New flight paths over Brisbane have been released as part of a major plan to tackle aircraft noise.

Airservices Australia has released a fresh report showing new preferred flight path maps aimed at reducing the impact of aircraft noise on suburbs worst affected since the opening of the city’s new parallel runway in July 2020.

Since then, residents in the inner east, south and northwest have particularly reported intense aircraft traffic, with some homes being affected by dozens of low-flying planes each day.

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The new proposal was designed to distribute flights more evenly across a wider area, thereby alleviating the pressure on suburban areas affected by arrivals and departures during the day and at night.

“We are listening to residents who’ve consistently called for fairer distribution of aircraft noise,” Airservices head of community engagement Donna Marshall said.

“Community feedback has already helped shape a number of preferred options.

“We’re eager to speak to as many people as possible before final decisions are made.”

Daytime arrivals and departures

The updated flight paths will redistribute approximately 20 per cent to 30 per cent of arrivals and departures to new routes over less populated areas, including increased use of Moreton Bay for approaches and departures.

New departure paths will encourage aircraft to fly over industrial zones and waterways more often, reducing the number of flights passing directly over residential areas during daytime hours, the proposal showed.

The changes are designed to accommodate growth in air traffic while addressing community concerns raised in previous consultation phases, which reported more than 1,000 submissions regarding noise impacts, Airservices said.

Night departures and noise management

Night departures are a major source of complaints, due to the low altitude of aircraft immediately after takeoff.

Since the opening of the new runway, most night departures — approximately 85 per cent — use the runway aligned over Moreton Bay to minimise noise over residential areas.

However, on average about 30 aircraft still depart over land between 10pm and 6am, mainly when the legacy runway is in use or during emergencies, the report shows.

A new trial planned for mid-2026 proposes a departure path where aircraft will make a tight left turn shortly after takeoff, flying over industrial land and Moreton Bay to reduce noise impacts on nearby homes.

This new procedure would affect roughly 3,500 flights annually at night and could reduce noise disturbance for more than 20,000 residents currently affected by night flights over land.

According to Airservices, simulations with major aircraft types — including the Airbus A320, A330, A350, A380 and Boeing 737-800 and 777 — showed they can generally follow the preferred flight path accurately.

The planes stayed on or within the centreline until over water, with only minor variations expected depending on conditions.

Although many assume planes could always take off over Moreton Bay to avoid flying over homes, Airservices noted that’s not always possible.

For safety, aircraft must take off into the wind.

When winds are blowing from the south, pilots are required to depart over land using the northern end of the runway.

Have your say

Airservices Australia encourages Brisbane residents to get involved and share their views on the proposed flight path changes.

Community engagement sessions will be held across Brisbane from July 19 to 31, allowing locals to speak directly with flight path designers. Bookings are essential.

Residents can also provide feedback online, by email or in writing, with submissions closing August 17.

To view the maps and submit feedback, visit engage.airservicesaustralia.com/nap4b.