Introduction
The aviation industry brings many societal and economic benefits by fostering economic growth, facilitating tourism development, and providing fast and secure transportation. Yet, these advantages come at a cost since the airline business negatively influences the environment. In particular, it causes noise pollution, which is the most significant problem that elicits adverse reactions in the communities, thus constraining the growth of airports and, consequently, the aviation industry (Payán-Sánchez et al., 2018).
A recent trend for sustainability requires organizations to consider the interests of multiple stakeholders in their business operations, and airline companies are not an exception. This paper will summarize the societal impacts of the aviation industry, discuss how airline companies manage noise, and explain threats and opportunities resulting from noise management.
Summary of the Noise-Related Sustainability Problems
Aircraft noise is a significant sustainability problem because it negatively affects the wider society. Although urban life is full of background noise to which people are accustomed, aviation noise is not part of it: each flyover is noticeable and annoying (Todorova and Haralampiev, 2020). For this reason, aircraft noise has a detrimental impact on different aspects of human health. For example, it has such physical effects as tinnitus or even hearing loss if individuals are continuously exposed to noise levels above 75 dBA (Mohamed, Paleologos, and Howari, 2021).
Noise can also cause physiological effects, such as irregular heart rhythms, ulcers, or increased blood pressure (Mohamed, Paleologos, and Howari, 2021). The World Health Organization (2018) also reports that environmental noise may lead to sleep disturbance, cardiovascular disease, and annoyance; in children, it may cause cognitive impairments. Thus, people living in close proximity to airports experience various adverse effects, disrupting their well-being.
Apart from health impact, aircraft noise influences the social and economic aspects of communities’ lives. For example, one study comparing academic achievement in students exposed to aircraft noise and those not exposed revealed that the former had poorer performance in reading and mathematics (Spence, 2018). Scholars also report that this issue negatively influences workplace productivity and communication (Mohamed, Paleologos, and Howari, 2021). Furthermore, aircraft noise can have an adverse impact on the economic life in nearby communities. For instance, Bishop and Laing (2020) found that the mean sales prices for residential properties located in areas close to airports were 12% lower than the prices for properties in remote locations. Hence, aircraft noise worsens the living conditions of individuals living in the vicinity of airports.
Finally, evidence shows that noise pollution is harmful to wildlife. Since animals rely heavily on hearing, loud sounds from airports may disorient them or make them aggressive or confused. This is an issue because, being in an aggressive or confused state, animals can enter the territory of the airport and collide with aircraft or endanger ground personnel, leading to economic losses and fatalities (Spence, 2018). Noise can also change the natural habitats of wild animals because, hearing loud sounds, they often become scared and leave the territory (Mohamed, Paleologos, and Howari, 2021). With a recent trend for increased attention to environmental sustainability, the impact of noise on wildlife is also growing in importance.
Three Management Functions and Their Effectiveness
Ensuring the sustainability of aviation companies is the responsibility of the management, whose role is to develop the necessary operational changes, implement them, and monitor their effectiveness. According to Boma-Siaminabo (2022), six management functions are recognized in the scholarly world: planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling, and decision-making. Further, three of these managerial processes will be discussed in relation to the aviation industry: planning, directing, and controlling.
Planning
Planning is the process that precedes any other management function. It is a future-oriented function that involves setting objectives, specifying the methods for their achievement, and deciding on the time and resources needed (Boma-Siaminabo, 2022). In the aviation industry, one operator that uses this process in noise management is Heathrow. Managers at Heathrow Airport consistently engage in devising Noise Action Plans with the goal of complying with noise regulations of the European Union and the UK government (Heathrow, 2019). The methods to achieve this aim include using quieter aircraft, quieter procedures and land-use planning and mitigation, adhering to operating restrictions, and working with local communities (Heathrow, 2019). Heathrow’s plans are detailed and manageable, providing guidance for the airport to effectively mitigate the impact of noise on the community.
Another operator using this form of management is the Bristol Airport. This company also has an action plan, the goal of which is to comply with the existing regulations, provide measurable performance indicators, and engage with surrounding communities (Bristol Airport, 2018). The managers at the Bristol Airport outline specific methods of achieving these goals, including managing and monitoring aircraft ground noise and airborne noise, mitigating the effects of the noise, and communicating with communities on matters of noise (Bristol Airport, 2018). Managers’ engagement in the planning function provides this industry operator with directions on how to address the problem of noise in its operations.
These industry examples give insight into the effectiveness of the planning process. With the help of action plans, Heathrow Airport made significant progress in mitigating the impact of noise. For instance, the operator invested in 52 new noise monitors, almost ceased to operate the noisiest aircraft, decreased the number of late running departures, and facilitated community engagement with its noise management efforts (Heathrow, 2019). Similarly, managers’ planning efforts at the Bristol Airport led to a decrease in the number of individuals experiencing the highest aircraft noise levels in 2016 compared to 2011 (Bristol Airport, 2018). These findings suggest that the management’s engagement in the planning function is effective in reducing the negative aircraft noise impact.
Directing
Managers often act as leaders, and the directing function helps them fulfill this role. Directing means motivating, guiding, and communicating, and it is considered the most complex management process because of the need to encourage subordinates to pursue organizational goals (Boma-Siaminabo, 2022). In the aviation industry, this function is used by Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This operator has developed the Fly Quieter program, the purpose of which is to encourage air carriers to fly as quietly as possible to reduce the negative impact of noise on surrounding communities (Los Angeles World Airports, 2021). This program’s function is directing because it is focused on motivating air carriers to comply with noise regulations by assigning awards to those scoring the highest in various noise reduction efforts.
Another industry operator using the same form of management is Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, located in Colorado, the US. Similar to the LAX program, their initiative called Fly Green/Fly Clean is intended to motivate aircraft operators to fly quietly. This program uses positive reinforcement by rewarding the quietest operators and providing them with good publicity (Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, 2021). These rewards act as incentives for aircraft operators to take noise reduction measures.
The directing function appears to be effective in noise management in the aviation sector. For example, as Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (2021) evaluated its program outcomes, it found significant improvements in the annual day and night noise level, the size of noise contour, and the number of high noise events. Therefore, in their noise reduction efforts, aviation managers can consider motivating aircraft operators through positive reinforcement.
Controlling
The controlling function is important because it ensures that all other management functions make sense and help the organization achieve its corporate goals. It involves setting standards, measuring performance against these standards, and, based on these measurements, formulating feedback and developing the necessary corrections (Boma-Siaminabo, 2022). This form of management is used by the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport. This operator employs the noise control system called SIRMA, which detects and measures aircraft noise with the help of microphones distributed in the vicinity (Aena, 2022). This system helps the airport ensure that it complies with noise regulations.
Another example of an industry operator using this management function is the Lufthansa Group. Noise reduction is part of the overall sustainability efforts of this company. In order to control noise, Lufthansa has adopted a special performance indicator called the “minus 10 dB criterion,” according to which all newly certified aircraft should have noise levels at least 10 dB lower than the ICAO Chapter 3 cumulative noise limits (Lufthansa Group, 2021, p. 23).
The function of controlling was effective for Lufthansa since, in 2021, almost 100% of the company’s fleet met this criterion (Lufthansa Group, 2021). Longo et al. (2022) support the importance of the controlling process in noise management, reporting that the choice of appropriate metrics is vital for the correct analysis of noise exposure and, consequently, for effective noise management. Thus, in the aviation industry, controlling is an essential management function because it sets performance standards and helps assess the effectiveness of the company’s noise reduction efforts.
Business Threats and Opportunities Resulting from Noise Management
Threats Resulting from Poor Noise Management
Since sustainability has been gaining importance in the regulatory context, one major business threat caused by poor noise management is non-compliance with local and international regulations. First of all, a failure to comply with noise regulations can lead to financial losses due to imposed fines and operational restrictions. For example, recently, the Netherlands government has limited the number of annual flights at Schiphol Airport to 440,000, which is 20% lower than the airport’s potential connectivity (The International Air Transport Association [IATA], 2022). This reduction in flights was imposed because the government aimed to reduce noise and NOx emissions (IATA, 2022).
In addition, noise regulations may hinder aviation companies’ growth if they do not take the necessary measures to decrease their noise levels. For instance, complying with regulation 598/2014 enacted by the European Union is mandatory only for operators with more than 50,000 civil aircraft movements per year (Leylekian, 2022). If small European aviation companies do not incorporate noise management strategies from the initial stage of their development, they may find themselves restricted by this regulation when their business begins to grow.
Another threat resulting from ineffective noise management is poor community acceptance. According to Vascik and Hansman (2018), noise is one of the most significant issues related to aviation activities for communities because of its direct impact on the quality of life. When airline companies fail to address this problem, it may result in legal and political community action. Consequently, they may face such limitations as restriction of airspace, noise fees, more strict noise certification requirements, restrictions on expansion, limited operating hours, and loss of governmental funding (Vascik and Hansman, 2018). Hence, societal discontent caused by poor noise management threatens business growth in the aviation industry.
Opportunities Created by Effective Noise Management
One opportunity resulting from effective noise management is improved brand reputation. According to Qiu et al. (2021), since the 1990s, the sustainability trend has been growing in popularity among consumers, and this trend has not bypassed the aviation industry. Customers have begun to choose environmentally friendly products and services, which is why it is important for companies to create a “green” brand image. Effective noise management is one way for aviation operators to demonstrate their sustainable development to consumers, and these efforts have the potential to improve brand image, customers’ loyalty and, consequently, financial performance.
Another opportunity involves receiving a competitive advantage resulting from compliance with noise regulations. There are different levels of regulations applied to the aviation industry: the International Civil Aviation Organization regulates the sector globally, while there are also regional, national, and airport-level rules (Elliff, Cremaschi, and Huck, 2020). Additionally, aviation companies are guided by the goals established by the Advisory Council for Aviation Research and Innovation in Europe (2022), according to which noise emitted by aircraft should be reduced by 65% by 2050. By complying with these regulations, airline operators can avoid financial losses and operational restrictions and focus on business growth and the provision of better customer service.
Conclusion
Noise reduction is an essential process in contemporary aviation management. Given the significant detrimental effects of noise on people’s health and wildlife, as well as business threats resulting from poor noise management, airline companies should invest in their noise management efforts. Evidence shows that such management functions as planning, directing, and controlling are effective in reducing noise levels, improving companies’ sustainability, and benefiting the surrounding communities.
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