ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal announced on 20 November that work will begin in January to create two fast runways at Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport, which will close the infrastructure between 11:30pm and 5:30am until June.

In reaction to this announcement, Zero understands that this is “good news spoiled by an inadmissible mistake”.

For environmentalists, the indication of the total closure of the airport at that time of night "shows that it is possible to adjust the movements and ensure the rest of the population near the airport."

However, Zero warns that night-time flight disruptions "will certainly aggravate the number of movements in the remaining period, with an aggravation of inconvenience" at those times "and, it seems, without respecting the legislated limit values."

Zero has been monitoring the movement and noise level at Lisbon airport. According to the statement issued on 20 November, in the last seven hours from midnight to six in the morning, the actual number of movements was 102, although 74 movements are expected between departures and arrivals.

According to environmentalists, the 102 movements are 11 over the total of 91 allowed weekly movements.

Zero has advocated a six-hour night rest period and compliance with the legislated noise limit values.

Regarding the works announced by ANA, environmentalists understand that the construction of fast runways increases the possible number of movements and therefore requires environmental impact assessment.

"It is an act that should not happen without environmental impact assessment, given the increase of potential movements, with environmental consequences that should be properly assessed," says the Zero note.

For the association, the construction of two quick exits required at least one statement by the Portuguese Environment Agency about the need for an environmental impact study.