Airport bosses have revealed a significant fall in complaints about aircraft noise.

Latest figures released by East Midlands Airport show 2,632 complaints were made about disturbance from aircraft engines between April, 2008 and the end March, 2009.

Officials at the Castle Donington airport said it was a 63% drop compared to the year before – when there were 7,128 complaints.

The airport's environmental experts said the fall was down to their measures to limit aircraft noise.

However, campaigners, who want restrictions on the number of flights into and out of the airport, said people had stopped complaining because they were not listened to when they did.

The information was revealed in the airport's annual community and environment investment report, which has just been published.

Airport environmental manager Neil Robinson said he was pleased at the falling number of complaints and said all noise concerns were still treated seriously.

He said: "One of the things we have done is stop training flights from airlines who do not fly out of the airport. They were the source of many complaints.

"Our air controllers now work with pilots to get them to do continuous descent approach which means that at 6,000ft and from about 20 miles away, the planes almost glide in. Previously, they would have come in steps, which led to more engine noise."

He said 22 airlines had been fined throughout the year for breaching the airport's approved noise levels. The £22,000 raised had been put towards grants for community projects in villages under the flight path.

Mr Robinson said: "It is also the case that 70% of the complaints have come from just 11 people."

The airport's annual investment report also said it had spent £650,000 on soundproofing 160 residents' homes over the year.

Mr Robinson said: "We contribute much to the region's prosperity by providing employment and bringing in overseas visitors, but we recognise that comes at an environmental cost. We always do our best to keep the environmental impact to a minimum."

Steve Charlish, founder of the Demand campaign group, which wants caps on the number of night time flights to and from the airport, said he was unimpressed with the new noise complaint figures.

Mr Charlish, of King's Norton, near Market Harborough, said: "People have stopped complaining because they feel it is futile. The airport is noisy, unregulated and polluting.

"It's true that they fine a handful of aircraft each year and put the money in a community fund, but that doesn't mitigate people's noise-related suffering."