AIRPORT bosses have been accused of downplaying community opposition to a trial flightpath after blaming a handful of local residents for the majority of complaints.

One homeowner branded the Edinburgh Airport report, published earlier this week, as a "disingenuous piece of rubbish" and warned that any move to introduce the route permanently would spark a massive outcry from rural Lothian communities.

Lothian MSP, Neil Findlay, who was an outspoken critic of the scheme last year, said he also had "serious misgivings" about the report.

The trial, launched in June last year, saw almost two in ten flights diverted onto the TUTUR route, which curls over Firth of Forth and sent passenger jets across communities including Broxburn, Uphall, Blackness and Linlithgow.

Airport bosses said it would reduce congestion and excess fuel burn on the runway, but the trial was cut short two months early in October in response to public anger over noise pollution.

At its peak, the airport recorded 7,934 complaints from 567 individuals.

However, the airport's report on the trial said that just five individuals were behind 40 per cent of the complaints and that more than half of all complaints related to planes using the airport's long-standing flightpaths.

A spokesman said the trial had been "a success" by enabling planes to take off at one-minute intervals during peak times, instead of the current two.

Helena Paul, from Blackness, said: "I think they've got a cheek saying it's been a success when their complaints rocketed from 10-20 a quarter to 8000. It's a disingenuous piece of rubbish.

"There is no question that people are solidly against what they did because it was grossly unfair. They took very noisy aircraft at very low heights over communities who had never been bothered by aircraft before."

Opponents have also questioned why a new flightpath is necessary. Although Edinburgh Airport's passenger traffic reached a record-breaking 11 million last year, it is still operating 15 per cent fewer flights than its 2007 peak.

Mr Findlay said: "This report arrogantly attempts to downplay community concerns at the lack of consultation over the trial and its impact on those living underneath it.

"So many questions still need answered. We still need to know what the purpose of this trial was and why a new flight path needed when there is plenty existing spare capacity?"

He accused the airport's owner, Global Infrastructure Partners, of "fattening up their asset" amid secret plans to sell it off.

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “We're reporting what was measured. We've not passed any opinion on it and have been clear that we understand the depth of feeling."

He added: "The current peak times will come under further pressure as demand continues to grow. It is essential we can offer times that the airlines wish to operate where Edinburgh must fit in with passenger demand and within the wider network of routes that airlines operate.”