City councils in several South Orange County cities have heard pleas in recent weeks from residents asking for relief from what they say is a new phenomenon, noise from low-flying jetliners.
In San Juan Capistrano, an April 4 appeal struck a particularly eloquent chord: Could low-flying airliners that critics say assault the ears also be a threat to the famous swallows of Capistrano?
A group has formed in South County, saying it has about 200 members, gathering support at noplanenoise.us.
New FAA routes went into effect March 2, and critics assert that the routes may be more efficient for the airlines, but planes are passing over Laguna Beach, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Niguel and Lake Forest at lower altitudes.