Lisbon has banned night flights after years of protests by the city’s residents.
Under the new rules, no planes will enter or leave Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado airport between 1am and 5am every night.
The Portuguese government has listened to the locals, environmental groups and the city council.
Night flights have been a chronic problem in Lisbon, disturbing the sleep of the city’s residents.
Zero, a Portuguese environmental NGO, first called for a ban on night flights in the summer, warning that aircraft cause noise and air pollution.
The government had previously introduced legislation to limit the number of flights that could take place at night from the airport, but Zero argued that the airport was in breach of the limits.
In the space of two weeks, Zero had recorded 115 extra flights, according to The Portugal News.
Miguel Pinto Luz, minister of infrastructure and housing, made the announcement and described the ban as a “giant step forward”.
The decision came from a special working group set up to look into the issue and was publicly notified on the same day that dozens of residents gathered to protest outside the city’s airport.
Following the announcement, no dates have been given as to when the night ban in Lisbon will start.
Activists say the ban on night flights will have little effect
Aeroporto Fora, Lisboa Melhora, a citizens’ group in favour of banning night flights, is not convinced that it will benefit the health and well-being of local residents.
It claims that few flights are scheduled at this time and that the notice does not specify whether this is a total ban or whether landing will be allowed for scheduled flights delayed from their airport of origin.
Humberto Delgado Airport is located seven kilometres northeast of central Lisbon and operates domestic and international flights. However, it is an old airport in need of a major upgrade, which could take three years and cost €300 million.
Citizens are concerned that the original airport will be expanded and so they have campaigned for a brand new airport outside the city, rather than a retrofit of the existing one.
