When it comes to the need for more environmental protection, noise pollution rarely appears near the top of the list. But try telling that to millions of irate residents living near a major airport.

Those sounds resonating from runways are irritating at best and excruciating at worst.

Which is why it's welcome news for those communities that at least some airlines are taking that sonic concern to heart, namely British Airways. On Wednesday, the U.K. carrier was bestowed the title of Quietest Airline, based on results released by Prague's Václav Havel Airport in partnership with neighboring communities of the major Czech Republic Hub.

3 Prague Airport

British Airways won a similar distinction back in November at Heathrow Airport in London. And given the number of flights and airlines that regularly use both airports, among the busiest flight terminals in the world, it's almost a sure bet that the carrier has international bragging rights when it comes to emitting fewer decibels.

2 Quieter Aircraft

“Since 2015, we have reduced our aircraft noise by 10 percent per flight," commented Andy Kershaw, the environment manager at British Airways. "We want to reach 13 percent by 2020 through different ways, including investing in new and quieter aircraft with less fuel consumption."

Much of that noise reduction has to do with the British Airways deciding to add to its fleet more Airbus A35o models, reportedly one of the quieter planes flying today.

1 Testing Phase

The results were determined during a six-month testing phase starting in May, marking the beginning of Prague's busiest periods for airline traffic. Using high-tech sound monitoring equipment installed at 14 measuring stations plus one mobile facility, airport authorities recorded noise levels of all flights. While any aircraft that included Havel as a stop, the most frequently-monitored planes were those flown by the likes of British Airways, Aeroflot, Lufthansa, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Czech Airlines.

“Noise issues are fundamental to us, as they have a direct impact on people living around the airport," said Václav Řehoř, Havel Airport's chairman of its board of directors. "Therefore, we continuously take effective measures to reduce noise pollution."

Authorities at Havel were far too polite to reveal the noisiest carrier, although Heathrow didn't hesitate to announce that Israel's El Al Airlines was the most cacophonous of the lot.