en 
Low-altitude flights over houses, air and noise pollution are some of the complaints of the residents who signed this petition. Moreover, they fear for their safety.
“I am constantly confronted with negative comments from my clients about air traffic. Whilst the importance of Faro Airport for development in the Algarve region is undeniable, the fact that there are low altitude flights over residential and tourist areas causes a great deal of discomfort”, said François Coizy, manager of a real estate agency in Almancil and creator of the petition.
At the moment, when departing, “planes turn north at a very low altitude - 3000 feet - and fly over populated areas of the municipalities of Loulé and Olhão. More specifically flights taking off towards the east overfly Olhão and flights towards west overfly Almancil, Quinta do Lago, Vale de Lobo, Quarteira and Vilamoura”.
In order to improve the situation, François Coizy and all the residents who sign the petition, say that the solution is quite simple. “Planes taking off from Faro do not turn north until they have reached an altitude of 5000 feet in order to guarantee the safety of the inhabitants concerned and pass over less densely populated areas”. In addition, they have asked Faro Airport to reduce take some actions in order to reduce noises.
Despite not having that many signatures online, the group feels that is important to push this issue and have already registered the petition on the Portuguese Government’s website. In addition, they have been collecting signatures on the streets, especially in local markets, where they, all together have already had about 500 signatures, François Coizy told The Portugal News.
They are seeking greater visibility and in the future want to meet with the mayor of Loulé and Faro, in order to prevent what they think could easily be changed without any major inconvenience to the airlines.
For more information, please see their Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/712598876504258.
Paula Martins is a fully qualified journalist, who finds writing a means of self-expression. She studied Journalism and Communication at University of Coimbra and recently Law in the Algarve. Press card: 8252
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When these residents arrived in the Algarve, on holiday, or to buy their property, did they not notice that there was an airport in Faro? I first visited the Algarve 50 years ago, and we landed at Faro, because there is an airport. It was the old terminal.
Now we can see aircraft take off to the West and can see that the control tower try to use a steep ascent then a quicker right turn to minimise upsetting VDL and QDL residents.
For residents to say that they are scared for their safety is absolute rubbish. Have they heard of Lisbon or Heathrow?
By Michael from Algarve on 18 Aug 2022, 10:43
What a pointless cause.
If you have safety concerns about these flying death machines, surely you would want them out of Algarve airspace as soon as possible. There has been no air safety incident associated with Faro airspace since the MartinAir disaster in 1992. The solution that you are suggesting would be to push the so-called safety issue out to Tavira and Albufeira. Flaming wreckage into a populous area would cause just as much damage from 5000ft as it would 3000ft.
If you have pollution concerns, surely you would want them taking the most efficient route as possible, that is, turning north as soon as possible.
I have lived in the Algarve for over twenty years, on the westerly flight path, and it has never been an issue for me, nor have I heard anyone complaining about this.
I would suggest that this is simply an exercise in self-promotion, and I would suggest that you put your efforts into a more worthwhile relevant cause.
By Charles Saunders from Algarve on 18 Aug 2022, 17:28