Lisbon's Night Flights Could Continue Through 2026 Without Government Action, Warns Environmental Group

Environmental Alert Over Lisbon's Night Flights

The environmental association ZERO has issued a stark warning that Lisbon could continue to experience night flights during the summer of 2026 if the Portuguese government fails to take immediate action. This alert comes as the deadline approaches for allocating flight schedules to airlines.

Three-Year Delay in Night Flight Ban

ZERO emphasizes that the promised elimination of flights between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM has remained unfulfilled for three years. With just four days remaining until the final 'Slot Allocation List' is published - the document that definitively establishes all takeoff and landing authorizations at national airports from late March to late October 2026 - the association is sounding the alarm.

Massive Health and Economic Costs

Using World Health Organization methodology, ZERO estimates accumulated costs related to noise pollution from Humberto Delgado Airport have reached nearly €12 billion to date. These costs include health impacts on citizens of Lisbon, Loures, and Almada (discomfort, morbidity) and economic consequences (lost productivity, property devaluation).

Parliamentary Study Recommendations

The association referenced a study commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure following the establishment of a parliamentary working group on night flights. The 2022 study concluded that, considering approximately 388,000 people affected by nighttime noise levels exceeding maximum limits for residential areas under the General Noise Regulation, all flights between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM should be banned.

Urgent Government Action Needed

ZERO has appealed to the government to use all available powers to ensure that flight scheduling for the next summer season fully respects the silent period between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM. The association also stressed the importance of implementing effective monitoring and penalty mechanisms for any nighttime movements outside this interval, ensuring complete data transparency and accountability of involved entities.