The national aviation network is preparing for a transformation that promises to change the travel map in Portuguese territory. A well-known Portuguese airport will undergo an expansion that includes the construction of a new terminal and 14 boarding gates to meet the increase in tourism. The objective of the Government and the managing entity is clear and involves reaching the impressive mark of 30 million passengers per year.
The infrastructure chosen for this million-dollar injection of capital is Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, located in the city of Porto. The master plan was revealed during the official ceremony that marked the eightieth anniversary of this important hub in the northern region, according to .
The president of the concessionary company detailed that the first phase of the project will significantly increase daily response capacity. Nicolas Notebaert explained that the new aircraft access area will be complemented by a modern system dedicated to baggage processing. This physical intervention follows the creation of a technical group responsible for designing the future of northern infrastructure.
Projects in the pipeline and at high speed
The same source indicates that ongoing studies go far beyond exclusive areas for the circulation of travelers. The strategic plan includes the construction of a cargo space and a maintenance hangar to be built by the main national airline. Integration with the future high-speed railway line is another of the priorities assumed by technical and government teams.
The minister of infrastructure and housing was present at the celebrations and highlighted the executive’s level of commitment to this project: “Our ambition is to make this an airport for 30 million passengers”, he said. Miguel Pinto Luz recalled that the northern structure currently processes the same volume of people that the capital registered at the beginning of the concession contract.
The response to demand growth will not depend solely on the major civil construction works that will begin in the future. The aforementioned source explains that operational capacity will undergo a substantial increase in the final stretch of the current calendar year. Aircraft movements will increase from twenty-four to twenty-six operations per hour.
This reinforcement of the flight rate is the result of joint work with the entity responsible for air navigation and the various operators. The aeronautical hub recently received an investment of more than fifty million euros for the complete remodeling of its main runway. The project took nineteen months and made it possible to modernize the drainage system and replace the lighting with low-consumption technology.
A history marked by records
The history of this place dates back to the distant month of December 1945, when it was born as Pedras Rubras Aerodrome. The structure guaranteed a distinction of excellence by being recognized as the best in Europe in quality and service for six years in a row. Currently, the information panels display more than one hundred and twenty direct destinations to the European, American and African continents.
ECO further explains that the space ended the last calendar year with a record high of almost 17 million people processed. This volume translated into an increase of more than 6% compared to the previous year, far exceeding the national growth average. The commercial dynamism attracted seven new aviation companies and opened the doors to twenty-two new routes last year alone.
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