Campaigners from Stansted Airport Watch (SAW) have accused London Stansted of 'smoke and mirrors' over the permitted number of night flights.
Stansted is allowed a maximum of 13,700 flights a year between 11.30pm and 6am, which is divided into a summer limit of 8,100 and a winter limit of 5,600.
However SAW claims that the airport was able to twist the rules to handle 10,509 flights last summer.
A SAW spokesperson explained: "The night flights legislation allows up to 10 per cent of the previous winter’s allowance (if it has not been fully used) to be carried forward to the following summer.
"The legislation also allows an airport to overshoot its allowance by up to 10 per cent and carry this forward by reducing the allowance for the next winter period.
"Finally, the Secretary of State allows Stansted management to use their own discretion to disregard certain night flights.
"These are known as dispensations and they are mostly granted when an aircraft which was scheduled to arrive or depart before 11.30pm, actually arrives or departs after 11.30pm.
"The vast majority of dispensations granted by Stansted management were categorised as being delays due to bad weather (mainly 'thunderstorms') and Air Traffic Control problems.
"However, this begs the question as to why Stansted flights should be so much more prone to thunderstorms and Air Traffic Control problems compared to Heathrow and Gatwick?"
A spokesperson for the airport explained that Heathrow and Gatwick both cancelled hundreds of flights last summer - leading to a lower number of night flights.
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Airspace change director Neil Robinson said: "London Stansted takes its responsibility as a good neighbour very seriously and has always adhered to all government night flight regulations.
"Our Noise Action Plan, which is currently being revised, proposes several improvements to the current complex night noise policy.
"Among our proposals are removing dispensations, allowing all aircraft operations to count towards the limits, and extending the night period to cover the full eight hours from 11pm to 7pm.
"By proposing these changes, we would be able to help reduce the impact of aircraft noise on surrounding communities beyond the government's requirements."
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