A single person made over 12,200 noise complaints to Dublin Airport over 2021, accounting for nine out of 10 of all complaints received by the airport. The unidentified individual submitted 12,272 complaints over the year, amounting to an average of 34 complaints per day.

Dublin Airport noise complaints skyrocket

Since 2019, Dublin Airport (DAA) has noticed a steady increase in the number of noise complaints. Compared to the approximately 1,500 yearly complaints it usually got, the total for 2021 amounted to 13,569.

As it turns out, over 90% of noise complaints came from a single individual. An unnamed individual, believed to be from the Dublin suburb of Ongar, submitted an average of 34 complaints each day.

Ryanair Dublin Airport
The unidentified person filed over 90% of all noise complaints. Photo: Getty Images

The same person submitted 6,227 complaints in 2020, less than half of their 2021 total, despite Dublin Airport's flight movements only going up by around 10% in 2021 compared to the previous year.

Excluding the unnamed individual's complaints in 2021 amounts to 1,296 cases, lower than DAA's usual yearly average. However, the number of individuals filing complaints was up to 191, an increase from 128 in 2020.

Understandably, most complaints came from residents living in the flight path of aircraft, particularly Portmarnock, Swords, the Ward and St Margaret’s. Additionally, most were regarding aircraft taking off during the night.

59 complaints a day in 2022

The unidentified individual has not let up since the turn of the year. In fact, their daily rate of complaints has almost doubled over 2022. The person has so far lodged 5,276 complaints in the first three months of this year, averaging around 59 complaints per day.

Dublin Airport introduced an online system - Webtrak - enabling members of the public to track flight paths and noise levels. Crucially, the system also offers a faster method of filing complaints.

A DAA spokesperson said,

"The system provides information on flight origin, destination, aircraft type, flight path and noise level registered on the airport’s noise-monitoring terminals."

The airport received 5,573 total cases during this three-month period, meaning that the individual is approaching 95% of all complaints.

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Noise mitigation measures

Dublin Airport has implemented a noise management plan that attempts to minimize noise pollution. Its 'noise preferential route' directs aircraft away from densely-populated areas, which, according to DAA’s noise and flight-track monitoring system, was adhered to by 97% of departing aircraft.

The Irish government established the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA) to address noise problems around Dublin Airport.

Ryanair aircraft tails
Did you know that Ryanair has private jets at its disposal? Photo: Getty Images

The ANCA has recommended noise quotas for night-time flights and a voluntary sound insulation scheme for affected residences. San Francisco cut ground noise with a similar scheme, providing 15,000 properties with sound insulation.

DAA's noise-monitoring terminals logged 160 occasions in the first half of 2021 when decibel levels reached 80, close to the 85dB limit considered harmful to human health. Even frequent exposure to levels of around 55-60dB can cause long-term issues like hypertension.

Have you been affected by flight operations from Dublin Airport? Do you have any experience of living under the flight path of an airport? Let us know in the comments.