Night flight

Strict rules for a quiet sleep

During the core period (from midnight until 0500 hours) only mail flights and surveying
flights by German Air Traffic Control are automatically permitted. Exceptions are made for emergency and assistance flights, landings for air safety reasons and individual flights for good cause as approved by the responsible authority, the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic
Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology.

During the nighttime hours (2200 hours to midnight and 0500–0600 hours), only aircraft on the so-called Ministry of Transport bonus list are allowed to operate. Exceptions are permitted only for delayed aircraft movements or early landings with aircraft that meet at least the ICAO Chapter 3 noise standards.

In addition, nighttime take-offs and landings must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • scheduled flights in regularly scheduled or charter operations (max.: 28 per night),
  • flights by airlines with a home base in Munich,
  • flights that do not cause a mean noise level higher than 75 dB(A) at the noise measurement stations in the vicinity of Munich Airport,
  • training and practice flights

Night flight regulation

Overview of the night flight regulation at Munich Airport (permitted by the District Government of Upper Bavaria since March 2001)

Limiting measures (noise quota)

Night flights are permitted only to the extent that the total noise caused by all night flights does not exceed a specified maximum annual quota.

Moreover, the energy-equivalent continuous noise level "Leq" in the average night in a calendar year at the points of intersection of the flight paths with the boundary of the combined day/night protection zone cannot exceed 50 dB(A).

Locations of fixed measurement points / combined daytime and night-time control zone