This has long been surprising news and sparked widespread curiosity.

The story of planes being banned from flying over the area surrounding superstar Lionel Messi’s home caused a global sensation. Many speculated that the immense influence of the number 10 player led aviation authorities to alter flight paths to ensure peace and quiet for his residence. However, the truth behind this ban is more about professional and environmental considerations than personal favoritism.

Messi’s home is located in Bellamar, a suburb of Castelldefels, about 25 km from the center of Barcelona. It’s only about 10 km from El Prat International Airport – one of the busiest airports in Europe. This close proximity has fueled debates about flight paths for many years.

This ban is real, but it’s not to protect Messi.

The incident began attracting significant attention in 2018 when Javier Sánchez-Prieto, CEO of Vueling Airlines, made remarks at a conference about the expansion of El Prat Airport. He suggested that the plan to extend the airport’s runway faced difficulties, partly due to regulations restricting flights over the area where Messi lives. The CEO made a cryptic remark: “You can’t fly over where Messi lives. This doesn’t happen anywhere else in the world.”

This comment quickly became a focal point on social media, leading to a wave of criticism from the online community who felt the airline was showing excessive favoritism towards the football star. After receiving much backlash, Javier Sánchez-Prieto apologized for his potentially misleading statements.

To clarify the issue, the prestigious sports magazine AS later investigated and revealed the truth. It turns out that the no-fly zone over Gavà and Castelldefels wasn’t due to Messi’s fame at all, but rather a strict environmental protection regulation imposed by the Spanish authorities.

The happy family of the famous Argentinian footballer.

The area where Messi owns his villa is near the Del Garraf wildlife park. This area is specially protected by Spanish law to preserve its wildlife. Noise from high-intensity aircraft engines is considered a serious pollutant, affecting the growth and habitat of animals within the reserve.

For this reason, aircraft taking off or landing at El Prat airport are required to take a detour towards the sea to avoid flying directly over this environmentally sensitive area. This restriction has inadvertently created a no-fly zone encompassing the Bellamar residential area where Messi lives. The use of the airport’s third runway is also severely restricted because the landing process there generates the most noise for residents along the coastal strip between Viladecans and Castelldefels beaches.

Therefore, the story about Messi’s “privilege” is merely an interesting misunderstanding. Although the superstar’s family no longer lives there permanently, the villa is believed to still be his property. The no-fly zone remains strictly enforced, not because of the presence of a single person, but out of respect for nature and the tranquility of this coastal area.