Disgruntled Residents Voice Criticism Against City Commissioner Over Aviation Noise Concerns

Hamburg Airport's Air Noise Pollution Under Scrutiny

The environmental authority in Hamburg has not conducted controls on air noise pollution at the airport since 2014, leading to no criminal proceedings due to violations of prescribed noise protection measures. This is because the enforcement of night flight restrictions is insufficient, and the number of delayed night flights after 11 pm remains high, indicating inadequate noise control and protection enforcement.

In 2019, there were 678 flights between 23:00 and 24:00, and only 25 after midnight at Hamburg airport. However, in 2024, this number increased significantly, with 987 aircraft movements recorded between 23:00 and 24:00, a new record since 2019. Moreover, there were 41 exceptional flights after midnight in the same year.

The environmental association, BIG, is urging the Senate to limit operating times to reduce aircraft noise. Martin Mosel, the chairman of BIG, criticizes the current situation, stating that the affected people have their sleep stolen almost every night due to aircraft noise. He accuses political decision-makers of being "in a coma-like state of deep sleep" regarding aircraft noise protection.

The hour between 23:00 and 24:00 is practically free of approval for the aviation noise protection officers, as no controls have been conducted since 2014. The environmental authority and the aviation noise protection officer assure that they will continue to examine the reasons for delays. However, transparency requests regarding the type, scope, and results of the examinations conducted by the environmental authority and the aviation noise protection officer were rejected, and information was refused.

BIG considers the decrease in complaints an unsuitable measure of the actual burden on people affected by aircraft noise. Mosel states that the decrease in complaints is not a sign of relief, but an expression of desperate resignation. He believes that the Hamburg Senate is endangering the health of people in the approach and departure paths of the airport, as aircraft noise can make people sick even without complaints, often gradually and unnoticed.

The initiative remains skeptical about the commitment of the environmental authority and the aviation noise protection officer to ensure compliance with noise regulations. In 2024, only two administrative offense proceedings were initiated by the environmental authority for aviation noise violations, both of which were closed without consequences. This lack of action has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the current measures in place to protect the citizens of Hamburg from excessive air noise pollution.