Airplane noise in Australia: Man complains 21,000 times

Last year, Australia received a total of 51,589 complaints about aircraft noise, more than double the previous year. According to AirServices Australia data available to Business Insider, a total of 20,716 complaints were made to authorities by an unidentified individual.

By comparison: the second-busiest complainant near Brisbane submitted 4,071 complaints. Statistics were provided to a Senate inquiry into the impact of aircraft noise on cities and regional centres.

According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, aircraft noise can be harmful to a person’s health and well-being.

Besides general annoyance, research by Business Insider indicates that airplane noise can affect children’s school performance, disrupt sleep quality, and even increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to Business Insider.

A study of one particular airport, Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in the United States, found that high aircraft noise had a financial impact on residents due to lost productivity and the need for medical treatment.

The study estimated that medical costs for people living near an airport would be $800 million over 30 years.