Forum Topic

Flights over West Ealing

Two years ago we moved from Northfields up to West Ealing and immediately found that aircraft noise was substantially higher. We would endure pretty relentless takeoffs usually for about a week at a time and then it seemed they would rotate and we'd have 3-4 weeks of silence before our area came back on rotation. This we could cope with. However it seems something has changed recently and for the last 8-10 weeks we have had to endure flights every single day starting from 6am, continuing right up until midnight. A low takeoff flight will come over every 90 seconds and I'm really starting to lose my marbles. The wife grew up in Kew, so is more accustomed to it, but I wake at the first sound. It's driving me a bit mad and now it's got to the point that I'm seriously thinking about moving away from Ealing - especially with the prospect of expansion at Heathrow. Does anyone know whether something has changed with the rotations recently or where you'd find out more info? This isn't NIMBYism, we can cope with being on a rotation but everyday is starting to wear me down - there must have been 15-20 flights overhead before 8am this morning!

Philip Slater ● 3955d104 Comments

Loveday Road is under one of the flight paths when the airport is on easterly operation. This is roughly 25% of the time - it is determined by wind direction.Flights are on easterlies right now, and are expected to be early next week, Mon and Tue, if you want to go and check the noise levels.Loveday Road is W13 btw.

Brian Woodgate ● 2587d

Thanks for these. I was actually on the street today- and the wind must have been going in the “right” direction because there were pretty frequent flights directly overhead. One too way up but I suspect most areas of Ealing will suffer from this- happy to hear of any nearby gems that don’t!

Thomas Davidson ● 2587d

I'd agree that there is no substitute for being at the property when easterlies are in progress - and, as I am under a landing flightpath in Isleworth, I can't really give a personal opinion either.However, it might be worth looking at the tools developed by Heathrow to give information on operations. Webtrak  http://webtrak5.bksv.com/lhr4 allows you to see the tracks of Heathrow aircraft over any local area for any recent period of time.Xplane http://xplane.bksv.com/xplane/  allows some analysis of flights over a particular location (I used W13 9JU as a postcode for Loveday Road - but I suspect conditions at one end of the road may be somewhat different to the other). Looking at the 7 days of continuous easterlies from 21st-27th February it found 1519 departing flights that had gone through the 2mile radius cone of overflight based on that postcode. The centre of gravity was about half a mile (?north) of the postcode position it chose. There were 23 lumbering super-heavy A380's over that period with altitudes of ~2200 feet. 486 "heavies" and 1033 "mediums"(e.g. A320) were higher, commonly at 3,000-5000 feet.

Tim Henderson ● 2588d

Thomas,I think Loveday Road is quite close, if not directly under, one of the take off flight paths from Heathrow. As for disruption of noise that is a fairly personal thing but please bear in mind that the area is only affected when planes take off this way when Easterly winds exceed 5mph.  I would estimate approx 20% of the time. Also there are a number of flight paths that take off to the East and not all cross Ealing. So nothing like as bad as being under the landing flight path (think Kew, Richmond).Any "nuisance" tends to be the bigger planes 747s, 380s etc but generally the older inefficient and noisier planes are being withdrawn and in my view the situation is better.Suggest you try and get down to the property when it is actually happening.

Philip Coe ● 2588d

Hi- didn’t want to start a new thread so wondered if anyone could help me here. I’m about to rent a family home on Loveday Road W5 (just off northfiekda Avenue). I have been around the area half a dozen times or so and haven’t really heard any planes. However, I am now concerned that this was due to rotation at Heathrow. Do you hear planes in this particular part of Ealing- how often and how bad if so

Thomas Davidson ● 2588d

Planes really low and noisy tonight!!!

Jaz Brown ● 3932d

I see that as part of the consultation on noise and property compensation that the airport has launched today there is to be a public exhibition on the proposals in Hanwell on 23rd September :http://your.heathrow.com/consultation/about/public-exhibitions/

Tim Henderson ● 3934d

Is there any way of having our own air quality monitoring station at home?  What are the options?

Debbie Edwards ● 3934d

Depends what you mean by bad.Meeting WHO standards / EU limits ?If the air was good, we'd certainly have rather more senior citizens around.Heathrow attribute most of the West London air quality problems to road vehicles but claim that everything will be OK by 2030: http://your.heathrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/02-Heathrow-3RNW-Air-Quality-Assessment.pdfUnfortunately it looks as if they are using old vehicle emission factors and not those that Defra have just had to use to update their projections. Those , embarrassingly, showed that London would not be legal in any of the years they modelled.

Tim Henderson ● 3934d

It can't be that bad, there are plenty of senior citizens in Ealing Tom.  In fact a member of this very forum is now in his 80's and has lived in the borough for decades, he's still chugging along.

Debbie Edwards ● 3934d

Noise is one thing. Think about what we're breathing...

Tom Carroll ● 3934d

I shouldn't complain about aircraft noise pollution, 'cos I've chosen to live near a major airport in one of the largest cities in Europe - but I like a slight moan at times - its good for my sanity.

Gerry Tan ● 3935d

And if you think it is bad now, you can worry yourselves looking at the "indicative, subject to consultation" flight paths that Heathrow is suggesting for the expanded airport that are drawn out in Appendix H at the back ofhttp://www.heathrowairport.com/static/HeathrowAboutUs/Downloads/PDF/01_Heathrow_3RNW_-_Air_and_Ground_Noise_Assessment.pdfIn some scenarios Ealing comes off pretty badly......

Tim Henderson ● 3935d

Yesterday, there seemed to be many aircraft over Ealing - most annoying 'cos we were in the garden and had to stop talking for the noise when they were directly overhead.

Gerry Tan ● 3935d

Concorde was a mere whisper compared with Tornados at RAF Leeming.

Graham Weeks ● 3937d

All aircraft are very noisy when traversing over Ealing. The only way I'd find this tolerable is if we saw/heard the occasional Concorde! Bring 'em back I say

Philip Slater ● 3937d

I've owned houses and had 'digs' in Ealing for more than 60 years and the noise from Concorde was greater than any other aircraft flying in Ealing's skies. Thank goodness it's been scrapped to the junk yard imo.

Gerry Tan ● 3937d

Moved to Ealing approx 10 years ago so too late to witness Concorde.  Did it ever take off in the Easterly channel over Ealing?  And how loud would that have been?

Philip Coe ● 3937d

How do you travel to Luton?

Graham Weeks ● 3938d

Helicopters down the A40 do not bother me in Perivale, nor do the takeoffs of planes from Heathrow. Once upon a time, years ago, we would see incoming flights but none now. What we do like is seeing the jets fly over after the trooping of the colour.

Graham Weeks ● 3938d

We find the noise of helicopter flights that follow the route of Hanger Lane down to the West London heliport in Fulham far worse!Surprisingly, there are no restrictions on the nighttime flights of helicopters. Even the larger ones.

Mark Walker ● 3938d

We find going through Luton a slick and easy process compared to the alternatives.Much quicker and easier.

Mark Walker ● 3938d

I presume the altrnative option  - of checking-in in London and then being gently being coached down to Gatwick by coach transfer (without having to haul suitcases around packed platforms and concourses) was never considered a viable one since the closure of the West London Air Terminal.It's a shame. I'm not sure the plans back then could ever have envisaged the huge growth in travellers and traffic since.

Mark Walker ● 3938d

We get no respite because of Cranford, basically.  I'm not sure that the noise is worse this summer in particular, I've always found it a cross to bear.  We do only have departures noise when the wind is easterly, which is, generally, a lot less often.  But it's down to luck - if the weather, run by chaos as it is, gives us a year long stretch of easterly winds then for a year we will have the planes takling off from 6am to 11;30 pm (sometimes later).The thing is Cranford.  The Cranford agreement said that on Easterly operations all planes must take off from the runway that avoids Cranford.  On westerly ops the planes switch over at 3:30pm everyday to give people a half day respite. Not for us though.The Cranford agreement was officially ended a couple of years ago so where's our respite I hear you cry?  Well, the airport is not set up to run departures from the other runway on easterlies so has submitted a planning application to hillingdon council to build the necessary logisitcs.  Cranford is in Hillingdon.  So they said no.It's not just Ealing that suffers unfairly with this, those people living under the arrivals path of the other runway also receive no respite.Seems rather unfair to me. Just saying.

Alison McKnight ● 3938d

Same result. It must be my old Safari which I cannot manage to update.

Graham Weeks ● 3938d

Yes not quite sure why.  If you search - heathrow airport aircraft tracking maps - you should get quite close.

Philip Coe ● 3938d

Yes not quite sure why.  If you search "heathrow airport aircraft tracking maps" you should get quite close.

Philip Coe ● 3938d

Link not visible on Safari 4.1.3

Graham Weeks ● 3938d

If the prevailing westerly winds are blowing, or I gather easterly's of less than 5 mph, then no take offs over Ealing.Attached link  shows the 4 main flight corridors when they are taking off to the East.http://www.heathrowairport.com/static/Heathrow_Noise/Downloads/PDF/heathrow-easterly-departures-map-2013.pdf

Philip Coe ● 3938d

We haven't been plagued with excessive aircraft noise recently and we live in Walpole Park area. Its certainly been quieter late evenings and early mornings.

Gerry Tan ● 3939d

The flights must be south of Drayton Green for our church has not noticed increased disruption.

Graham Weeks ● 3939d

Oh dear.There is a big airport a few miles away, why should anyone be surprised there would be some noise?

Debbie Edwards ● 3939d

Must admit I was taken aback by the constant need to pause conversation every few minutes when visiting friends in Northfields at a barbecue recently, the aircraft noise is now seriously affecting their quality of life.

Tom Carroll ● 3939d

Something has indeed changed. There ia a noticable increase in aircraft noise. It appears that the flight path has also been moved further southwards. People in the Northfields/South Ealing area now have to put up with daily in-bound flights and an increasing frequency of out-bound flights, the latter for nearly 18 hours a day.I agree with Boris, build a new airport. The way London is expanding adding runways is not the answer.

Harold Candappa ● 3945d

"...They also managed to get over all the hurdles that seem to stop us here."Yes, its a shame as you say. A possible answer is for us to have a benign but tough dictatorship like government to overcome your hurdles - no messing about, just let's get things done.

Gerry Tan ● 3945d

Agree its a shame, also the fact that other major cites have managed to build new airports, in the sea, on marshland, and away from highly populated areas like Toyko, HK and Shanghai.They also managed to get over all the hurdles that seem to stop us here.

Declan Devine ● 3945d

Shame. Would have been an amazing infrastructure project rather than trying to 'patch-up' Heathrow.

Nigel Brooks ● 3946d

Glug glug glug:http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2014/07/08/airports-commission-sink-boris-johnson-s-estuary-airport-pla

Paul James ● 3947d

Yes, it's more expensive to fly from Heathrow, but "You're Worth It" (c).

Tony Colliver ● 3948d

There's nothing wrong with flip flops or shorts they are both very comfortable. And I always fly from LHR.

Tony Maxey ● 3949d

Compare that to Schiphol where two weeks of valet parking you are dropped off in your car and it is bought to the terminal on your arrival, washed! is £84.00.Do we get ripped off or what?

Nigel Brooks ● 3950d

I would think anywhere you live around Ealing has easy access to Heathrow, either the connect or the tube a lot less than 20 quid for a cab !!For me driving to Gatwick is fine, but the £170 for parking for a couple of weeks means that the hassle of the train is worth it, masochist or not !!

Declan Devine ● 3950d

Me too. I give up as well. Anyone who thinks that taking two buses, then two trains, all with heavy suitcases, isn't too much of a hassle compared to driving has to be some sort of masochist.That's why I fly from Heathrow whenever possible: 20-quid cab ride. Job done.

Susan Kelly ● 3950d

Yes ..having to get TWO buses once a year, maybe twice, would be a real pain...

Keith Iddon ● 3951d

I don't live near the Broadway. I would have to get TWO buses to Brentford station.OK, I give up!!!!

Nigel Brooks ● 3951d

I don't live near the Broadway. I would have to get TWO buses to Brentford station.As for the M25, it's either an early start on a weekend when there's no traffic, or an overnight stay.I travel from Gatwick only when I absolutely have to for this very reason. If I lived in Croydon (maybe if some terrible misfortune had befallen me earlier in life?), it'd be a different story.

Susan Kelly ● 3951d

Do you mean Brentford in "outer mongolia" or the Brentford at the bottom of Boston Manor Road !!Two buses run from Ealing Broadway to Brentford Station and stop right out side,I guess the scramble at Clapham is no worse than Victoria !! and maybe easier than the M25

Declan Devine ● 3951d

"I don't know how I'm supposed to get to Brentford station! We used to take the train to Gatwick but found it just too much like hard work, scrambling to change platforms at Clapham Junction with large suitcases."Cab or any of the three bus routes that pass within 50m (no fewer than seven pass within 300m).No need to 'scramble' at Clapham Junction, simply allow enough time for your journey. Even a minor setback on the M23 or A264 will ruin the start to your holiday.

Nigel Brooks ● 3951d

I don't know how I'm supposed to get to Brentford station! We used to take the train to Gatwick but found it just too much like hard work, scrambling to change platforms at Clapham Junction with large suitcases.The idea that Gatwick is somehow second rate is risible. It's just a question of where you live. If I lived in Sussex then I'd never fly from anywhere else.

Susan Kelly ● 3951d

I am happy to spend as much time as needed going through security, if its needed then its worth it !!As to Gatwick try going from Brentford Station, change at Clapham Common, takes 50 minutes, Nothing wrong with Heathrow or Gatwick but both Luton and Stanstead are turning in to money making machines, Stansted charges for dropping people off now, Luton is just a horrible airport,I will always use Heathrow for schedule flights if I can, due to living near Boston Manor, but holidays always from Gatwick,  try to avoid budget airlines but the way they have grown thats impossible now

Declan Devine ● 3951d

I can't say whether they're all taking off or landing - there's a horrific drone either way. And I can assure you that for half of May and June there certainly have been flights, but whether coming or going I really don't know. The reason for starting this thread was to try to understand whether there has been a change in the rotation as you've mentioned and, if so, why? Have our friends in Richmond campaigned to have the routes/rotations amended?

Philip Slater ● 3951d

That's certainly true Tony. We moved from Radbourne Ave (peace and tranquility) to just north of Uxbridge Road and the difference is unbelievable. But then, when we moved 2 years ago we'd get long periods of not hearing a flight for weeks, followed by an intense period for a few days, then gone again. Something has definitely changed.

Philip Slater ● 3951d

More airport misery with the new security measures, though.

Susan Kelly ● 3951d

I must say I am a bit shocked at how this thread has turned out towards the end.  I can't believe how utterly ridiculous it all sounds. I was not aware that there was such pathetic airport snobbery out there. Even when we are about to have a break and go on holiday we can't help but still have a moan and find some fault somewhere. Whether you're flying from Gatwick or Heathrow, who cares! Just go and have a good time!

Daniele Humphreys ● 3951d

My two flights from Gatwick were to Seville and Dubrovnik, neither exactly Chav Central. Didn't see anyone in flip-flops, shorts or low-cut tops waiting to board. In fact, given that the flight to Dubrovnik was for a Saga cruise, it was more crimplene trousers, deck shoes and hearing aids.

Susan Kelly ● 3951d

Always something to do in villages as well.Some of my most memorable evenings have been at small, community-run events.

Nigel Brooks ● 3951d

Always something to do in the city.

Susan Kelly ● 3951d

No I don't, and so are cities btw...

Keith Iddon ● 3951d

Villages are full of teenagers doing drugs and getting pregnant because there's f*** all else to do. Don't you lot listen to The Archers?

Susan Kelly ● 3951d

But why do you have such a negative and quite frankly dimissive and rude attitude toward other people, their life choices and the places they choose to live and the airports they decide to go on holiday from? Don't they meet you exacting standards in some way. I doubt they ever would so methinks the problem lies with you. We can't all be the same, I'm relieved to say.

Keith Iddon ● 3951d

Works for me Keith.  This great city must be doing something right to attract over 8 million people.

Debbie Edwards ● 3951d

Yes you are correct Debbie..much better to live in a polluted and crime riddled over crowded city with way too much traffic, noise and detritis. I would imagine you would take your attitude with you wherever you lived.

Keith Iddon ● 3951d

Nigel, villages are rubbish little places where nothing ever happens except for Midsomer of course.  Couldn't imagine anything worse than living in a village.Brentwood is officially Britain's most boring town.Here is a Spitting Image song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4r_a5adehs

Debbie Edwards ● 3951d

What twaddle Debbie.ThaxtedAudley EndSaffron WaldenWendens AmboFinchingfieldGreat BentleyDedhamEssex is full of beautiful villages and not a 'Joey Essex' in sight.

Nigel Brooks ● 3952d

Spot on Danielle.Heathrow is an overpriced dump and the sooner more people realise that the better.

Nigel Brooks ● 3952d

Thanks for that. So I am the average Gatwick passenger, whatever that means.  I think most people would rather save a few of hundred quid and fly from Gatwick. I'm not made of money. Also, I don't know why we are giving the south of London a hard time, heading towards Heathrow isn't exactly a shining beacon of loveliness!

Daniele Humphreys ● 3952d

You obviously don't know Essex very well Debbie...why so curmudgeonly on such a lovely day?. Why make the value judgement that everyone who uses Gatwick is 'cheap'? What gives you the right or the motivation to say that?

Keith Iddon ● 3952d

Yes but by the time travel through dreary parts of London is factored into it, may as well pay the extra and go from Heathrow.  I think you hit the nail on the head, cheap flights and that's how the average Gatwick passenger appears.  Even worse is that awful airport in Essex. Come to think of it, anywhere in Essex.

Debbie Edwards ● 3952d

Unfortunately, Heathrow isn't 'blessed' with the low cost airlines like Gatwick is, and that's what people prefer depending on the destination.  I find myself going more from Gatwick because of the cost which is annoying as I'd rather keep it local and utilise Heathrow.

Daniele Humphreys ● 3952d

Or save yourself time and money by going from the nearest airport to you.

Debbie Edwards ● 3952d

No! You should NEVER EVER get the Gatwick Express from the airport! You can get a normal Southern service to Victoria that only takes 2 minutes longer and is much cheaper too. The Gatwick Express is a massive rip off and it doesn't help that on their ticket machines they push the Gatwick Express option to the top so people who are unaware automatically chose it and fork out more. Just a little tip for you there if you ever find yourselves back down South of London (which isn't all bad Gerry..) :)

Daniele Humphreys ● 3952d

'30 stress-free minutes from Victoria direct to the terminal.'Preceded by stressful trip on the bus to the tube station, then stressful tube journey to Victoria, all while lugging suitcases.

Susan Kelly ● 3952d

SusanGatwick Express although not cheap (£23.60 return) is the answer.No M25/M23 woes on train!30 stress-free minutes from Victoria direct to the terminal.

Nigel Brooks ● 3952d

It certainly does.There is a small section of South Ealing (think of Murray Road, Radbourne Ave, etc.) which seems to exist in a special little place all of its own.Planes taking off peel off left and right but rarely fly over it.Result: relative peace and happiness (the traffic roar from the M4 notwithstanding!).Twenty years ago we moved from there just over a mile more or less due north (right up against the Paddington mainline) and the missus has not stopped complaining about the noise of the planes since.She hardly ever mentions the trains that run 24/7 at the end of the garden!  :-)

Tony Colliver ● 3952d

I've flown from Gatwick twice in the past 15 months and was struck by how much improved it was since the last time, which was 06 or 07. I now find it less unpleasant than Heathrow. The problem is that you have no idea how long it will take to get there; one accident on the M25 and you miss your plane, so you end up arriving much too early to avoid disaster.At the end of April, we had an early flight out of Gatwick on a Sunday; that was brilliant as we had clear roads all the way.

Susan Kelly ● 3952d

What I have noticed using flight tracker over the last few months is they have changed the number of plans following one flight path after take off, so instead of one turning right over Richmond then the next turning left over Ealing we seem now to get 3 or 4 together over Ealing and then one over Richmond, so Yes i feel we have more planes this year over Ealing, when the wind is easterly,But its also correct that for half of May and June no planes have flown over Ealing as the planes took off westerly, due to wind direction.

Declan Devine ● 3952d

> the lack of a rotation means that we've had to endure this from 6am-midnight everyday for the last couple of monthsThose can't all been aircraft taking off over your head.  According to the data that Heathrow publishes there were 15 days in May and another 9 up to the middle of June when every single departing plane took off to the west over Berkshire.  They wouldn't have come anywhere near Ealing.

Dave Robertson ● 3952d

Thank you Gerry, Gatwick is also full of the worst kind of travellers, those stupid people who turn up in their holiday clothes, might look OK at the destination, but you aint there yet and you do look a bit silly in your shorts and flip flops in the rain.Have to agree with you as well, if you live near an airport, don't be surprised if you can hear planes.  Sorry OP, but loads of people would be willing to live where you do, you would have no trouble selling, could you sell and move somewhere quieter?

Debbie Edwards ● 3953d

Agree with you Debbie, I detest Gatwick with a vengence. It takes us a long time to get there, only to find sometimes that our flight is delayed and we have to wait more precious hours - detest it! And then there's the dismal trek home, through miles of dull and dismal south London.  Much prefer dear old London Airport(Heathrow) for all our long distance flights(and short ones also to the capitals of Europe).

Gerry Tan ● 3953d

Are there more flights in the Summer months?  People going on holiday, that kind of thing?  Maybe it will quieten down when it gets colder.I went to Cranford once, that was noisy.

Debbie Edwards ● 3953d

'could it be you have your windows open?'Well yes, of course - and no, that's not the reason. As I said originally we could always hear them, but the frequency of flights has increased 10 fold and the lack of a rotation means that we've had to endure this from 6am-midnight everyday for the last couple of months. Previously we'd get this for maybe one week in approx 5 or 6.

Philip Slater ● 3953d

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/9382741/Richard-Deakin-Airports-at-Heathrow-and-the-Thames-Estuary-just-wouldnt-work.html

Paul James ● 3953d

The national air traffic service has said it would be impossible to control flights for two airports.

Paul James ● 3953d

Depends where you live in Ealing. If you live right under the flight path, you can not hear yourself speak. Shocking that people are buying two bed homes for 3 quarters of a million and they won't be able to have their windows open. Wonder if estate agents know the times/dates etc of the flight paths, and only take potential buyers round on quiet days?

Jaz Brown ● 3953d

I hate Gatwick, Heathrow any day, when I land, I know I will be home very soon and not stuck in the middle of nowhere for an hour or two.Not really noticed an increase in plane noise in Ealing, could it be you have your windows open?

Debbie Edwards ● 3953d

@PaulPlanes are not cool.Why are two hubs not feasible?

George Knox ● 3953d

It's not going to happen Nigel, none of the current options on  the table are an airport in the Thames estuary, they've all been kicked into the long grass.They left one on there as a sop to Boris Johnson, but even he concedes it's at the bottom of a list, below options that aren't going to happen.

Paul James ● 3953d

I know the flights work on a rotation and wind direction basis but I too have noticed that for the last few of weeks it has been almost everyday and I too have to stop talking sometimes when the big ones roar over.  I must admit that I was rather naïve when moving from EBW to West Ealing 5 years ago.  Even though I obviously know I am close to a major airport, I didn't think we were close enough to be so effected by the noise.  I don't know how the LHR immediate neighbours cope!  You get used to it but it does spoil a Summers evening in the garden sometimes.  I love Ealing and don't want to move just yet.. :(

Daniele Humphreys ● 3954d

the Richard Montgomery could scupper (yes, intended pun) one of the estuary options but there is a published work round, simply 'rotating' the whole plan through 90 degrees.Heathrow could close and become a 'virtual' borough in it's own right, proving over 250.000 new homes and this option has also been costed.

Nigel Brooks ● 3954d

The common consensus is that Heathrow would have to shut if a new hub airport was built in the foggy bird strewn thames estuary.And that's before the ss Richard Montgomery is felt with.

Paul James ● 3954d

It's far superior Susan, right by the side of the A4 motorway with dedicated multiple routes in rather than the M4/ A30/ M25 confusion depending on which terminal you are flying from at Heathrow.You really don't have to use a car to get to Schiphol although if you have to parking is plentiful and cheap (compared to Heathrow) with IIRC the first 15 minutes still free.There are high speed train links to Amsterdam (just over 15 minutes and €4.00!!!), Rotterdam and Breda and as the main lain station, with connections to the rest of the Netherlands and Belgium/ Northern France is directly under the airport, connections are a breeze.I worked for a time in Utrecht and would step off my flight onto the train and 30 relaxing minutes later, for a fare of around €5 (in 2004), would be walking to my office.

Nigel Brooks ● 3954d

Is Schiphol's integrated transport system superior to Heathrow's tube/bus/road network? I flew from Heathrow to Schiphol six months ago and, yes, there's a direct train to Amsterdam Central Station but Heathrow's tube gives easy access to anywhere in London. Plus it's just off one of our major motorways. I can see no real difference in speed or ease of access at either airport. Heathrow is my airport of choice because it means I can be in any major city in western Europe in 4-5 hours door-to-door. Getting to Gatwick from here can be a nightmare.

Susan Kelly ● 3954d

PaulPlanes are cool.What on earth does that mean?They fly too low.They fly off course.There is a huge industry surrounding Heathrow.Why not allow a new Heathrow to develop in the East to share job opportunities rather than hog all the air industry related jobs?

George Knox ● 3954d

Agree with you Nigel. Paul, I have lived in West London all my life, and I am passed the 1/2 century mark. I have flown from Heathrow a handful of times, most of the time I have flown from Gatwick. So really it is not that conveineint. Also, West London is becoming congested, a third runway will make things far worse. I am not sure about Boris Island, but there is more space at Gatwick.

Jaz Brown ● 3954d

Heathrow must rank among the world's worst airports.Not only is it a disgusting polluting 'neighbour' but the whole experience of travelling to and through the place fills me with dread.By comparison with somewhere like Schiphol which is built in the middle of nowhere with a far lower environmental impact and which was planned with an integrated rail/bus/road system, Heathrow is a dinosaur.Heathrow have already admitted that to meet European environmental targets that traffic will have to deduced on the M4/M25 vastly inconveniencing countless thousands for the sake of more polluting cheap flights.Far better a second runway at Gatwick or 'Boris Island' but we simply aren't good at the big picture save for when it is ripping up the countryside so that we can spend £50billion to get to Birmingham a bit quicker.

Nigel Brooks ● 3954d

I love living near Heathrow. The planes are cool, access to the airport is easy (we all like a flight abroad right) and I'd rather see a third runway at Heathrow that Boris Johnson's ridiculous monstrosity in the Thames Estuary (that's at the bottom of a list of things that aren't going to happen anyway).I'd like to see the holding company spend more money locally on reducing noise and assisting residents add soundproofing to their homes, and think they could be far more clever at the airport to help reduce pollution, but air travel brings us all together and it would be bottom of my list of things to stop if we had to massively cut pollution tomorrow (and we do).

Paul James ● 3954d

Gerry, when I first moved here, there were no flights before 7 am or after 10:30 pm, also they changed the flights paths so at least you got three or four days of peace every four or five days. Now it seems to be almost constant. My fear is something awful happening to an airplane while it is flying over London.

Jaz Brown ● 3954d

> It's not rotation, the planes take off into the windActually there is a rotation of sorts that applies once the airport switches to single-runway operations, usually at around 10:30pm.  After that time, the runway usage rotates between easterly and westerly on alternate weeks, unless the wind dictates otherwise on the day.

Dave Robertson ● 3954d

Flight noise is sometimes irritating, especially in the summer months. But we choose to live near a major airport in a very large city, so its to be expected. We have noticed a recent increase in the frequency of flights at night. A fact we have to tolerate I suppose.

Gerry Tan ● 3955d

I know what you mean Jaz. Either that or it takes us twice as long to watch a TV programme - we're constantly pausing or rewinding to try and find out what so-and-so said. It wasn't this bad last summer (in reference to Bud's seasonal suggestion) nor a couple of months ago. I suspect the guy who administers the flight path rotation has gone on holiday.

Philip Slater ● 3955d

I, too, have noticed recent worsening repeated noise from planes (Hanwell).  That aside, the writing is on the wall - things will get far worse in Ealing when runway 3 goes ahead.  My advice (and my plan) is to leave Ealing.

Andy Horridge ● 3955d

I agree with you Philip, the noise has got worse and there are more flights. When you have to stop a conversation a number of times because of the noise of the aircraft, it is too loud and far too often. Sunday nights seem to be worse, but that could be because one wants to go to sleep earlier for work, but the noise goes on to midnight!!

Jaz Brown ● 3955d

Thanks Bud, but I don't think that's the case here. Obviously yes the wind is a factor for take off, but it's where they go after takeoff. I used to watch the radar tracker and a certain number would then branch off over West Ealing, I assumed based on final destination. There are certain flight paths following takeoff and it seems that the one over our house has become far more readily used. Tried earplugs but not much help.

Philip Slater ● 3955d

It's not rotation, the planes take off into the wind - summer time this is a fairly normal pattern to see more flights on an easterly take off than the western winter patterns. I guess that the prevailing wind changes from summer to winter. Buy some ear plugs, or move because there's nothing much you can do about this I'm afraid....

Bud Richards ● 3955d