by the WHO as carcinogenic. Those 'old codgers', e.g. HACAN, who object to unfettered airport growth do what they do for good reason. They are not fools worthy of ridicule. On another subject, air pollution, I was diagnosed last year as asthmatic. I went back to visit the area just this weekend and again, for the first time in a year was aware of my throat and sinuses irritating in response to the pollution in the air. I used to have to live with that all the time. Please be aware that 'One man's meat is another man's poison' to use an old catchphrase.

[@JamesSymmonds]

@@Luddite-vd2ts Eh, like I said, I grew up around air bases and have been around airports all my life. I've spent the last year living along the approach to one airport and regularly visit family that lives along the approach to another. Can't say I've ever been woken up by anything, commercial or military.

[@jlust6660]

From my experiences visiting London, I can imagine that if I'd live near Heathrow I would not let them operate too much during their curfew. Rules are rules.

[@roadrunner6224]

@@JamesSymmonds Considering the amount of complaint about airport noise you are in the minority.

[@kingduck3192]

@@Luddite-vd2ts since the airport was there first you knew what you where getting into

[@DavidWsTrainVideos]

At YVR there is a runway ban. The North runway is shut down overnight (except during the a part of the summer when they do maintenance on the South runway) for a noise restriction.

[@AllycatlovesAG]

Though I don’t like right next to the airport, I’m close enough where you can watch the planes land. The noise isn’t too noticeable during the day (unless there is a go around, that goes over my house) but at night when it’s quiet I hear the planes. As an av geek, I quickly pull open fight radar and get excited that it’s a long distance international flight haha

[@martxnmusic]

I have a friend that lives right next to the atlanta airport in georgia, otherwise known for its title as the busiest ariport in the world. He said to me in a conversation that it never stops, even at night. Every 20 secs or so another plane lands during the day, and at night its no different, he said ab every 1 min a fedex or a ups lands. Couldn't imagine trying to sleep lmao

[@Sacto1654]

This is why there is a lot of interest in the 737 MAX, A220 and A320neo planes. Their much lower noise levels allow for far more night operations even at noise-restricted airports.

[@richardmartinez3078]

I work at Burbank airport and there is a curfew from 10pm-7am. And apparently there is a local resident that wakes up every morning to make sure that no planes take off before 7am. I guess they have a lot of time on their hands. Mind you, this airport handles mostly 37's and 320's or small aircraft

[@parimal7528]

Does he travel on camel?

[@donaldstanfield8862]

@@parimal7528 🤣

[@matthewwelsh294]

A freaking Karen 😂😂😂

[@andrewbaruth2318]

"I guess they have a lot of time on their hands." LOL

[@cmunoz810]

Your typical Mr. or Mrs. Karen 🤣🤣🤣

[@willarddevoe5893]

Night air traffic and airports are beautiful glitter.

[@schumi246]

In 2020, one of the night flights into LHR was BA112, which was scheduled to land at 6:25, but caught an amazing tail wind, and made the JFK-LHR trip in 4h56m to land at 4:43am, setting the record for that trip by 17 minutes, for a subsonic aircraft.

[@SirishSaravanamuthu]

Hello Simple Flying. Amazing video to explain Night Curfews at airports. I personally do not live near an airport but I do live near train tracks and so we often hear the sound of the horn every time a train came through. At first it was annoying but then you get used to it. I do believe that the same concept wouldd apply here as well. Once your body gets used to the constant sound of airplanes taking-off and landing every night.

[@Dan-pz2cw]

I live right next the landing area and I love it. I wouldn’t care if they didn’t have a curfew

[@khalidabdulghani]

Same live just south of Heathrow

[@bd5av8r1]

I served on an aircraft carrier. It wasn't the noise on board, it was the deafening roar of silence at home. :D lol

[@erikaepler8597]

I live 3km away from an small airport without curfew. I don’t notice it a lot. Occasionally when I’m outside I hear planes taking off but otherwise it’s very calm.

[@vistalite-ph4zw]

LAX, BUR, LGB, & SNA have night flight curfews. The interesting one is Long Beach Ca, curfew is from 9pm -5am I believe. When Jet Blue was still there word around the campfire was Jet Blue still had departures until midnight so they paid a fine daily. Probably why they left LGB all together. At SNA planes can't takeoff using full power until a certain height is achieved. LAX also has a clause saying that a airplane can't make a turn until over the ocean...

[@jan-lukas]

Finally my home town gets mentioned in a video, cologne is really unknown even though it's the 4th biggest city of Germany and it has the second longest runway in Germany I think

[@oscarmorales8979]

I live in south Minneapolis about a 10 minute drive from MSP. You kinda get used to the planes flying overhead and most houses have extra noise insulation added to them.

[@planezyy]

I actually live close to Changi Airport, before covid i would see tons of cargo 747s and passenger A380s. Its extremely amazing to look at the planes in the night!

[@harris88]

Same here. The GE90 rotor bow during start-up is a great alarm clock ☺️

[@StaticImage]

I've lived in a bravo airspace area my entire life. Growing up, I was literally *directly* under the flight path for landing aircraft. I could tell when a 727 was coming way before anything else. I hate the 727 in particular, but I was fine with other jets. Where I live now, there are a lot of medical helicopters and also a mix of charlie traffic. Used to it.

[@axilleas]

I have lived next to a motorway in the past, what one can get used to is amazing. That is, I'd be alright with living close to an airport without a curfew.

[@johniii8147]

True, it's just part of city living. You get to where you don't notice it. It's part of brain function to tune out normal noises. I can't sleep if it's TOO quite.

[@axilleas]

@@johniii8147 I can’t sleep in too silent a place either, noawadays, I keep rolling around endlessly and feeling anxious. The brain really is fascinating.

[@swatl]

I’ve lived next to Hartsfield Atlanta for 25 years. I can’t sleep unless there is a little noise.

[@Nogapniba]

I live next to the Haneda Tokyo international airport and the flight route is directly over my houses but thankfully the law don’t allow any plane to go over Tokyo at night so I love it

[@eeebab]

I used to work at an airport and where I live was also on the final approach route of the secondary runway. Although it was rare, at the times when the primary runway was closed, the noise was unbearable.

[@leegreatorex04]

I live 6 miles from East Midlands Airport (EMA) the airport's busiest hours are between 9PM and 6AM because of the cargo operations and we've never experienced any issues with noise

[@donaldstanfield8862]

Awesome, luckily, aircraft are much quieter than they used to be, it's amazing considering their size!

[@reedreinfeld3737]

I live along the runway path for two of the four runways for Orlando International (MCO). Arrivals are allowed until about midnight on these runways, but all departures are required to take the other two runways that primarily fly over the rural areas of Orlando during these restrictive hours; this is due to those flight paths being over less densely populated areas of the metropolitan area.

[@aviation8821]

Hell yeah I would live near one of those without a night curfew. I’d probably just soundproof my walls, so I can plane spot 24/7, 365d per year

[@quinnengel5164]

I live right next to Calgary International and I actually quite enjoy hearing the planes while I’m trying to sleep

[@PeterNGloor]

good for you, but you might be a rare exception. And all depends on the type of aircraft. A Dash-400 is pleasant but a Jumbo or 777 is not.

[@quinnengel5164]

@ nah honestly I don’t miss the 777 however the one loud on in the An225 that guys a bit much

[@jeffayoe7468]

i would be so happy if i lived next to an airport that had constant flights. The town i live in only gets a departure or arrival around once every 35 mins

[@Indian-Canadian]

At Male, Maldives the airport shuts down at night to provide respite to residents on resorts nearby. I once vacationed at a resort directly under the flight path of incoming planes; I wouldnt have been able to enjoy my stay had the airport been operational at night

[@suzannadannaTARDIS]

As an adult, I willingly purchased homes next to Interstates on three occasions. I like having some degree of noise, even when living in the middle of nowhere. That said, the closest I've lived to an airport was 10 miles and usually, I'm around 50 miles from one. I probably wouldn't mind being on the approach to one, but not next door.

[@Brick-Life]

The old Guangzhou Baiyun Airport was also subject to curfews due to being close to residential apartments so in 2004 the new airport opened with the old one closed

[@site_alpha_Liberty_Cat]

There was a SWA flight that would fly over my home @ 0445 each morning as I was heading out for work. I was sad when that flight was cancelled.

[@TimTVOfficial]

I find jet noise therapeutic so I can't complain. It's like the white noise or cooling fans people use to help them sleep. Turbine powered helicopters are a bigger annoyance at these late hours.

[@AluminumOxide]

that finally explains why on several occaision when i get to the airport late at night or early the next morning, the gate terminals are pretty empty

[@genyosha16]

I live under the take off flight path for YVR. Pre-pandemic there used to be a 4:30am departure flight that was annoying

[@SNATRAVELS]

At John Wayne better known as SNA where I work, wheels up by 10:45pm and first flight is 6:45 am

[@flyewr1907]

I would love to live near a 24 hour Airport. My grandmother lives about 15 minutes away from Newark Airport in New Jersey. I loved it.

[@muzzcovw7674]

Some would ask why would you buy a house near an airport and then complain about it? I actually have some acquaintances that have done this...they're not happy with my opinion of them. Common sense is definitely becoming a lost art

[@AndreSomers]

I am at more than 30km from AMS, but depending on wind conditions and runway assignments there frequently airplanes do come over very low as they line up for landing. It’s almost an hour to get to the airport from here by car or train. So… do I live “near” an airport in your book?

[@WestCoastTrainspotter]

Living by an airport would be like heaven for me

[@sushi777300]

I live close to CGN where we have more flights at night due to big cargo operations from UPS.

[@saphirros389]

At RPLL, T2 will close down at the night mostly on the domestic sector.

[@berkerrang4149]

I feel safer when there are night ops knowing that there are hundreds of people awake at the airport and i'm not the only one up

[@ianendangan7462]

I grew up on a flight path for landing 34km away from the Manila Airport. From the noisy BAC111 in the 70's to today's Airbus NEO's. Newer planes with NEO's are indeed quieter. We are used to it and can identify planes through sounds. People who file cases are just in for the money.

[@robbyfn]

In 2018 my flight from Luton to Ljubljana was delayed by 5 hours so instead of landing at 8pm we landed at 1am... the airport was ready to be closed but the poor workers needed to stay for our flight.

[@cade_olson]

I used to live right below where planes would hit their air brakes outside ohare and i loved hearing that soothing sound while i was in bed

[@Delta-zt6bn]

Yes I would love to live near an airport with flights leaving and coming all the time

[@umi3017]

My aviation college near (and partially in) a commercial airport not only no curfew, also have night time run-up test time to time

[@garyradtke3252]

I did live close to an airport without night restrictions. In fact my house was right under the runway flight path probably 1500' - 2000' altitude and it wasn't near as bad as the bar up the street or the ridicules base radio systems in the cars that literally vibrate my house and pounds my chest from a mile away. People complain about airplane noise after moving next to an air port but will spend thousands of dollars for a stereo system that will literally rattle a car apart.

[@seanthe100]

The airport next to me has one me and a friend went at night to go watch airplanes take off and we literally didn't see any planes take off. We didn't know it had a curfew.

[@paoloannunziato7798]

FYI in case you’re wondering the beautiful shots at the beginning of the video are from Fiumicino airport in Rome

[@Avionicx]

This may not count, but I live directly under EWR's 4L/R approach, when the aircraft make their final left turn for final and they're around 5 minutes from touch down (30 miles). You'll notice them sometimes, especially during bad weather when they fly low. But it honestly isn't bad at all, and honestly quite soothing. Might just be me though, I've never heard anyone else complain. Gives me killer views for plane spotting though.

[@TonyWhite22351]

When Japanese tourism was a big deal in the nineties no one in the flight path of Cairns International Airport got a full nights sleep as the flight came in low and loud at 4.30 AM !

[@infiniteflightaustralia]

At Sydney airport, the curfew is between 11PM to 6am. During those times, you’ll see BAE qaud jets are used for cargo. And also takeoff towards the ocean no matter if there’s 8knt crossing wind or tailwind. Only takeoff to the suburbs if strong winds comes

[@HarpreetSandhu-fv7gm]

This was a great video!

[@SimpleFlyingNews]

Thanks for the feedback! - TB

[@thegotlandisfarmer8774]

In my family we saying: if you move close to a airport you have no rights to complain about aircraft flying there if you want a quiet place don get a house near the bloody airport

[@iainmacrae2653]

I live directly below GLA flight path I missed the sound of planes during lockdown

[@RuhjedVentula]

IMO If you don ‘t like noisy planes taking off and landing close to where you live. Then move to a different house away from an airport…moving you is easier than moving the airport. Done

[@amanor409]

I lived near Orlando International for a few years and barely noticed the noise. Maybe one a month I heard a plane and I was very close to the airport.

[@臺灣是國家臺灣是國家]

SYD Sydney Airport use to have 11pm curfew when I was there. We could apply for “dispensation” to Canberra for a departure after 11pm & usually always granted it more often than not. 👍🏻☺️✈️🇦🇺

[@magical_catgirl]

Sydney still has a curfew. Aircraft are allowed to take off after 11pm provided they have pushback clearance before.

[@Velocity8842]

0:50 well they baught a house there it’s kinda hard to miss JFK airport in your backyard

[@edgardorodriguez]

I was in Lisbon and they have a Curfew until 5am

[@Vicstarz26]

Toronto 3 airports all varry, Pearson International is from 0000 - 0630, Billy Biship is from 1100 - 0600 and Hamilton International does not have a curfew. Pearson does allow airlines to fly in within the curfew hours on a daily but comes with a heafty fee.

[@cskvision]

I lived right under a flight path to a city centre airport, now closed. Planes flew over on approach late at night. People have no business complaining about airport noise when they choose to live near an airport 🙄

[@andrewbaruth2318]

AMEN!

[@empatel96]

I live about 20 miles from an airport and most times it's fine but sometimes the approach route is over my house and the 747 can be quite loud at 2000ft at 11pm

[@ivanblakely903]

Melbourne does not have a curfew. It was opened 1970 a long way from residential areas with future runways clearly defined on maps. People built houses closer and closer and now some are demanding a curfew. My view is they bought cheap land and need to live with it.

[@GOPGOP-bk2yy]

Same with DFW - it was built in the middle of nowhere & then the area was built up around it. At one time several residents tried to sue to have restrictions forced upon the airport. Thankfully the courts said no, that the airport was there long before any residents so tough luck.

[@user-xp9hu8sg9o]

KSAN has curfew between 2300- 6:30 for take offs. Only landings are allowed. If you wanna take off under the curfew it is authorized, but a fee will be imposed.

[@韩浩然-c4v]

Actually Shanghai Hongqiao Airport SHA also has a ban on departures between 0-6am

[@JustinFromMD]

I've lived near USAF bases and airports. The airports aren't that bad. Living across the street from Reagan the sound of the jets was nearly soothing. It's the air force bases that are freaking loud.

[@brainwells6634]

At Chicago O'Hare International Airport every 3 months they rotate the runway for take off and landing

[@icebreaker1264]

Alot of plane fly over my house it’s annoying at night especially when it’s 777x

[@davidvavra9113]

Yep I grew up near Midway in Chicago

[@j2simpso]

Night curfews are essential during this COVID-19 pandemic. The last thing we want is a bird hanging out late night at a pub or club picking up COVID and spreading it to the city it lands in! 🤣

[@xstunna841x]

I love living by Ontario International Airport, California 🥰🛫

[@ATIMELINEOFAVIATION]

I would prefer having a night curfew if I live near an airport so that I could planespot during the day and sleep well at night.

[@LuffyRL]

SFO has some sort of night curfew however they let most planes in for example the day i'm commenting this there is a Delta 757 Scheduled at 2 AM , 1 Cargo for 3AM, and 1 Air China 4 AM. However there are no other operations for arrival until 2 hours later. To be honest Takeoffs are more effected than arrivals here.

[@maxhaskell20]

I notice a KEWR they allow cargo flights only between the hours of 1 and 5 AM

[@skylineXpert]

Had no problem with a stay next to maho beach. Aircraft noise doesnt bother me at all

[@JAMESWUERTELE]

I’m approx 5nm. It’s not bad. I know it’s bedtime when I hear FedEx at 2030ish with the 757-200 they run.

[@alanwilson4208]

I currently live under a flight path from Melbourne airport, I am in bed before the curfew takes place but I couldn't care less because the noise actually helps me sleep.

[@MrG3ckoGuy]

My house is right next to PEK and is in traffic pattern so it is hard sometimes but helps me planespot and when they take off they turn to go right above me and once i saw sichuan airlines panda livery a350.

[@kevinheard8364]

What is the airport featured at 1:22, please?

[@MegaThelegoshow]

Yes it will be a white noise for me and will help me get to sleep

[@julianbrelsford]

"Could you tolerate living near an airport" I do live fairly near a major international airport but one of the "noise restrictions" at that airport has the aircraft making most of their noise where humans won't hear it. Approach and climb-out are over a large river, part of which is surrounded by wetlands and other spaces that don't have any homes on them... so there aren't that many people who can easily hear the flying airliners from their homes.

[@LudicrousGotRizz]

That sounds suspiciously like Vancouver where I live

[@reedreinfeld3737]

Sounds like Orlando (MCO) to me - that’s what they do here at night lol

[@LudicrousGotRizz]

@@reedreinfeld3737 that's almost exactly what they do here at night as well.

[@christoohunders5316]

The noise is the least of nearby residents problem with airports, the pollution is number one, residues on all surfaces and plants, breathing illnesses, you name it

[@aklimaakter5180]

Am I jus weird for liking the sound of the planes n falling asleep to them?

[@yokermitthefrog5169]

i never knew Some Airports Have Night Flight Curfews

[@rossmason8812]

I don’t mind planes flying at night but not all the time. Curfews can also mean that you don’t have to work nights.

[@chafanonash3418]

I never knew Narita had a curfew.

[@EdOeuna]

Not only does Sydney have a night curfew but it also has a day time hourly movement restriction too. I’ve sat at the holding point for 34L for 10 minutes waiting to depart simply because the hourly movement rate had been reached.

[@nixonhoover2]

Did you touch yourself while waiting to depart?

[@mylocker1112]

In HK , seems like the airport would only use the north runway (now recalled as central runway) for night time operation

[@Stokie99]

When I lived in Perth, i lived over the approach into RW03 there was a plane every 15 minutes with no curfew, I got used to it

[@danprast1593]

I never heard any aircraft take off or landed in YIA at night

[@shivammishra1380]

I live near Pune international airport but I don't face any such problems because we always have narrow body jets but still they make some noise but I like to stay near the airport

[@flipping4966]

What about the airports that are not equipped with proper lighting and/or have dangerous terrain around? A ban on night flying applies to these as well.

[@ChristopherdeVilliers]

I used to live next to the biggest airport in Africa, you get very used to the planes. The planes also fly significantly higher than they used to when I was small.

[@jakebclaridge8311]

The thing is you move next to an airport expecting sound so the airport shouldn't have to change operations. noise can also be avoided through sound insulation. My friend lives right next to a busy airport and hears nothing at all