Angry local filed over 24,000 complaints about airport in a single year

10 February 2023 , 12:14

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The resident was responsible for 90% of complaints made (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A single individual was responsible for almost 90% of all complaints about noise from aircraft using Dublin Airport last year - the equivalent of 64 complaints about an airport each day.

The person, who has been reporting claims of excessive noise from aircraft taking off and landing since 2019, lodged 23,431 grumbles in 2022 with the airport operator DAA, the Irish Mirror reported.

In July 2022 alone the person - who is thought to live in the north-west Dublin suburb of Ongar - made 2,616 complaints to DAA, bringing their daily average to 84 for that month.

The work of the person helped push the number of yearly complaints the DAA received up almost 13,000 to 26,196.

The Dublin resident was not happy about the airport (PA)

The rise in complaints has been linked to an increased number of plane movements following the easing of Covid travel restrictions.

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The opening of the £283million North Runway has also been connected to a rise in complaints from other members of the public, from 1,296 in 2021 to 2,765 last year.

The figures show a spike in people making complaints after the runway opened in late August.

DAA confirmed earlier this year that flights departing from the North Runway would be rerouted after residential areas were "unexpectedly overflown".

Noise produced by aircraft has led the placement of flight paths to be a great source of local contention cross Ireland and the UK.

Campaigners in England have long been calling for the route of jets from Heathrow to be diverted, with the Stop Heathrow Expansion campaign spearheading the drive.

While Heathrow does not schedule any departure between 11pm and 6am, 16 flights arrive at the airport between those hours each day on average, according to its own figures.

The route found itself in the news last year following the Queen's death, with campaigners urging Heathrow to direct late running jets away from Windsor Castle during the period of mourning.

While the airport did not do so, it did stop planes flying over Her Majesty's funeral and coffin procession.

The DAA has been contacted for comment.

Seán McCárthaigh