Jetstar increase rattles residents

Jessica Benton
An increase in noisy Jetstar flights is turning the Bellarine Peninsula into “another Essendon”, according to residents under the flight path.
Clifton Springs’ Phillip Naylor said Jetstar planes had changed their flight paths to send passenger jets over parts of Clifton Springs and Drysdale.
“I don’t understand why all of a sudden Clifton Springs and Drysdale are living under the flight path,” he said.
“They fly directly over my home and other people’s homes and some days there can be up to three or four planes flying over.
“It’s happening at all times of the day. Some are as early as 7am and some as late as 8pm.
“They’re down really low and are very noisy.”
Mr Naylor complained the flights were ruining the town’s formerly peaceful atmosphere.
“We chose to live down here for its nice location and the peace and quite but if this keeps happening its going to turn into another Essendon.”
Mr Naylor predicted the disturbance would worsen if Avalon Airport won its bid for international flight.
Avalon is seeking approval for an international terminal, which could attract other airlines such as Air Asia X.
Mr Naylor said he had written a letter of complaint to Jetstar. He expected a response in eight to 10 weeks.
Mr Naylor had also contacted his federal MP, Richard Marles, about the flights.
Jetstar’s Simon Westaway said “air space arrangements and traffic control” were responsible for determining the airline’s flight paths at Avalon.
“Jetstar operates all of their flights within the air space arrangements as dictated to us by Air Services Australia,” he said.
Jetstar had increased flights using Avalon but had not altered routes, Mr Westaway said.
Jetstar’s Airbus A320 had the lowest level of “noise impact” and were “very environmentally friendly”, he said.