EXCLUSIVEFences knocked over, tiles blown off and even the phone signal cutting out: Locals living under Heathrow flight path tell how their lives are being made a misery by low-flying jets
From frozen sewage falling out of the sky and shattering glass to air current vortexes ripping apart idyllic Georgian mansions, locals living under a Heathrow flight path say their lives are being made a misery.
From frozen sewage falling out of the sky and shattering glass to air current vortexes ripping apart idyllic Georgian mansions, locals living under a Heathrow flight path say their lives are being made a misery.
Residents of Horton, near Slough in Berkshire, which is to the west of the busy airport, say strong gusts have knocked over their fences and damaged their roofs, despite some living as far as five miles away from Heathrow.
One furious owner of a £3million Georgian mansion, once owned by the founder of the SAS, told how blue ice - frozen sewage leaked mid-flight from plane toilets - had smashed a glass lantern just outside the house.
Adding to the ferocious noise of the jets soaring overhead, people say their phone signal often cuts out.
Gakul Bakthavavhalam, who lives around 10 minutes from the airport, said he has suffered damage to his property as a result of the planes flying overhead.
Low-flying jets which are damaging expensive homes which lie under Heathrows flight path
A broken skylight inside a property under the path, allegedly caused by ice falling from a plane
Vortex strikes caused by low-flying planes on a Heathrow flight path are damaging a £3 million Georgian mansion once owned by the founder of the SAS, it has been claimed
The 33-year-old said: We had our fence knocked over, by one of the gusts - they can be very strong.
But no one from Heathrow helped fixed it or anything.
Mr Bakthavavhalam, who has lived in his home for three years, said the flight path also causes issues for phones.
He said: You cant take phone calls when the planes are going over. The signal just cuts out.
Julie Taberer, 53, has had similar phone problems.
She said: The mobile phone coverage and Internet around here is really bad - because of the planes.
I barely get 3G here - in London. The phone lines cut out too when the planes go overheard. So thats a bit tricky.
Ms Taberer said that the noise is the main issue with living in the area - but admitted that you get used to it.
A broken skylight inside Daljit Bhails property, which he claims was caused by the planes
Homeowners said they can deal with the noise of the planes but the strong gusts have knocked over their fences. Pictured are flight paths to Heathrow over the homes
She said: Sometimes you do hear it later or earlier than you should. My husband was woken up at 4:30am the other day.
But that happens - turbulence and delays and wind means planes sometimes arrive earlier or later than expected.
And you do get used to the noise. It comes with living here.
Craig Kelly, who has lived in the area for over a decade, thinks the issues have improved over the last few years.
The 46-year-old said: There used to be a time when you wouldnt be able to have a conversation outside.
Thats how bad the noise was. But since theyve got rid of the huge jumbo jets its a lot better.
You do get woken up early sometimes. Sometimes the planes land around 4:50am.
But I find it interesting. You see these crazy phenomenons with the vortexes - and its mad that that happens when we live five miles away.
Owner Daljit Bhail, 54, says it is madness how his Grade II-listed property is being treated and has accused the airport of abandoning the home
Large gusts of winds caused by aircraft allegedly caused tiles on this roof to be dislodged
A vortex is a circulating current of air generated by planes. It can sometimes strike and damage the roofs of houses located under a flight path.
Pitched roofs with loose-laid tiles are prone to vortex damage.
Sadia Anwar, 50, has also had issues with phone networks - but said noise problems had been fixed since Heathrow provided triple-glazing.
She said: The major issue is the phone lines cutting out when the planes go over. The Internet too.
But the noise has definitely improved. Ever since Heathrow provided that triple-glazing, which was great.
And look, you expect noise when you move into a flight path. It comes with the territory.
Abru Hussain, 39, also praised the triple-glazing offered by Heathrow.
She said: You cant hear a thing inside the house anymore. And that would have cost tens of thousands of pounds. But we got it for free.
The resident admitted that the noise is still bad when youre outside - but added that she expected it.
She said: You cant exactly have a relaxing day in the garden. But its what you expect when you move here.
One furious homeowner claimed the low-flying planes are damaging his £3 million Georgian mansion.
Mr Bhail says there has been scaffolding left for five months, and Heathrow havent sent anyone else back to finish the job after his home was damaged
Mr Bhail says it is also costing him money, as he lets out the property on Airbnb, but cant attract guests due to safety concerns and scaffolding
Mr Bhail has lived in the four-acre Georgian property, next to the south runway of terminal five, for almost 25 years after buying it for £600,000
Owner Daljit Bhail, 54, says it is madness how his Grade II-listed property is being treated and has accused the airport of abandoning the home.
He alleges large gusts of wind caused by aircraft have caused tiles on his roof to be dislodged.
Mr Bhail says he and guests at his sprawling 18th century 28-room home, which he rents out on Airbnb, are being woken at 3am by aircraft roaring in to land at the airport.
But Heathrow has denied the claims and says it has well-established programmes to protect local buildings from the impacts of airport operation.
Mr Bhail has lived in the four-acre Georgian property, next to the south runway of terminal five, for almost 25 years after buying it for £600,000.
He says low flying planes over the past three years have caused vortex damage - where large gusts of wind from planes have smashed into buildings.
Long-standing residents of another street near Heathrow have said they have got used to the road of the planes overhead, helped by having properties triple-glazed
Mr Bhail claims blue ice - frozen sewage leaked mid-flight from plane toilets - smashed a glass lantern just outside the house, which he rents on Airbnb.
The property investor, from Hounslow, London, said: Its just madness how they treat a listed building and the planes wake me and guests up at 3am.
And a vortex damaged the roofing of the property, he claims.
He says Heathrow has abandoned the house, which boasts an indoor heated swimming pool and basketball court, despite initially agreeing to fix the damage - a claim Heathrow airport denies.
It is understood the airport paid for a contractor to visit to do repair work for the vortex damage, but they were unable to continue due to a disagreement with Mr Bhail.
Mr Bhail said: Its a stand off - they sent an assessor out who confirmed the house had been hit by a vortex strike, and said they would nail down the tiles but then they said they couldnt as its a listed building.
He claims Heathrow then agreed to have someone come out to secure the roof in April. But Mr Bhail alleges the workman did a shoddy job and left nails everywhere as well as putting his foot through the ceiling.
Pictures and videos show large nails sticking out of the walls in the loft.
Since then, Mr Bhail says there has been scaffolding left for five months, and Heathrow havent sent anyone else to finish the job.
The scaffolding now has ivy growing up it its been there so long, he said,
He says it is also costing him money, as he lets out the property on Airbnb, but cant attract guests due to safety concerns and scaffolding.
Planes flying as low as 200ft above peoples homes in Feltham are estimated at one every 45 seconds
Plane spotters from across the UK are keen on the green with the best views of Heathrow jets
Tailfins of planes operated by main UK carrier British Airways are easily visible from the green
Mr Bhail said: Sometimes there is less than a minute gap between planes flying overhead.
Its not just the damage - its really loud and they shouldnt be flying that low.
If ice can fall off and go through a double screen window, which it has, what happens if someone is underneath?
Its extremely dangerous!
In February it was revealed that neighbours in Myrtle Avenue in Feltham, west London, are resigned to planes relentlessly passing over their homes but have other complaints instead.
The non-stop roar of jet engines means they have the distinction of living in Britains noisiest street - yet a different kind of irritant causing a commotion.
The green space at the end of Myrtle Avenue is noted on Trip Advisor as the best place for plane spotters with Hatton Cross Tube station nearby, offering not only commuter convenience but also stalls where snacks can be bought.
One plane spotter said he had been coming to the spot for several years as it offered the best advantage point to collect registration numbers and also to take close-up photos of passenger jets.
A Heathrow spokesman said: We have well-established programmes to protect local buildings from the impacts of airport operations, including preventative works and noise insulation.
In the rare cases where a property is damaged, we work with specialist contractors who will assess the most suitable repair, at no cost to the resident.
