Heathrow expansion - local impact of flight paths

You can view landings and departures from Heathrow using the HAL web aircraft tracking system WebTrak. For security reasons flight information is delayed by 48 hours.

View flights

Who is affected

Aircraft noise stemming from Heathrow Airport affects many thousands of residents across the Borough. Heathrow's southern runway is only five miles from the Richmond Old Deer Park.

Generally speaking, landing noise affects:

• Richmond
• Kew
• East Sheen
• Barnes
• St Margaret’s

Whereas take-off noise affects:

• Twickenham
• Teddington
• Whitton
• Hampton
• Hampton Wick

Details

The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames lies due east of both the Northern and Southern runways at Heathrow Airport. These runways are used by all landing aircraft on days when the wind is westerly or south-westerly (or indeed when there is no wind at all). Since the prevailing wind in the UK is westerly, this accounts for around 75% of the year.

The Borough is also overflown by departing aircraft, which will take off over the Borough when the wind is blowing from the east.

Runway alternation

Runway alternation provides predictable periods of noise relief for communities living beneath flight paths.