This case study investigates the use of preferential runways and night-time flight restrictions at the airport, in order to avoid overflying Cluj-Napoca city and, therefore, to avoid this highly populated area. The intervention of this case study considers the implementation of an intervention focused on operational noise abatement procedures.
The stakeholders involved in the intervention include airport operators and several other relevant stakeholders such as the Air Navigation Service Provider, the Civil Aviation Authority, aircraft operators, Environmental and Government organisations and other interested parties.
Objective
This intervention's objective was to identify the best scenario related to the traffic distribution and investigate the relationship with the noise exposure of the population from Cluj-Napoca city, as it increased significantly after the new runway was built (2013) and developed between 2013 and 2017.
![](/fileadmin/_processed_/f/b/csm_3.4.2.2_Cluj-Napoca_runways_2_b2e971006f.png)
Figure 2. Yellow part – original runway. Blue part – new runway which started operating in 2013. Red part – the forecasted extension of the new runway (encountered environmental problems due to the necessity of a river deviation) (source: Cluj Airport)
Approach
Considering the ICAO Balanced Approach Regulation and the Environmental Noise Directive, in 2013 Cluj Airport developed Strategic Noise Maps and a Noise Action Plan (2014), while taking into account the opinions and the recommendations of experts, forecasts of the future expected air traffic. One primary focus was also to ensure transparent communication with the communities.