The Fly Quieter and Greener programme is just one of the steps Heathrow is taking to mitigate the effects of aircraft operations on our neighbours.
In line with the UK Department for Transport regulations, the ICAO balanced approach, our Noise Action Plan and other domestic and international guidelines, Heathrow regularly engages with our airlines to encourage them to use the most efficient aircraft in their fleets, along with employing more efficient procedures in a bid to improve our impact on local communities
The Fly Quieter and Greener programme is intended to enhance our engagement with our airline partners to further encourage them to use quieter aircraft and to fly them in the most efficient way.
Following a refresh of the league table in 2024, we have enhanced our emissions focussed metrics which now consider actual passenger numbers instead of seating capacity, we also now consider updated ICAO CAEP guidelines. More information on this can be found in the “How we calculate” section of this website.
When the programme was originally launched in 2013, Heathrow was the first airport to release a league table which ranked airlines according to their noise performance, and through the continued engagement, we observed a step change in adherence to our published noise abatement requirements.
The league table will be published in arrears on a quarterly basis using data extracted from multiple sources, including the noise and track keeping system.
Benefits
Heathrow is a leader in managing the impact of aircraft noise for local communities. Since the 1970s, as observed in our annual noise contours there has been a tenfold decrease in the number of people within Heathrow’s noise footprint, despite the doubling of aircraft numbers over the same period. This fall in population has continued in recent years thanks to the newest aircraft types such as the Airbus A350 & Boeing 787 replacing older generation aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A340.
Managing the impact of aircraft noise for local communities is not just about improving technology. How and where aircraft are flown are other important factors for reducing the impact of noise. Airlines, airports and air traffic controllers employ a number of procedures to limit noise in this way and Heathrow has been at the forefront of promoting the use of these.
While Heathrow provides financial incentives for airlines to use the quietest aircraft through variable landing charges, the Fly Quieter and Greener league table also provides airlines opportunities that can help them identify areas of improvement and also highlight their strengths. The league table also provides Heathrow with an enhanced opportunity to engage with the airlines on matters relating to environmental performance.