There has been much media coverage, including an editorial from TimesLedger Newspapers (“Noise About Noise,” Dec. 27, 2012-Jan. 2, 2013), concerning complaints about alleged changes in flight patterns emanating from LaGuardia Airport.
These complaints are from residents in northern Queens neighborhoods, aided by local politicians. My neighborhood, Kew Gardens Hills, has for years and to date endured much noise emanating from LaGuardia flights, including helicopter noise as early as 6 a.m. It is important to understand the economic benefits of this.
New York City is what it is from the presence of our local airports and residents of this city, including those in northern Queens, and so should share equally in the benefits and discomforts. There is nothing so special about northern Queens residents that should serve to exempt them from that which the rest of us endure.
I urge the Federal Aviation Administration to make decisions based upon its expertise in the matter. Politicians lacking in any expertise with flight patterns and operating solely to pander to residents for political purposes should be ignored.
Benjamin M. Haber
Flushing
