TAMPA — Every month, Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Chairman Robert Watkins begins the regular board of directors meeting by opening the floor to public comment.

And nearly every month, a handful of South Tampa residents stand up to complain about jet noise from planes landing on one of Tampa International Airport's four runways — the one nearest their homes on the southeast side of the terminal.

Bob Basham, co-founder of Outback Steakhouse and more recently the PDQ chicken chain, was among those who urged the airport's board to take action on Wednesday.

"It's not just a noise issue, but a safety issue," said Basham, who noted he is a pilot. "What would happen if there was a loss of life on the ground because a plane flew in too low over our South Tampa neighborhoods?"

There have been more complaints over the past year because of construction as the airport wraps up a nearly $1 billion renovation. Complaints spiked drastically last year with more than three times the number as the year before. Some relief came this fall when the taxiway J bridge reopened so fewer planes had to land on the east side of the airport. That decreased the number of landings on the runway in question by 60 percent.

The airport participates in a voluntary noise-abatement program, which was established in 1999. In 2001, the airport created a noise office to address resident concerns and monitor compliance with the program.

The noise abatement program is voluntary and air traffic controllers cannot force pilots to use another runway if they specifically request the southeast runway. But airport staff members said they meet regularly with commercial airline management to discuss noise complaints and urge them to avoid the southeast runway when possible.

"We don't decide where airplanes land, the FAA does. We want the board and the residents to know we're very engaged. We're reaching out to corporate jet pilots and commercial airlines," said Joe Lopano, CEO of the airport.

In the past year, airport staff members have met with 12 homeowner associations to talk about noise complaints. They increased the number of community noise consortium meetings from four to six times a year. The airport launched an online portal for flight tracking and complaint filing.

But for residents, who are tired of being woken by late-landing planes or disturbed by the rumblings of the engines while they sit on their couches, it isn't enough.

"Clearly this is problematic for our locals, and we need to do something," board member Victor Crist said. "A simple recognition to a pilot that this is a problem couldn't hurt."

Reach Justine Griffin at jgriffin@tampabay.com. Follow @SunBizGriffin