Submitting Concerns about Aircraft Noise

The Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA) provides multiple methods for the public to submit aircraft noise complaints, these are listed below.

In order to protect the accuracy and integrity of complaint data, the following guidelines have been established:

  1. The MAA will review all complaints and determine the appropriate response, if any.
  2. For noise complaints to be addressed, they must be filed within 24 hours of the associated aircraft noise event.
  3. Aircraft noise complaints will only be logged when they contain accurate and complete information, including the first and last name of complainant, physical address, date and time of the aircraft noise occurrence and contact information (telephone number or email address).
  4. The MAA will accept no more than one complaint per aircraft overflight per complainant. The MAA cannot prohibit the submission of more than one complaint for a single aircraft overflight by the same complainant; however, any more than one complaint for one unique overflight per complainant will not be counted.
  5. Complaints may only be submitted by the complainant or a member of the same household (e.g., same address). Complaints submitted on behalf of another party (e.g., neighbor) will not be counted.
    • A household may include multiple complainants; however, each complainant is limited to one complaint per overflight.
    • Complaints submitted on behalf of another party (e.g., neighbor) will not be counted.
  6. The MAA generally accepts the use of third-party noise complaint applications (e.g., Airnoise.io), but does not support and will not accept complaints generated via automated scripts.
  7. The MAA will not accept ‘bulk’ noise complaints (i.e. a database containing a list of aircraft overflights).

These guidelines and standards have been established to help ensure that the MAA is able to receive and respond to complaints in a timely manner.  Complaints that do not follow these guidelines will not be processed.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) controls the airspace in the United States, and FAA Air Traffic Control directs commercial air traffic to and from BWI Marshall Airport. The MAA is responsible for complying with FAA regulations and ensuring runways and taxiways meet standards. While the MAA cannot eliminate aircraft noise, the MAA is committed to answering questions and helping residents understand aircraft operations.

All noise complaints are logged and reviewed daily. In general, noise complaints contain requests for information on a specific aircraft overflight, operating conditions, or to register general disapproval of aircraft overflights. The MAA seeks to provide as much information as possible when researching and responding to noise complaints.

When researching specific complaints, the MAA utilizes a Noise and Operations Monitoring System (NOMS) to collect flight track data and provide information on historical flight paths and aircraft identification. The system also collects noise measurements from permanent noise monitors, determines noise events and matches these events with the flight track data. Staff members can use the NOMS to respond to noise complaints. The system provides information on flight track location and single event and cumulative noise exposure information from aircraft operations in the vicinity of BWI Marshall Airport.

The MAA analyzes and tracks noise complaints to help identify long-term trends, provides noise complaint data to the FAA, and reports to the public via the Quarterly Noise Reports.

The primary submission methods include an on-line form and a 24-hour noise complaint and information hotline.  The MAA accepts and logs complaints from many sources including third-party apps, however, the MAA does not control any third-party noise complaint apps.
  1. On-Line Noise Complaint Form
    Click here to access the On-Line Noise Complaint Form. Click here to access the On-Line Noise Complaint Form. Note: Should you have any technical issues or questions in regard to the MAA’s noise complaint management system please email: maanoiseabatement@bwiairport.com.

  2. Noise Hotline
    You may leave a message on the Noise Hotline by calling 410-859-7021 for BWI Marshall or 410-682-8802 for Martin State Airport.  When leaving a voicemail, please provide as much information as possible, including your name (include spelling), address, telephone number, and a detailed description of the noise event including an approximate time of the event so that the aircraft operation can be correlated to the complaint.

  3. WebTrak

WebTrak provides an interactive portal for the viewing of aircraft overflights in the vicinity of BWI Marshall and Martin State Airports, as well as the opportunity to file noise complaints and view information about the MAA’s permanent noise monitors.  WebTrak includes an aircraft’s type, altitude, origin and destination airports, and flight identification.

WebTrak users can geolocate a place of interest (home, work, etc.) and view either current (15-minute delayed) or historical aircraft overflights.  Users can file a noise complaint on a specific aircraft overflight or a general noise complaint directly to the MAA.

  1. U.S. Postal Mail
    Print the MAA Aircraft Noise Complaint Form.

Please mail completed form to:

Noise Complaint Form Office of Environmental Compliance & Sustainability P.O. Box 8766 BWI Airport, MD 21240-0766

  1. Email

Send information and/or a completed noise form as attachment via email to maanoiseabatement@bwiairport.com

Threatening and abusive language from complainants will not be tolerated.  Phone calls, voicemail messages, or written communication containing threats against people, structures or aircraft or those containing abusive language (i.e., vulgar or offensive language or language that goes beyond expressing anger about a problem and begins attacking the person handling or receiving the complaint) will not be accepted and may be forwarded to law enforcement officials for review and action.

a) For complaints submitted via email (maanoiseabatement@bwiairport.com), an acknowledgement email will be sent if requested. For complainants that send multiple email complaints, only one acknowledgement will be sent per day to the complainant.

b) For complaints submitted via WebTrak or the noise complaint web form, the on-screen notification provides acknowledgement that the complaint has been received.

c) No acknowledgement response from the MAA will be provided for complaints received via third party applications (e.g. Airnoise.IO).

d) An acknowledgement for complaints received via the Noise Hotline will be provided if one is requested in the message by the complainant.

e) If an inquiry about a specific aircraft overflight, aircraft operation, airport operating condition, or other general inquiry is received, the MAA will respond once the staff review is completed.

f) Noise complaints, for reporting purposes, will be closed out for the preceding month on the 1st day of each month.

While the MAA cannot eliminate aircraft noise, the MAA is committed to answering questions and helping residents understand aircraft operations.  All noise complaints are logged and reviewed daily.  In general, noise complaints contain requests for information on a specific aircraft overflight, operating conditions, or to register general dissatisfaction with aircraft overflights.  The MAA seeks to provide as much information as possible when researching and responding to noise complaints.

When researching specific complaints, the MAA utilizes its Airport Noise and Operations Monitoring System (ANOMS) to collect flight track data, research and respond to noise complaints, and provide information on historical flight paths and aircraft identification.  ANOMS provides information on flight track location and single event and cumulative noise exposure information from aircraft operations in the vicinity of BWI Marshall and Martin State Airports.  ANOMS also collects noise measurements from permanent noise monitors, determines noise events and matches these events with the flight track data.  

The MAA analyzes and tracks noise complaints to help identify long-term trends, provide noise complaint data to interested parties, which may include the FAA, and provide reports to the public via the Quarterly Noise Reports.

  • Quarterly Noise Report:

MAA shares information about noise complaints related to aircraft operations at BWI Marshall with the public through quarterly noise reports.  Each report contains: an overview of operations at BWI Marshall, top 10 aircraft by type operating at the airport, runway usage for the quarter, aircraft observance of noise abatement procedures, information from the permanent noise monitors, outreach and community involvement, complaint information including number of complainants, number of complaints received, number of complaints correlated to an aircraft operation, and other information deemed relevant by the MAA.

The MAA does not control or regulate flight operations, including airspace, aircraft operations, aircraft noise levels, airline schedules, or airline fleet mix:

  • The MAA is responsible for the operation and maintenance of BWI Marshall and Martin State Airport facilities, including runways and taxiways.
  • The federal government has exclusive sovereignty over U.S. airspace.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is solely responsible for managing the National Airspace System including all aircraft flight paths and altitudes.
  • The Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 limits U.S. airports from imposing new noise-based operational restrictions on quieter (stage 3 and above) aircraft, including limits on airport hours of operation, number of aircraft operations or aircraft noise levels.
  • As an airport that accepts federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds, the MAA is obligated by Federal Grant Assurances which ensures, among other things, that the airport is available for public use on reasonable terms and without unjust discrimination to all types, kinds and classes of aeronautical activities.
  • Airlines are responsible for managing their individual flight schedules and aircraft fleet mix.
  • Military Aircraft: Neither the FAA nor MAA have the authority to regulate the operations of military aircraft.

The public can also express concerns with aircraft noise directly to the FAA.  For additional information or concerns relating to aviation noise, please visit the FAA’s Eastern Region Aircraft Noise and Community Involvement Information webpage.

FAA’s Noise Complaint Policy can be found here.

The following are FAA web links related to noise concerns that may be useful:

The information provided on this page relates to noise complaints from aviation activity. If your request is not aircraft noise related, please contact BWI Customer Service at (410) 859-7683 or the BWI Customer Service Email Address.