Report finds Sydney Airport curfew actually creates more noise

Commercial Airplane taxiing down the runway
By Alexandra Coulton


A new report has found Sydney Airport’s curfew could be causing more noise and worsening delays.

The findings were released by the Productivity Commission in a 40-page draft examining the economic regulation of Australian airports.

See also: “Disappointing”: Airline industry slams Productivity Commission’s airport regulation recommendations

“The movement cap and curfew [in Sydney] sometimes result in more noise and emissions, in spite of their noise reduction objective,” the report said.

“The objective of managing the effect of aircraft noise on local residents should be balanced with reforms that benefit the community at large, including through improvements to the efficiency of Sydney Airport.”

The reason for the exacerbated noise and delays, according to the report, is that the curfew has caused planes to arrive earlier than scheduled and having to wait in the air rather than landing and breaching the curfew, which prohibits aircraft from taking off or landing between 11pm and 6am.

The report also found the curfew has led to longer delays during unexpected events like extreme weather.

“Aircraft movements can be prohibited entirely when delays stretch toward the curfew period,” the report said.

“Delays interfere with passengers’ schedules, create costs for airlines and have flow-on effects for Australia’s aviation network more broadly due to the high number of aircraft that pass through Sydney Airport.

The Productivity Commission recommended removing the cap on actual movements but retaining a cap on scheduled movements or adopting noise-based criteria for determining which aircraft are permitted to operate during the curfew, rather than the current prescribed list of aircraft types.

Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert told the ABC he agreed with the report’s findings.

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]