Lisbon’s new airport awaits Government approval

The Portuguese airports’ authority ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal – has delivered all documentation regarding the proposal to enlarge Lisbon airport by extending it to a former airforce base at nearby Montijo.

João Nunes, the Director of Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado International Airport said all that remained was for the government to give the green light.

“From ANA’s side, everything to do with projects that were necessary to present a solution, has been done. There are some pending issues, which had to do with environmental impact studies, but these too have been handed in,” said the director, while unveiling a new check-in area at the airport, adding that the Government had “all that was needed to make a decision.”

João Nunes expects that a “final position” will be taken in the second half of the year and should the decision be taken by that time, civil flights could arrive at Montijo within four years.

“We believe that if a decision on this matter within deadline established, all conditions can be in place to begin civil flights at Montijo by 2022,” he said.

The Lisbon airport director said that Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado airport was already close to capacity and added that with Montijo open, flight numbers could be increased considerably.

“We were able to arrange air space and capacity distribution and commitments with the military — some still be made formal — which will enable Lisbon airport to achieve a capacity of between 46 and 48 movements per hour, when today we have 40,” he said.

“This, together with the 24 movements at Montijo, means the two will operate as one airport,” he added.