Campaigners from Stansted Airport Watch (SAW) are urging people to take part in a consultation on proposals to increase night flights.

Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which runs the airport, is pressing for the removal of the current government restrictions on night flights, which currently allow a maximum of 13,700 night flights from Stansted per year.

SAW noise advisor Martin Peachey said: "If MAG is successful there could be no limit on the number of night flights at Stansted and this would adversely impact the health of local residents, especially vulnerable groups. 

"It is vital for local residents, local councils and other local organisations to reply to this consultation and make it clear to the government that we want fewer night flights, not more!"

The airport has disputed Mr Peachey's claim that the single biggest cause of noise complaints are night flights, saying that 80 per cent of complaints are received from daytime operations.

The consultation document is available to view at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/night-flight-restrictions-heathrow-gatwick-and-stansted-airports-from-october-2025.

Responses can be submitted online, or to make your own points rather than responding to the pre-set questions you can email night.flights@dft.gov.uk.

The options presented in the consultation include removing government controls on the number of Stansted night flights and the permitted aggregate noise level in October 2026.

Other options are removing controls on the number of night flights in October 2025, while maintaining controls on the noise level, or maintaining existing controls until at least October 2028 - as per the current plan for Heathrow and Gatwick.

SAW chairman Brian Ross said: "If enough local residents and local councils respond to this consultation, making clear that we don’t want more Stansted night flights, we can convince the government not to bow to MAG’s pressure."

The campaigners have suggested phasing out night flights altogether, or limiting the number of night flights during a full eight-hour period of 11pm to 7pm, rather than just for the current period of 11.30pm to 6am.

They are also calling for 'dispensing with dispensations' - which are permitted when flights are delayed by weather or Air Traffic Control problems - and banning the use of reverse thrust upon landing.

A London Stansted Airport spokesperson said: "We recognise that aircraft noise, especially at night, is an important issue for our local community.

"That is why we are committed to delivering the measures that will be most effective in minimising the impacts of noise on those living near to us.

"London Stansted's recent planning approval to grow operations to 43 million passengers per annum included a legally binding condition to limit the impact of aircraft noise at night.

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"This condition is more restrictive than the national controls on night noise.

"We take aircraft noise very seriously and have introduced extra measures in addition to the night flight limit, including a new sound insulation grant.

"This ensures those living near the airport who remain affected by aircraft noise have access to insultation grants of up to £10,000."

The closing date for the consultation is May 22, 2024.