For Rod Peters the resumption of regular plane flights can't come soon enough but not because he is an avid traveller, he's a plane fanatic.

So much so that Mr Peters and his wife Pam bought their Bilinga home because it is right beside Gold Coast airport.

Mr Peters even extended his house to include a first-storey deck with expansive views of the full runway.

'I'm crying, I want aeroplanes," he said.

"My brother was a Qantas captain, he's retired now and I didn't have the sort of the get-up and go to become a pilot, but I love aeroplanes."

But with air travel across the country crippled by coronavirus restrictions, plane watchers like Mr Peters have put this pastime on hold.

Airport severely reduced by coronavirus

In 2004 Mr Peters led a resident revolt against then Queensland Premier Peter Beattie's plan to resume his and six other houses to build a $240 million Tugun bypass.

In a David and Goliath battle similar to Australian movie icon Darryl Kerrigan from The Castle, Mr Peters beat the Government and saved his house that now proudly boasts The Castle sign on the deck overlooking the airport runway.

"They were comparing me to this bloke in this movie The Castle and I said I'm not interested in that, I just want to save our house," he said.

The lack of flights now has deprived the Peters of their favourite pastime — opening the beer fridge and watching the planes coming and going along what the locals call "kerosene alley".

The Gold Coast Airport Chief Operating Officer Marion Charlton said the terminal was open for limited hours because the coronavirus crisis forced severely reduced airline flight schedules.

Virgin airlines has just three weekly flights arriving and departing.

"I go walking around there every morning and I tell you what the car parks are just empty, I think there are about three or four cars in each car park and they're normally chock-a-block," Rod said.

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'We're driving each other up the wall'

Without their hobby, Rod said he and his wife were "driving each other up the wall".

"Just different days we pick different walls," he said.

But the irony is not lost on the couple that a quiet airport for many under the flight path means serenity.

"The silence is good sometimes. I miss the planes during the day, I don't miss the 6:00am one," Pam said.

"I can't wait for it to start up again. It'll be really good then."

But as for those who complain about plane noise, Mr Peters said he had a simple message.

"Anybody who whinges you just tell them to shut up," he said.

"I think there'll be more people flying than going on cruise ships."