Transport chief says health risks linked to late-night aircraft noise over Tung Chung at ‘acceptable’ levels

“Hong Kong’s transport chief has said that late-night aircraft noise over Tung Chung is within acceptable limits in terms of risks to residents’ health. Secretary for Transport Mable Chan on December 17, 2025. Photo: GovHK. Lawmaker Chan Hok-fung relayed concerns from residents during a legislative Q&A on Wednesday. He said that the issue “has been aggravated significantly,” since the operating hours of the South Runway were extended to 2am in August last year. His requests for the utilisation rate of the runway during midnight and 2am were not met by Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan. However, the minister said that the Airport Authority had conducted health impact assessments with regard to noise. “The assessment indicates that both short-term and long-term potential health risks resulting from the operation of the 3RS [Three Runway System] are within acceptable levels,” she said. Tung Chung. File Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. The Aviation Environmental Federation, a UK-based non-profit, says high levels of aviation noise can lead to chronic sleep disturbance and long-term annoyance. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the annual average outdoor noise level for aircraft, across 24 hours, remains below 45 decibels. The WHO uses a Day-Evening-Night level metric, taking account of quiet and loud moments throughout a year, whilst penalising night-time noise before averaging them out to a single figure. In environmental impact assessments, Hong Kong uses the Noise Exposure Forecast (NEF) 25 contour, under which the day-night average sound level of aircraft should be kept at around 55 to 60 decibels. Cathay Pacific’s Boeing 777-9. Photo: Boeing. Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department monitors aircraft noise by tracking the peak instantaneous noise level of individual flights passing overhead, rather than a continuous annual average. It then publishes the percentage of total flights which hit certain decibel brackets. In the 12 months leading up to March 31 this year, 91.49 per cent of flights over Tung Chung emitted noise under 65 decibels – the rest exceeded the limit. Mitigation measures The transport chief said on Wednesday that a number of aircraft noise mitigation measures had been rolled out and aviation technology was improving to dampen engine sound. “Relevant measures include control at source by prohibiting/restricting aircraft with higher noise levels from operating in Hong Kong, and reducing the number of flights overflying densely populated areas at night when weather and safety conditions permit, such as arranging arrival aircraft to land from the southwest over the water, thereby mitigating the noise impact on residents living in the vicinity of the airport,” she said. “While consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub, the Government will continue to balance community well-being and environmental benefits, proactively promoting the synergistic development of the aviation industry and the environment to achieve high-quality and sustainable growth,” she added. Hongkongers may complain about aircraft noise by contacting the Civil Aviation Department hotline on 2769 6969 or emailing aircraftnoise@cad.gov.hk.

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