ENGAGING WITH AIRSERVICES: A guide

If you are concerned about the effects of aircraft noise, there is only one way to engage with Airservices Australia: by making a complaint. It’s a frustrating but essential first step to drive change, so we’ve created a guide, with examples.

STEP 1: Write your complaint

Keep it brief but cover these 4 points:

What you are complaining about

e.g. I live at xxx and I’m complaining about the excessive noise emitted by jets now departing over my house/business from Runway 12 at Hobart Airport.

The impact on you, your family or your business

e.g. my local area has never been overflown by jets before and now at least 35 per day are flying near or directly over my property, badly affecting my family’s lifestyle and amenity, health, relationships, sleeping patterns and/or business. This is after we have already been forced to live through 2 years of jet arrivals due to Airservices’s mistakes.

Why it should be changed

e.g. I was not told about the possibility that departing jets would be flying this close to me, and it is wrong Airservices used a noise assessment model that has been discredited by the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman. It is also wrong that Airservices treated my local area as ‘previously overflown’ when it was never overflown before Airservices started making changes.

What you would like to be done

e.g. I want Airservices to return all flight paths as close as possible to their pre-September 2017 locations. This can be done by moving jet departures from Runway 12 closer to the light aircraft flight path, which is where the jets used to fly. There are only 2 light aircraft departures per day so this should not be a problem.

STEP 2: LODGE YOUR COMPLAINT

Choose one of these three methods:

Phone: Quick and easy - read your complaint to the operator. They won’t be able to give you any help, but it saves typing. Record your complaint number.
Ph 1800 802 584 (toll free), 9am - 5pm EST, Monday-Friday

Online: Copy and paste your text into a short web form - no formatting or file uploads allowed. Record your complaint number.
https://complaints-au.emsbk.com/asa5

Mail: Slow but you can submit as much information as you like.
Noise Complaints and Information Service, PO Box 211, Mascot NSW 1460

STEP 3: REFER YOUR COMPLAINT TO THE AIRCRAFT NOISE OMBUDSMAN

A critical step. Previous experience has shown that it is unlikely you will be satisfied by the initial response to your complaint.

While the ANO has no formal powers to change Airservices decisions, the office can and has published investigation reports which have an effect.

If you have received an unsatisfactory response, or no response after 21 days, we strongly suggest you refer your complaint to the ANO.

You don’t have to rewrite your complaint, just describe why you are not satisfied with Airservices’s response, e.g. Airservices did not respond to my questions.

Phone: Quick and easy, have your complaint number ready.
Ph 1800 266 040 (toll free)

Email: You will generally get a response within 24 hours, and you can attach documents, such as screen shots. Include your include your complaint number.
ano@ano.gov.au

Mail: Slow, but you should get a response. Include your complaint number:
Aircraft Noise Ombudsman, GPO Box 1985 Canberra ACT 2601

Step 4: Encourage others to complain

The more complaints submitted the more likely that change will occur. Encourage others you know who are affected to do the same - we’ve shown that it does have an impact.