A consultation has been launched asking residents and businesses for views on continuing the existing night flight regime for three of the UK’s busiest airports.
Starting from October 2025, the proposed regime would continue to limit the number of flights that take off and land at Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick between 11:30pm and 6am every day.
The consultation comes with a recommendation of continuing the same quotas and limits on night flights, allowing the three noise-designated airports to continue their post-pandemic recovery and providing “the best balance for both businesses and residents”.
In a statement, the Department for Transport said: “Whether travelling to visit loved ones, making connecting flights for business or simply preferring to fly at night to get a head start on the day, these night flights can be crucial for many passengers.
“Night flights are also a vital part of global aviation and provide significant economic benefit to the UK, helping keep the flow of people, goods and services moving and supporting thousands of jobs as a result.”
The department said the consultation will seek views on proposals and give the industry “a vital say on what would work best for them as they recover from the pandemic”.
“It would also let local communities share any concerns about noise, pollution, or wider feedback on how the airports operate at night,” it added.
“However, as new technology continues to transform and innovate the aviation industry, aircraft are becoming quieter and will be less intrusive to the areas surrounding these big airports.”
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