New Button Sends Air Noise Complaint Directly to Airports

By CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA | Reporter

A long standing battle between Palisadians and aircraft noise has taken its latest step with a new way to lodge complaints.

A piece of technology called the Airnoise Button allows residents to file complaints against aircraft flying directly over their home simply by pushing the button. The click of the button sends out a signal that registers the information of the low-flying plane in the area and sends a formal complaint to Los Angeles World Airports.

Leading the Palisadian fight against aircraft noise, Debbie Warfel informed the Pacific Palisades Community Council on Thursday, Sept. 13, of the new button, and explained how a change in FAA regulations led to a flight path directly over the Palisades.

“What they have done is created super highways in the sky—it’s affected the quality of many peoples’ lives,” Warfel said. “The planes are supposed to come over the coast around 10,000 feet and glide, and they’re not doing that at all.”

The button is priced at $24 for the hardware and $5 per month for the subscription, paving the way to an overwhelming amount of complaints for airports.

“Mad as hell and super-motivated to take action? Get a button and have at it,” says the Airnoise Button’s website.

Sleepless Palisadians can also skip paying for the button altogether and lodge complaints online for free.

In response, airports have changed their complaint system and have blocked incoming ones from the Airnoise Button, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, reducing the piece of technology to nothing more than a stress ball.

While a viable solution to air noise complaints has yet to be found, Warfel and the Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association are not giving up.

“It’s really crucial to keep complaining, to let your government officials know that the noise is bad for us,” Warfel said. “Get your neighbors to also complain, and we also are looking for money because the litigation is expensive and we’re raising money to pay for the attorney to go to D.C.”