The increase in tourism has disturbed the life of Lisbon residents significantly: overcrowded streets, overpriced restaurants, and an alarming rise in flights, especially at night. Although airport Humberto Delgado was expected to cap night flights at 92 per week, reports show that that limit was frequently disrespected. People who live near the airport have been reporting health issues caused by the lack of sleep, air pollution, and unbearable noise levels. Adding to the problem, most houses and apartment buildings in the area lack proper acoustic insulation.
Plans to relocate the Lisbon airport were approved in 2024, but the new facilities won’t be operational before 2036. Last November, the government addressed the noise problem with a first measure effective immediately, forbidding flights between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM. That may not be the case in practice. According to local environmental NGO Zero, the most vocal organization regarding this topic, the curfew hasn’t been enforced regularly or consistently.
In March 2025, the government announced a 10 million euro public fund for the Programa Menos Ruido, or Project Less Noise in English, to improve the acoustic insulation of houses near the airport. While Zero commends the government for that measure, they claim ANA, Aeroportos de Portugal, the company in charge of managing the Portuguese airports including Lisbon’s, should be responsible for covering the cost.
An estimated 400 thousand people live within a 5km radius of the Lisbon airport and are likely to be affected by air pollution. A reported 9% of them have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, dementia, and diabetes which have reportedly been caused by ultrafine particles.