The new-look Faro airport was officially inaugurated this week following a €32.8 million overhaul to enlarge the airport to cater for growing demand.
Work centred on making the airport bigger to accommodate the growing number of passengers and flights visiting the Algarve.
It was officially inaugurated on Monday, in the presence of Prime Minister António Costa, despite not yet being completely finished.
With the work, Faro airport has increased its passenger processing capacity from 2,400 people per hour to 3,000 people per hour, and upped its flight management from 24 movements per hour to 30.
The infrastructure itself has been expanded by close to 12,000 square metres, covering the arrivals and departures terminal, public retail areas, and operations areas.
First inaugurated in 1965, Faro airport is the country’s main tourist airport and, according to airport management company ANA, plays a determining role in the economic development of the country and of key tourism destinations in southern Portugal and Spain.
Last year, it was the national airport which registered the biggest growth, of 18.5 percent, with more than seven million passengers passing through its doors.
In a statement, national airport managers ANA said this modernisation of the terminal aims to “adjust the infrastructure to a new pattern of air transport seen in Portugal and across Europe – an increase in the use of low-cost airlines - with Faro airport seeing an increase in passengers on low cost airlines and a reduction of passengers on other types of flights.
“This reality results in a new passenger profile, with new needs, and who tend to stay in the terminal more time.”
Changes have also been made to airport security measures, including new control points.
“The modernisations now completed are the closure of a process, which began with adjustments to the Air Side of the airport - lanes and driveways and parking platforms - for the type of movement of the low cost airlines (with smaller and more frequent aircraft) and Land Side adjustments with car park and curb-side remodelling”, ANA elaborated.
The expansion inauguration ceremony was attended by Prime Minister, António Costa, Infrastructures and Planning Minister, Pedro Marques, the CEO of VINCI Concessions and VINCI airports, which owns ANA, Nicolas Notebaert, and the Head of ANA’s Executive Committee, Carlos Lacerda.
Article by The Portugal News
