Overview
- Fraport and Germany’s air traffic control, which presented the revised concept Wednesday to the regional aircraft noise commission, propose routing more westbound departures from the center runway onto existing Northwest paths instead of the southern detour.
- DFS says traffic could grow toward about 560,000 takeoffs and landings by 2033, and argues the current setup would hit capacity and safety limits without more flexible use of the Northwest routes.
- The plan adds a noise package that bans Northwest departures before 6 a.m., urges rare use until 7 a.m., expands funding for home soundproofing, and offers incentives for quieter aircraft.
- Fraport estimates fewer than 10% of total movements would be affected, which could mean one or two extra peak-hour overflights for towns such as Flörsheim and Eddersheim, with relief for Rüsselsheim and Nauheim.
- The Frankfurt noise commission will weigh the proposal on June 10, with DFS and the federal oversight office to review after that, as a legal dispute continues over whether the change breaches a 2007 rule that cited a 1.5% cap on Northwest departures.