CNX night flights... anything we can do?

[arithai12]

Lots of noise everywhere, we know that in Thailand the tolerance is different. But night flights at Chiang Mai airport are absurd. A few years back, there were none. Thanks mostly to the Chinese invasion, at my last check there are flights at

2:20am

3:05am

3:30am

4:40am

all to mainland China. There are enough day time slots potentially available. The main reason is (I am assuming) to make the dear tourists save a night at the hotel.

The non-China bound flights start at 6am (thank you AirAsia), horrible too but more bearable. There are a few between 11pm and midnight, ditto. i mention departures because I live close to the take-off route, but I imagine arrivals may be just as annoying.

I wonder if there is a way to start a petition, or whether such a petition already exists. There is some plan to build a new airport, but until that is realized it will be years. Already the day-time flights are unbearably noisy and stressful to many citizens - not to mention risky. The night flights should simply be banned. And before we hear comments like "it doesn't bother me", I would like to add that many of the Thais I know are also complaining.

[masuk]

If it's any consolation, my AirAsia flight to the Gold Coast was once turned around due to the demise of a passenger just after take off from KUL. We returned to KUL, re-fueled and left 2 hours late.

As we approached the Gold Coast, we were advised that this airport has a curfew, and no activity permitted after 23:00. It's all highly residential, as is Chiang Mai. We diverted to Brisbane and then had to go by bus 70km to the Gold Coast.

So, it's quite possible to have curfews: I supposed it depends on local and national governments as to how greedy err enthusiastic they are to collect that extra tourist dollar/baht/RMB.

I advise anyone enthusiastically looking for somewhere to stay or live in the flight path to think again.

[worgeordie]

Never hear them,as I am asleep that time of night.

regards Worgeordie

[arunsakda]

Another "nimby" complains about noise, and hopes for the boondoggle of the new airport. What about the nice people enjoying their country lifestyle in Sankhampaeng? Why should they suffer noise, traffic, Phuket style taxi mafias, and have their land confiscated so the Nimbies in town can sleep soundly in lodgings secured near the departure path of an existing 24 hour airport? Isn't that the epitome of hypocrisy? Do they plan on evicting the RTAF as well?

I'm directly under the RW36 departure path and having the airport 10 minutes drive away is fine with me, thank you very much. I recommend polymer frame windows and double glazing, or moving to Sankanpaeng NOW as flight numbers will only increase. There is no need for a new airport, only more terminal space. Maybe in 30 years.

As for curfews I would not be opposed personally if their was political will but since when does "the will of the people" here trump the flexibility and income for the Govt/AOT? Some of these airlines fly here late night because this is the only economical way to do so, as the aircraft are needed/make more money on other sectors in the daytime. If they could only operate before 23:00 for example they might not operate to CNX at all. I'm sure many of you want that but you may be surprised that there are many others who want the income in torist sector brought by these "invasions" and "hordes".

Edited February 13, 2016 by arunsakda

[Dante99]

absurd....invasion....annoying....unbearable....stressful....risky....banned. Drama award of the month?

Try adjusting yourself to accept reality.

[lj cm]

It's only in the winter, they take off over the city, due to the wind direction.

The rest of the year they take off over Hang Dong.

[NancyL]

I rather like the convenience of having the airport so close to town -- being able to pop out there to buy tickets, pick up passengers and catch flights. We don't live directly under the flight path, but very close.

In a former life, we did live directly under the flight path of the Detroit Metro Airport. In fact, we bought the farm knowing where it was located and eventually the airport expanded and farm is now part of a runway. When we bought the place we told ourselves we couldn't let the noise bother us. We learned we had to stop a conversation every time a flight went over. No problem, you soon take the pauses in your conversations for granted. And there were W-A-Y more flights than Chiang Mai. Triple glazing, polymer frame windows, good insulation helps somewhat. Nighttime earplugs are a must.

It was really cool when Air Force One would fly into Detroit, right over our farm, always lower than the commercial aircraft. Once the space shuttle came in on the back of a 747. How many people have seen that fly over their property almost where they can reach out and touch it?

Actually what would wake us up was when the flights stopped -- like for a big blizzard. And on September 11, when they grounded all the flights in the U.S. for the day, it was really creepy. We weren't used to it being so quiet.

I think it's all a matter of attitude. The OP may be upset with so many Chinese tourists coming to Chiang Mai and resent their taking over "his" city. On the other hand, we were happy to see the Detroit airport so busy because it meant that the economy of the area was doing well and people had money to spend at our greenhouse/nursery operation. Also, we hoped that in time, when we were ready to retire that perhaps, just perhaps the airport would be ready for a runway expansion and would look to our direction for that expansion.

[Thailand]

Deal with it or move,quite simple.

[TheSiemReaper]

It's always good to squeeze as much racism as possible into a post... it's hardly the fault of the Chinese when the flights are actually running is it? As for the noise? Live with it or move somewhere less noisy. Demanding the immediate construction of a new airport is as ridiculous as expecting an airport to go to sleep just to suit you.

[trainman34014]

It's only in the winter, they take off over the city, due to the wind direction.

The rest of the year they take off over Hang Dong.

Incorrect; the majority of flights take off and turn over the City all year long. The only time they take off to the South is when there are no incoming flights due.

[northernjohn]

Never hear them,as I am asleep that time of night.

regards Worgeordie

Well I am awake and very rarely hear them. One can get used to noise that is on going if they stop fighting it and start to ignore it. An attitude of there goes another flight will turn into not noticing it. On the other hand an attitude of there goes another flight it is to loud and lasts to long they should move the airport will just help you to keep on hearing them.

[northernjohn]

Another "nimby" complains about noise, and hopes for the boondoggle of the new airport. What about the nice people enjoying their country lifestyle in Sankhampaeng? Why should they suffer noise, traffic, Phuket style taxi mafias, and have their land confiscated so the Nimbies in town can sleep soundly in lodgings secured near the departure path of an existing 24 hour airport? Isn't that the epitome of hypocrisy? Do they plan on evicting the RTAF as well?

I'm directly under the RW36 departure path and having the airport 10 minutes drive away is fine with me, thank you very much. I recommend polymer frame windows and double glazing, or moving to Sankanpaeng NOW as flight numbers will only increase. There is no need for a new airport, only more terminal space. Maybe in 30 years.

As for curfews I would not be opposed personally if their was political will but since when does "the will of the people" here trump the flexibility and income for the Govt/AOT? Some of these airlines fly here late night because this is the only economical way to do so, as the aircraft are needed/make more money on other sectors in the daytime. If they could only operate before 23:00 for example they might not operate to CNX at all. I'm sure many of you want that but you may be surprised that there are many others who want the income in torist sector brought by these "invasions" and "hordes".

Extremely well said.

Are daughter has just bought a house in Sankhampaeng. They move in next week. They would not have bought it if the airport was there flying over them 24 hours a day. A new airport when it is time for it should be built in the middle of nowhere and a law that no construction of homes around it would be allowed. As it is the air port was there when most of the people moved in. It is a well known fact that the tourism in Chiang Mai is growing and can only mean more flights.

Not only that but the number of expats moving here and many of them will be traveling. If you think there isn't a lot of them go over to immigration and compare the line up to three years ago. When they would do about 100 90 day a day and are now doing upwards of 180 a day

Edit

That is not a put down for immigration just a way for those of us who have been around to visually see the growth of the ex pat here in? Chiang Mai and many use it as a home base to travel. Plus mail in's.

Edited February 13, 2016 by northernjohn

[Tywais]

Chiang Mai Airport Welcomes Chinese Visitors, 116 Extra Flight to Chiang Mai Scheduled

[DiamondKing]

DOUBLE GLAZING WINDOWS

[mcfish]

If you own the house you can get the whole thing soundproof including double glazed windows. I was shown such a house in Sydney next to the airport, couldn't hear a thing

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

Edited February 13, 2016 by mcfish

[harrry]

Airports are for planes. Curfews are for people.

An Airport should be a 24 hour operation as it is international and must meet the needs of its users. If you do not like the noise go in your time machine to before the Wright Bros and complain about the mmen who collect the honey pots making too much noise.

[CNXBKKMAN]

You don't need to fit double glazing and sound insulation. Just don't live at either end of the runways. The rest of the city, about 90% of it has no aircraft noise issues or occasional so as not to be a big deal. Its a great advantage for CM having a decent airport so close to the city. The positives outweigh the negatives by a big margin.

[FolkGuitar]

When we moved to Chiang Mai, we asked two questions; where are the flight paths and where is the Flood Zone. Flights may increase. Floods may happen every year (or not, as the case may be,) but none of it affects us... simply because we asked two questions before we move in.

Had we not, by now we would have moved.

It's actually more effective than complaining about floods or flights.

Edited February 13, 2016 by FolkGuitar

[sappersrest]

Move.

[NancyL]

Never hear them,as I am asleep that time of night.

regards Worgeordie

Well I am awake and very rarely hear them. One can get used to noise that is on going if they stop fighting it and start to ignore it. An attitude of there goes another flight will turn into not noticing it. On the other hand an attitude of there goes another flight it is to loud and lasts to long they should move the airport will just help you to keep on hearing them.

That's really what you have to do -- from the get-go tell yourself you can't let the noise bother you or else it will. In fact, we made the aircraft noise into a kind of game. Much of our time was spent outdoors, or nearly outdoors in our greenhouses. There was no way to soundproof those structures. We turned it into a game to try to identify the type of aircraft based simply on the noise of the engines. In that era old Northwest Airlines was the major carrier in Detroit and they still flew many DC 9s -- man were they noisy! I swear it got where we could identify individual aircraft. We certainly could identify the 747s taking off non-stop to Tokyo simply by sound. They don't call 'em "heavies" for nothing.

[Tywais]

That's really what you have to do -- from the get-go tell yourself you can't let the noise bother you or else it will. In fact, we made the aircraft noise into a kind of game.

You can also entertain your self here - Flightradar24.com

Bit busy now.

[harrry]

Do not look up,...another one now 2 minutes after the one before.

[Tywais]

Do not look up,...another one now 2 minutes after the one before.

Just watched one on that site landing and could hear his reverse thrusters shortly after seeing it touch down. I'm 1.5km west of the landing flight path.

[harrry]

I lived in Skybreeze and they never bothered me but there was an MD80 that I always fearedd would fall out of the sky from the noise he made.

The training jets flying straight up Canal Road and just at my balcony level there were the noisiest.

Edited February 13, 2016 by harrry

[NancyL]

Yeah, the training jets are definitely the loudest. Love to watch 'em from our breakfast table window. We joke about how they've probably scrambled because they've spotted the battle elephants coming over the mountains from Burma. Just waiting to see the elephants cresting over Doi Suthep.

[just_Elaine]

+1 regarding upgrading windows

Also, if it just started bothering you, then maybe it'll be okay after February 22nd (see post #13). If this is the case, maybe take a short trip and come back in a couple of weeks...

[LawrenceChee]

The Chinese don't fly out at night to save a hotel ....its frankly for the practicality of it as they reach Shanghai or Beijing at about 7am where their relatives can pick them up etc and trains are moving

[JLT]

I think that Arithai12 may be somewhat bewildered by the lack of sympathy regarding this particular subject. However, checking out the "Airport Noise" post, made on January 1st will lead him to discover why!

[swampdonkey]

Did you not know where the airport was when you moved there.

Common sense would tell you that over time the airport would get busier not quieter.

[FolkGuitar]

Did you not know where the airport was when you moved there.

Common sense would tell you that over time the airport would get busier not quieter.

Even if it didn't get busier, why would someone deliberately buy a place under the flight paths?

It's not as if they were a secrete.