Specifically, Frankfurt International Airport, for example has a total ban on scheduled aircraft movements between 2300 and 0500 hours. This is in order to limit the ground-perceived exposure to aircraft noise during the night hours, when the majority of residents are trying to sleep.

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) does not operate at night primarily due to a strict ban on night flights (Nachtflugverbot) implemented to protect the health and well-being of the hundreds of thousands of residents living in the densely populated Rhine-Main region. As of 2026, the ban prohibits all scheduled takeoffs and landings between 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM. This regulation was the result of a landmark 2012 ruling by the German Federal Administrative Court, which prioritized noise protection over the economic interests of the aviation industry. While airlines like Lufthansa and various cargo carriers have fought to relax these rules to improve global connectivity, the ban remains a firm pillar of local environmental policy. Very few exceptions are granted, typically only for emergency landings, medical evacuations, or government aircraft. For travelers, this means that if a flight is delayed and cannot depart before the 11:00 PM "curfew," the aircraft is grounded until morning, and passengers are often provided with hotel vouchers, making FRA one of the most strictly regulated "quiet" hubs in Europe.