Sixteen flights a night arrive and depart from Heathrow

The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2001 that flights between 2330 BST and 0600 BST violated the human rights of eight people living around the west London airport by disturbing their sleep.

But the government has won an appeal against that ruling.

It said an end to night flights would have a major impact on British airlines and give rival European companies an unfair advantage.

It was estimated that the extra cost to British Airways alone of switching flight times could have been as much as �320m.

The anti-aircraft noise group HACAN ClearSkies, which brought the case to the European court, was encouraged by what it interpreted as a ruling that it should be allowed to pursue the case in the UK courts.

HACAN chairman John Stewart said: "The government wants to extend the present night-time flying regulations for London airports until 2005.

HEATHROW NIGHT FLIGHTS Night flights land and take off between 2330 and 0600 16 on average every night Numbers vary depending on delays Most land and take off between 0500 and 0600 A small number flights occur after 2330, and some from 0400 Living with night flights

"We will use that extra year to try to make our case in the UK courts."

The government said it was vindicated in its decision to lodge the appeal.

"The government welcomes the court's judgement", Aviation Minister Tony McNulty said.

"The judgement clears the way for a thorough review of policy on night flights at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.

"That consultation, which we announced earlier this year, will take place next year."

The Human Rights Convention guarantees a person's "right to respect for private and family life and home" and for the "peaceful enjoyment" of their home.

More aircraft traffic

Lawyers for the Heathrow residents had successfully argued last year that the government's 1993 decision to ease restrictions on night flights breached that guarantee.

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The ruling was not legally binding but could have led to a ban on night flights at Heathrow and other airports in the UK and Europe.

HACAN said that although individual planes have become quieter, any benefit to residents has been offset by the increase in the volume of aircraft traffic.

It said noise problems caused by Heathrow were no longer confined to the south west of London, with more than half a million people now affected by Heathrow's night flights.

Airport expansion

Hounslow Council, which had helped the campaigners with legal costs, promised to carry on trying to get night flights banned.

Councillor Ruth Cadbury, the council's environment spokeswoman, said the residents' quality of life would only get worse if Heathrow is expanded.

"There is still enormous pressure on the government to ban night flights at Heathrow and support is growing in the light of the recent proposals for airport expansion," she said.