Fight Flight Noise over the Redlands

Flight Path Proposals threaten Redlands Peace

The issue regarding flight noise over Brisbane Airport (BNE) centers primarily around the opening and operational design of the New Parallel Runway (NPR).

1. Core Issue: New Parallel Runway (July 2020)

  • Opening: The second parallel runway opened in July 2020.

  • Flight Path Redistribution: To accommodate dual-runway operations, Airservices Australia altered low-altitude flight corridors and departure/arrival routes.

  • Community Impact: Thousands of residents across Brisbane—including inner-city and eastern/western suburbs (such as New Farm, Bulimba, Samford Valley, and Brookfield)—experienced sudden, significant increases in low-altitude flight noise.

2. Main Complaints & Concerns

  • Lack of Curfew or Flight Caps: Unlike Sydney Airport (SYD), Brisbane Airport operates 24/7 without a mandatory night-time curfew or movement cap per hour.

  • Sleep Disruption & Health Concerns: Community surveys and reports submitted to the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman (ANO) and Parliament cited severe sleep disturbances, stress, and reduced quality of life.

  • Inaccurate Noise Projections: Resident groups, notably the Brisbane Flight Path Community Alliance (BFPCA), argued that community consultations prior to opening relied on noise modeling that underrepresented actual operational noise levels.   

3. Regulatory & Government Actions

  • Aircraft Noise Ombudsman (ANO) Inquiry: Following hundreds of direct complaints, the ANO conducted an investigation in 2021 into Airservices Australia’s environmental assessments and community engagement practices.  

  • Post Implementation Review (PIR) & Noise Action Plan: Airservices Australia established a formal PIR process and subsequent Noise Action Plan for Brisbane to evaluate flight paths and investigate noise mitigation options.

  • Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Operations (SODPROPS): Efforts were made to increase operations over Moreton Bay during non-peak hours and nighttime to direct aircraft away from populated land areas.

  • Senate Inquiry & Legislative Proposals: Federal community campaigns and Greens/crossbench legislation pushed for a 10 PM – 6 AM curfew, a cap on flight movements per hour, and optimized over-water flight paths.