Heathrow to ban night flights as part of plan for third runway

Airport will ban arrivals and departures from 11 pm to 5.30 am, and support the launch of an independent noise authority.

As well as banning all arrivals and departures before 5.30 am, the airport said it would support the introduction of an independent noise authority, and pledged not to add new capacity unless it can do so without delaying UK compliance with EU air quality limits.

It also revealed it would accept any government decision to rule out building a fourth runway in the future.

Currently there is no ban on night flights, but every year there is a limit of 5,800 take-offs and landings between 11.30 pm and 6 am.

Last year the Airport Commission asked to build third runway at Heathrow but the Commission demanded significant package of measures to make expansion more acceptable.

According to the reliable sources Heathrow chief executive John Holland-kaye has written a letter to PM Cameron and claimed that the new proposal is beyond the Commission’s requirement.