Towards a quieter environment
Aircraft taking off and landing cause noise pollution in the surrounding area. As an airport, we want to take our responsibility to limit the nuisance from our own activities as much as possible. We act on our own doorstep, but we also support our partners – air traffic control and the airlines – in reducing aircraft noise.
What we do
- We monitor noise pollution. We do this through noise measurements and annual calculations of noise contours by an independent expert. Noise contours are lines connecting points with the same average noise impact. They help us determine the level of noise pollution for local residents. By carrying out these measurements and calculations for more than 20 years, we have a clear picture of the evolution of noise pollution. Would you like to view the most recent noise measurements? You can find them here.
- We attract quieter and more efficient aircraft. One of our most important levers is eco-modulation. Aircraft that take off and land at the airport must pay a fee. Since 2004, those fees have been partially dependent on the aircraft’s noise efficiency: the airlines pay a lower rate for quieter aircraft than for louder ones. Our fees are thus a financial incentive for airlines to invest in greener aircraft.
- Over the years, we have increased the differentiation of our tariffs. As from 2023, the least noise-efficient aircraft pay up to 20 times more and we also consider NOx emissions.
- We switch off auxiliary power units at the gate. When an aircraft is on the ground, it is powered by an auxiliary power unit (APU). That engine, like the aircraft’s other engines, uses kerosene and causes air and noise emissions. In other to prevent this, we installed a 400-Hz aircraft power connection at all gates, allowing aircraft to replace the use of APUs with the use of green electricity supplied by the airport.
