Research suggests that non-acoustic factors can have a considerable effect on community attitudes and opinions towards aviation noise and that these can be influenced through processes of communication and engagement. This paper reviews literature from various fields to identify the key elements of effective practice, using them as a lens through which to assess case study noise management actions conducted at European airports. This analysis found that communication and engagement holds significant potential for noise management, but that this remains largely unfulfilled due to such methods being used as an ancillary management activity, rather than as a powerful tool to aid in the design and delivery of noise management actions. A series of recommendations and research priorities are proposed that could shape the future of noise management, including potential changes to European policy that more explicitly advocate for communication and engagement as a noise management tool in its own right.

The consequences of noise on the health of the population, as well as the policies and measures that can be adopted to minimise the problem, are a growing concern in Europe. This is highlighted in the recent report prepared in 2020 by the European Environment Agency (EEA), Environmental noise in Europe report (ENER). The main aim of the chapter is to quantify the noise generated by air transport at the EU level and discuss the consequences that this can have on the health of the population exposed to it. The summary of results for air transport contained in the aforementioned report will be presented, as well as those that the EEA presents in more detail for each country in the EEA 2019 Noise country fact sheets (NCFS). All results are derived from the 3rd Environmental Noise Directive (END) round, reported in 2017 and based on 2016 annual traffic data.

This chapter describes the core aspects of the land-use planning (LUP) element of the Balanced Approach (BA) by acknowledging the potential of effective LUP as one of the few anticipatory tools available to manage noise. It explores the planning shortcomings that fail to stop encroachment and, thus, the need for remedial mitigation actions such as sound insulation, compensation and buy-out. It goes on to outline core future challenges and steps to develop a better spatial understanding of noise through improved understanding of people’s soundscapes (e.g. via the ANIMA app). To illustrate how LUP challenges can be addressed, the chapter also presents case studies from Iasi Airport and on insulation campaigns, in Marseille and Heathrow respectively. It concludes with an exploration of the lessons that can be taken from LUP experience and examines how more comprehensive communication and engagement with key stakeholders underpins more effective application of planning tools.