When we receive your submission a Complaint Specialist will review it and determine the appropriate response. We endeavour to respond to all complaints and enquiries as quickly as possible if you have:

• asked a relevant question, or
• raised a noise issue to which we can reasonably respond.

If you have contacted us previously and received a response, we may not respond further if there is not additional information that we can reasonably provide.

We will respond to you in writing wherever possible. This is because aviation can be complex. In our experience, the information we need to provide to you is best explained in writing. If you contact us by phone generally we will not try to answer your questions on the spot. We will investigate and research your concerns and then write to you with our findings. If you have further questions after reading our response we will be happy to discuss these with you.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you may ask for your complaint to be escalated for a review.

For each issue you raise with us we create a case with a case number. If you contact us again about the same issue we add a note onto that case. We do not create a new case. This is because we consider all submissions about the same issue to be the one complaint.

If we cannot identify any way to solve your problem we will be clear and honest with you about this and we will explain the reasons why. Once we have done so, and have provided you with all relevant information, we may advise you that we would not expect to respond to you again on that issue.

You only need to contact us once to have your complaint seriously considered. If we receive multiple complaints about the same matter currently open for response, and where the further submissions do not raise a new matter, we will inform you that we do not require further information, and that there is no need to continue to contact us until we have responded.

We investigate issues that are raised with us. If we find some way that a change could be made to give a better noise outcome to residents, we will submit that for further more detailed investigation.

In considering any change, first of all we must have regard to safety – any change that could compromise safety cannot be progressed.

Managing aircraft in a regular way and minimising complexities are central tenets of safety. We also consider the efficient operations of the airport and whether there would be an overall noise improvement for the community. We do not generally consider that moving noise from one part of the community to another is a noise improvement, unless the population affected is significantly smaller. In considering this we have to have regard to the entire flight path and the fact that moving it at one point may result in adverse effects many kilometres away.

Unfortunately, the reality is that it is very difficult to identify flight path changes in metropolitan areas that can be made without moving the noise, or compromising safety or efficiency.

We produce monthly reports that include issues raised by complainants. These are available through our Aircraft In Your Neighbourhood page. We also produce quarterly complaint reports to Community Aviation Consultation Groups (CACGs).

The Aircraft Noise Ombudsman conducts independent administrative reviews of Airservices management of aircraft noise-related activities, including the handling of complaints or enquiries made to Airservices about aircraft noise, community consultation processes related to aircraft noise and the presentation and distribution of aircraft noise-related information.

If you are dissatisfied with the way your complaint has been handled you may request a review by the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman.