World

The pretty little city in Europe loved by British tourists getting a new £7.6bn airport


Following decades of debate, the Portuguese Government has secured a location for a new airport in the country’s capital city, Lisbon.

With the current Humberto Delgado airport being pushed to full capacity thanks to a tourist boom, it will serve the ever-growing tourism economy in Portugal.

The site, a retired military airfield in Alcochete, is 25 miles east of Lisbon and is surrounded by a low populated area to minimize environmental impacts, such as noise pollution for residents.

This selection comes just a few months after the entrance of center-right Prime Minister Luis Montenegro. The pressure of the country’s tourism industry, which accounts for 15 percent of the GDP, was a strong influence in the election.

In 2023, the number of foreign tourists in Portuguese hotels and accommodation climbed to a staggering 18.3 million, 11% higher than pre-COVID figures in 2019.

After its projected opening in 2034, the new airport will have two runways, capable of handling between 90-95 flights per hour. Hopefully, by 2050 an additional runways will be in operation, raising passenger capacity to 100 million per year.

The expansion will also align with airline, TAP, and their plans to operate 190-250 aircraft by midcentury.

Miguel Pinto Luz, Minister for Infrastructure, predicts the new airport would cost €9 billion, covered by EU funds, private partnerships and airport tariffs.

None of the state budget is planned to be used.

The government are currently initiating conversation with stakeholders and are also planning the construction of a new bridge over the Tagus River in order to shorten the journey to the city center.

In the meantime, the current airport will be renovated to push its current capacity of 38 flight movemets per hour to 45. This airport will not shut until NAL reaches full capacity.

However, government indecism have left the tourism industry feeling unsure: “I just hope this is a definitive decision” said Francisco Calheiros, head of the Portuguese Tourism Confederation.

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