Frequently Asked Questions

In April 2021, Eastleigh Borough Council approved the airport’s application for a 164-metre extension to the northern end of our runway. The runway extension, which remains fully within our current boundaries, is absolutely critical to our viability as a regional airport.

The collapse of Flybe – which provided 89% of our passengers – placed the future of Southampton Airport in doubt. The airport’s runway length is no longer suitable for today’s modern airline fleets, so there is a pressing need to attract new airlines to the airport.

By extending the runway by just 164 metres, the approved application will make the airport economically viable for a wider range of carriers – guaranteeing our viability, safeguarding regional connectivity, and protecting thousands of jobs across the South linked to our operations.

As a responsible neighbour, the quality of life and wellbeing of our communities matters to Southampton Airport. We listened carefully during the public consultations on the runway extension and engaged closely with Eastleigh Borough Council on noise.

Noise Cap

Our approved plans will deliver a cap on noise. The consent from Eastleigh Borough Council includes a new control by limiting the level of noise permitted within a defined geographical area. While there is currently no limit on noise levels around the airport, our approved plans allow Eastleigh Borough Council to monitor and enforce a cap. As a result, our runway extension gives Eastleigh Borough Council more control over the airport than it had before.

Enhanced Noise Insulation Scheme

As part of its approved runway application, Southampton Airport has gone beyond the industry standard by agreeing to fund noise insulation measures in all homes and noise-sensitive public buildings (schools, hospitals, and care homes) affected by 60 decibels, rather than 63.

We will be proactively reaching out to eligible residents and occupiers in tandem with the construction process, once this begins.

Preferred routes and monitoring

All aircraft operating at the airport must use our Noise Preferred Routes (NPRs). We monitor compliance and hold airlines to account.

Continued engagement on noise complaints

We will continue to engage with the Southampton Airport Consultative Committee and respond to any residents who have noise concerns. For more information, please click here.

The construction process for the runway extension is due to begin on 30th January 2023 with a 23-week construction programme. Our works will be undertaken within strict limits set out by Eastleigh Borough Council.

For further information on our construction programme, including details of the timescales and working hours, please visit the Construction Updates section of this website, which we will keep updated.

This section also includes details of our dedicated SOU Runway app and contact email, should you wish to ask questions or raise concerns about the construction process.

As part of its approved runway application, Southampton Airport has gone beyond the industry standard by agreeing to fund noise insulation measures in all homes and noise-sensitive public buildings (schools, hospitals, and care homes) affected by 60 decibels, rather than 63.

Once the new runway is operational, noise contours will be measured in Summer 2023. We will then proactively reach out to eligible residents and occupiers in Q1 2024.

Southampton’s runway extension also secures a £100,00 Community Fund, to be used on projects that benefit the local community. This funding is governed by the S106 legal agreement signed with Eastleigh Borough Council and decisions on how the money will be spent will be made by the local authority.

Residents wishing to bid for funds from this pot should contact Eastleigh Borough Council directly.

No. Our approved plans will not lead to an expansion of the airport site. Southampton’s longer runway will be fully contained within the current airport boundary.

No. As a good neighbour, we have been committed to a no night flights policy since 1991, and we will keep to this pledge.

There are no plans to change the airport’s flying hours and the runway extension will not lead to night flights. Our flying hours are subject to planning condition and must be limited to between:

Mon – Sat 06.00 to 23.00
Sun: 07.30 to 23.00

At Southampton Airport, we are passionate about delivering a greener, more sustainable future and committed to working with residents and local authorities to tackle the Climate Emergency.

For further information on how we are reducing our carbon impact, as well as our recent achievement of Carbon Neutral status, please review our Tackling Climate Change Fact Sheet and the Carbon Neutrality and Sustainability section of this webpage.

Southampton’s Airspace Change proposal (ACP) is a completely separate project which is not dependent on the runway extension although information from the runway extension project may be required to be incorporated into the ACP at the appropriate stage. The purpose of the ACP is to upgrade the airport’s arrival and departure routes in order to meet the Government’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy and to do this, the airport is required to follow the Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA) CAP1616 Airspace Change Process. For more information please see the CAA’s Airspace Change Portal.

In order to keep local neighbours well-informed and up-to-date on the progress of the runway construction project, the airport has commissioned a dedicated community app called SOU Runway. If you have questions about the construction process, or wish to raise a complaint, you can find details of our app via the Construction Updates section of this website.

Alternatively, if you have any questions about the consented runway plans that you would like to put to the airport team directly you can contact our dedicated runway email address:

runway@southamptonairport.com