Airservices Australia has released five new flightpath options for Brisbane Airport that could provide scheduled respite from aircraft noise for about 482,000 residents, while reducing noise for a further 139,000 through higher altitudes and smoother descents. But the proposals discard two alternatives identified by aviation consultancy Trax International as technically viable but rejected by Airservices due to potential new noise impacts on other suburbs.
Airservices Australia announced the options on Monday as part of the final package of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane Airport. The five shortlisted proposals include two noise-sharing runway operation concepts and three arrival flightpath changes designed to keep aircraft higher over residential areas for longer.
One proposal would give some Brisbane suburbs regular breaks from aircraft arriving overhead by directing arrivals to just one runway on days with northerly winds, an arrangement that could be used on about 100 weekdays a year when traffic and weather conditions allowed. A second would extend those respite periods by allowing more departing aircraft to use over-water runway ends. The remaining three proposals focus on keeping aircraft higher as they approach the airport, particularly at night, benefiting about 50,000 residents on some routes.
“The options we are presenting provide a real opportunity for noise improvements for some of the communities we have most frequently engaged with throughout the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane,” said Donna Marshall, Airservices Australia program delivery head. “New runway-aligned communities, who are subject to both arrival and departure operations, could receive respite from arrivals in between peak traffic periods.”
The proposals emerged from a detailed review by aviation consultancy Trax International, which examined 17 concepts and found seven viable for further consideration. Of those, Airservices selected five for consultation and dropped two, even though Trax had found them technically feasible. One discarded concept, Concept 10, would have provided predictable respite in both northerly and southerly wind conditions by alternating all four runway modes, but Airservices concluded new departure routes would newly affect about 136,000 residents, including areas such as Coorparoo, Holland Park and Salisbury. Another proposal, to divert some non-jet aircraft onto a new approach path from the north, was rejected by Airservices, which found it would affect about 70,000 residents while delivering benefits for only a handful of flights.
Public consultation on the five options runs until December 13, after which Airservices planned to determine whether any proposals should proceed.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The flightpath changes could directly reduce aircraft noise for hundreds of thousands of Brisbane residents, particularly those under arrival and departure paths.
- The decision to discard two technically viable concepts highlights the difficult trade-offs between providing respite for some communities and creating new noise impacts for others.
- The consultation and final plan will shape Brisbane’s airspace for years, affecting quality of life and property values in suburbs near the airport.
Background
The Noise Action Plan for Brisbane Airport aims to address community concerns about aircraft noise since the opening of the new runway. Airservices Australia commissioned Trax International to review airspace options; the consultancy assessed 17 concepts and recommended seven as viable. After further analysis, Airservices narrowed the list to five for public consultation, rejecting concepts that would have benefited more residents but also introduced noise to new suburbs.
Key Perspectives
What to Watch
- Public consultation ends December 13, 2026; submissions will inform Airservices’ final decision.
- Airservices will need to balance noise relief for 482,000 residents against potential new impacts on suburbs affected by rejected concepts.
- Any final plan must navigate congested airspace in south-east Queensland, constrained by defence areas and other airports.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.
Show each claim
- Partly supportedThe plan offers noise breaks for 482,000 residents.WA Today - Latest News: “Airservices announced five options for community consultation on Monday as part of the final package of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane Airport, saying the proposals could provide periods of respite from aircraft arrivals for about 482,000 residents”
- SupportedThe options could provide respite for about 482,000 residents and reduce noise for a further 139,000 through higher altitudes and smoother descents.WA Today - Latest News: “saying the proposals could provide periods of respite from aircraft arrivals for about 482,000 residents – and reduce aircraft noise for a further 139,000 – through higher altitudes and smoother descents.”
- SupportedTrax identified two technically feasible concepts that Airservices did not select for consultation.WA Today - Latest News: “the Trax report identified seven concepts as viable for further consideration, Airservices ultimately narrowed that list to five, despite the remaining two concepts being found technically feasible.”
- Partly supportedAirservices discarded the two concepts because they could cause new noise impacts on other suburbs.WA Today - Latest News: “Airservices rejected the proposal after concluding the new departure routes required to make it work would newly affect about 136,000 residents”
- SupportedDonna Marshall said the options presented a real opportunity for noise improvements in communities engaged with during the Noise Action Plan.WA Today - Latest News: ““The options we are presenting provide a real opportunity for noise improvements for some of the communities we have most frequently engaged with throughout the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane,” Airservices Australia program delivery head Donna Marshall said.”
- Partly supportedDonna Marshall said new runway-aligned communities could receive respite between peak traffic periods.WA Today - Latest News: ““New runway-aligned communities, who are subject to both arrival and departure operations, could receive respite from arrivals in between peak traffic periods on an alternating basis with legacy runway communities.”
- SupportedThe five consultation options comprise two noise-sharing runway concepts and three arrival-flightpath changes intended to keep aircraft higher over residential areas.WA Today - Latest News: “The five options out for public consultation include two noise-sharing runway operation concepts and three arrival flightpath changes designed to keep aircraft higher over residential areas for longer.”
- SupportedOne proposal would direct arrivals to one runway on northerly-wind days, potentially giving residents under the other runway’s flightpaths respite on about 100 weekdays a year when traffic and weather allow.WA Today - Latest News: “On days when winds came from the north, planes would be directed to just one runway for arrivals, giving those under the other runway’s flightpaths respite. Airservices estimated the arrangement could be used on about 100 weekdays a year when traffic and weather conditions allowed.”
- SupportedA second proposal would extend respite periods by allowing more departing aircraft to use over-water runway ends.WA Today - Latest News: “A second proposal would extend those respite periods by allowing more departing aircraft to use over-water runway ends, potentially delaying the need to return to normal runway operations.”
- SupportedOne arrival proposal could benefit about 50,000 residents by keeping aircraft higher at night.WA Today - Latest News: “One would allow planes arriving from the south and east at night to remain hundreds of metres higher over existing flight paths, benefiting about 50,000 residents.”
- SupportedConcept 10 would have alternated all four runway modes to provide respite in both northerly and southerly wind conditions.WA Today - Latest News: “Trax found viable a broader noise-sharing concept, known as Concept 10, that would have provided predictable respite in both northerly and southerly wind conditions by alternating all four of Brisbane Airport’s segregated runway modes.”
- SupportedConsultation runs until December 13, after which Airservices planned to decide whether any proposals should proceed.WA Today - Latest News: “Public consultation on the five shortlisted options will run until December 13, after which Airservices planned to determine whether any proposals should proceed.”