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Aircraft landing

Noise Management

LBA has a detailed plan to manage the effects of noise arising from aircraft departing and arriving at the airport. Below are key highlights from the plan.

Are night flights allowed?

Yes, LBA has been operating flights 24 hours a day since planning permission was granted in 1994.  The designated night-time period is from 2300hrs to 0700hrs.  During this period, only the quietest jets are permitted to operate and there are maximum permitted noise levels in place for both aircraft arrivals and departures.  In addition, there are restrictions on the number of aircraft movements permitted.

What do the flight paths look like?

Noise Preferential Routes (NPR’s) are in place for departing jet aircraft and were developed as a performance route to direct departing jet aircraft over the least populated areas. All departing jet aircraft are required to follow the NPRs, however, sometimes this may not be possible due to weather conditions or conflicting traffic.

There are two runways at LBA; runway 14 (towards Horsforth) and runway 32 (towards Menston and Burley-in-Wharfedale).  The runway used largely depends on the weather conditions, as aircraft take off and land into wind. There are no established NPRs for arriving aircraft.  In addition, turboprops and light aircraft are exempt from the NPR.

A plan of the NPRs can be viewed here. 

How is aircraft noise monitored?

Four fixed noise monitors are in place, to measure the noise levels from aircraft and to ensure the airport is operating in compliance with the noise restrictions. We also have a number of mobile noise monitors which we can move around within the local community.  

Noise Action Plan

The LBA Noise Action Plan (NAP) brings together all our noise management activities into one living document. This includes specific actions that will be implemented by LBA to manage the effects of noise arising from airport activities, in order to minimise, as far as reasonably practicable, any adverse impact on the local communities surrounding the airport.

The NAP is a legal requirement under the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 (as amended). This is the fourth action plan to be produced by LBA, which has been formally adopted by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.  The full document can be viewed here.

Does the airport offer a Noise Insulation Grant Scheme?

The airport has offered two noise insulation grant schemes in the past.  The first scheme was associated with the runway extension in 1981 and the second scheme was associated with 24-hour availability in 1994.  There have been no significant airport developments (to impact upon noise exposure) since 1994 that would require the airport to offer a further noise insulation grant scheme and therefore no schemes are available at this present time. 

How do I contact you about airport noise?

If you wish to contact us in respect of aircraft noise, please use our noise complaints policy here.

How to submit a noise complaint
A noise complaint can be made to LBA by one of the following methods: 

  • Online noise complaint form here: 

  • By telephone: 

  • By Letter to: Environmental Dept, Leeds Bradford Airport, Whitehouse Lane, Leeds LS19 7TU

In order for a noise complaint to be received by the appropriate department and managed in line with this policy, only the above methods should be used. Noise complaints or enquiries made by other means may not be logged or responded to. 

As a minimum, all complaints/enquiries should include the following information:

  • Full Name

  • E-mail or Postal Address

  • Postcode

  • Date & time of the incident

  • Reason for the complaint 

Failure to provide sufficient detail, may prevent a full investigation from taking place and/or an unsatisfactory response from the airport.