An Australian woman filed 20,716 aircraft noise complaints in 2023, sparking a Senate inquiry.

The ladies have been known to make the occasional slip-up so far as travel is concerned — just take the naked tourist who gatecrashed a sacred temple or the woman who booked out an entire Bali hotel by accident as prime examples — but never before have we seen a member of the fairer sex kick up such a monumental fuss over such a lengthy duration…

A woman from Perth took her frustration with aircraft noise to mind-boggling levels, filing 20,716 complaints in a single year. According to Airservices Australia, this mammoth figure represents nearly half of all aircraft noise grievances nationwide.

The Toll of Aircraft Noise

While it’s easy to assume this woman was just looking to make a scene, noise pollution from aircraft is more than just an annoyance; it can have profound health implications. Studies indicate that exposure to high levels of aircraft noise can lead to increased stress, sleep disturbances, and even cardiovascular problems. It seems that for residents living near busy flight paths, the constant din of planes can genuinely impact their quality of life.

Researchers at the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport found that loud aircraft noise resulted in lost productivity and higher medical expenses, projecting costs to reach $800 million USD over 30 years for affected residents. This underscores the far-reaching consequences of living under a flight path.

National Response

The situation in Perth is far from isolated. A resident near Brisbane also lodged a significant number of complaints, totaling 4,071 last year. These figures have prompted an inquiry by the Australian Senate into the impact of aircraft noise on urban and regional communities.

Experts argue that addressing noise pollution requires a complex and thorough approach, including better urban planning, stricter noise regulations, and enhanced community engagement by airports and airlines. For those like the Perth resident, the fight against aircraft noise is a relentless battle for peace and quiet in their homes.

As discussions continue, the hope is that comprehensive strategies will emerge to mitigate the adverse effects of aircraft noise, ensuring a better quality of life for those living under the busy skies of Australia’s flight paths.

The Future Looks… Worse

Unfortunately for this resident, it seems that Western Australia’s flight loads are only set to grow. Qantas and Perth Airport have signed a landmark 12-year agreement, set to unlock billions in investments and boost Australia’s tourism industry. Perth Airport will invest AUD$3 billion in new terminal facilities and a parallel runway, part of an AUD$5 billion capital program — the largest private infrastructure development in Perth’s history. This includes multi-storey car parks, access roadworks, and the airport’s first hotel.

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson highlighted the agreement’s potential to create a world-class western hub, significantly expanding domestic and international services. The partnership aims to add 4.4 million seats to and from Perth annually by 2031, enhancing connectivity to Asia, Africa, India, and Europe.

A new terminal in the Airport Central precinct promises seamless travel experiences with state-of-the-art facilities. On top of all this, Qantas plans to build a new engineering hangar, and Jetstar will relocate domestic services to Terminal 2, fostering growth and job creation in Western Australia.

How do we think his particular lady will feel about all that? I’ve got a hunch…