Nearly half of all aircraft noise complaints in Australia last year were filed by a single person, who complained 20,716 times

• A Perth resident accounted for nearly half of Australia's aircraft noise complaints in 2023.
• There were 51,589 in total, with one person who lives under a flight path complaining 20,716 times.

Someone living under a flight path in western Australia is a prolific complainer.

In fact, their complaints amounted to nearly half of all complaints about air traffic noise pollution made in Australia last year.

According to data provided by Airservices Australia, the unidentified person from Perth complained about the sound of overflying aircraft 20,716 times last year.

The West Australian was one of the first media outlets to report this.

In comparison, according to Airservices Australia's data, the runner-up complainant from near Brisbane made 4,071 complaints.

There were 51,589 complaints in total last year, data shows — more than double the 2022 tally of 25,178.

Airservices Australia, responsible for managing air traffic in Australian airspace, provided the submission to a Senate inquiry into the impact of aircraft noise on cities and regional centers.

Those living under flight paths can be adversely affected by traffic passing overhead.

According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, noise pollution from planes can harm a person's health and well-being.

Besides causing general annoyance, research indicates it can impede children's school performance, disrupt sleep quality, and even elevate the risk of cardiovascular disease, the CAA said.

Research about one specific airport in the US, Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, found that loud noise from aircraft also has financial implications on residents, owing to lost productivity and the need for medical treatment.

The study estimated that the combined medical cost burden for those living near the airport would be $800 million over 30 years.