Things can only get better?

A review of aircraft noise in the UK By John Stewart The last ten years have not been good for people living under flight paths in the UK.  Despite the introduction of aircraft which have been a little less noisy, the increase in the number of planes has made things worse for very many people.  […]

Guide to the 2018 WHO Noise & Health Report

By John Stewart The World Health Organisation (WHO) report published on 10th October, updating its earlier noise guidelines, contains a wealth of information.  It includes probably the most comprehensive body of research on noise and health ever assembled in one place.  It ought to be the driver of future policy on noise.  Whether it will […]

Effects of Aircraft Noise on Human Health & Wellbeing

Preamble There have been a long series of scientific studies of effects of chronic (i.e. repeated) aircraft noise pollution on human physical and mental health. Below these are listed separately, in some articles both are discussed. In the literature the effects of aircraft noise pollution are often described as being ‘annoying’ or ‘highly annoying’, sometimes […]

State Aid to Airports and Airlines

Guidelines on state aid to airports and airlines In 2014 the EU published its guidelines on state aid to airports and airlines. It is tightening up the rules and regulations on state aid: Guidelines on State aid to airports and airlines. By John Stewart We want to make the following points: State aid to airports […]

Economic benefits and costs of aviation

UECNA recommendation 1 Under the current business mode aviation does not pay its full external costs. It needs to do so. Aviation brings economic benefits. It improves connectivity between countries and continents. That helps businesses to grow and facilitates trade which, in turn, increases prosperity and very often opens up closed societies. In particular, improved […]

Economy does not grow due to Schiphol expansion

A growth in the number of flights at Schiphol Airport does not benefit prosperity. A shrinkage does not necessarily have to turn out well, but prosperity can increase. Independent research and consultancy firm CE Delft came to this conclusion in a social cost-benefit analysis that it carried out on behalf of the municipality of Aalsmeer, […]

How Essential Are Night Flights?

Careful reading of the key reports published over the last decade and a half suggests many night flights are less essential than is often thought What flies at night? Night flights are different to day flights.  During the day most flights using European airports are short-distance; only 13% are over 2,000 kilometres; nearly 80% are […]

Main Airport Statistics

Download the Charles de Gaulle statistics over 2025 provided by UECNA Download the European main airports statistics over 2024 provided by UECNA Historical passenger data for Frankfurt Airport 1980 – 2025 Historical cargo data for Frankfurt Airport 1980 – 2025 Download the European main airports statistics over 2023 provided by UECNA Download the European main […]

Emissions of air transport

Summary memo to better understand the problems and issues There is often confusion, when talking about emissions from aircraft, between low-level pollution around airports and high altitude greenhouse gas emissions. Simply put, there are some emissions below a level of 915 m (3,000 feet) and others above. Scientists agree pretty much on the fact that […]

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