“QUIETER” planes could be brought in to stop noisy night flights at Southend Airport as part of a new strategy to connect with the community.

Some Amazon cargo flights operate at night, much to the dismay of those living on the airport’s flight path, who are left with serious “emotional and physical consequences”.

Now, Glyn Jones, chief executive of Southend Airport, is in talks with the delivery firm to replace the current aircraft, the Boeing 737400, with a quieter carrier, the Echo can reveal.

It forms part of a bold new “Connecting the Community” commitment, building strong relationships with the airport’s neighbours.

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Mr Jones hopes the new Boeing 737800 will lessen the impact on residents with its quieter sound.

He said: “We are talking with them to replace the current planes with a quieter aircraft.

“That’s our aim and that’s what we want to do.

“It won’t be perfect but it will be better.

“It’s quite a big change to be making.

“We’re a small cog in a bigger wheel when it comes to the cargo flights. It’s a live conversation at the moment.”

In the past, a campaign was launched by councillors and residents to scrap the night flights altogether, saying they should be operated during the day.

David Smith, who has submitted more than 1,000 night flight noise complaints to the airport, refuses to believe the replacement aircraft will make a difference.

The 70-year-old, said: “We need them to be scrapped overnight.

“It’s quite a simple thing to do to move them to the day.

“I’ve never complained about the flights in the day, you’re awake and up and about, not tucked up in bed.

“I can’t see changing the aircraft will help, they will still be flying over.

“It’s a physical and mental disaster, it’s leaving me with emotional and physical consequences.

“You dread it every day, it’s constant.

Sometimes you wake up at every flight in the night, sometimes it’s only a few.”

Southend Airport has permission for 120 night flights per month, but insists the number of flights is regularly much lower.

They run from 11pm and 6.30am.

The night flights remain at an average of three a night, consistent with the level in 2019.

The new “connecting the community” commitment - launched today by the airport - involves making progress toward a carbon neutral airport operation.

The plan also seeks to ensure air quality around the airport continues to be within Government limits, as well as minimising the number of households impacted by noise.

The commitment will also give residents another channel to air complaints over noise, with the launch of a new forum.

The airport will make an announcement about the community forum soon, bosses said.