FAA Says Burbank Airport Curfew "Not Reasonable"

Opponents of the curfew argue it would harm the economy

By SCOTT WEBER

Updated 11:30 AM PST, Mon, Nov 2, 2009

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If you live near the Burbank Airport, buy ear plugs. The FAA has rejected a request by the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority for a curfew on overnight flights from 10pm to 6:59am.

In a 43-page letter released Monday sure to make local residents upset, the FAA said the Airport Authority failed to meet the criteria required for imposing a curfew and that the costs would outweigh the benefits. The agency said the request was "not reasonable" and would "create an undue burden on commerce," according to the LA Times.

Opponents of the curfew including Fed Ex, UPS, and even Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa argued a curfew at Bob Hope Airport would harm the economy just as it's starting to recover. It would also have a ripple effect on the national air transportation system, leading other airports to seek similar restrictions, according to the Times.

Supporters of the curfew argue it's the best option to significantly reduce nighttime noise. The Airport Authority proposal won the backing of Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Howard Berman (D-Calif.), who said in a joint letter that a curfew "would impact a relatively small number of diverted flights (mostly cargo and general aviation)" while delivering significant reductions in noise and costs associated with sound mitigation, according to AviationWeek.com.

Local officials have been battling airport noise problems since the late 1960s. Over the years, they've taken steps to reduce the impact on neighborhoods including requiring airlines to use quieter jet technology, sound proofing local homes and schools, and calling on airlines to voluntarily restrict overnight flights.