Portela Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Portela Airport
Lisbon Airport
nativename = "Aeroporto da Portela"
"Aeroporto de Lisboa"
nativename-a =
nativename-r =


image-width =
caption =
IATA = LIS
ICAO = LPPT
type = Public
owner =
operator = ANA Aeroportos de Portugal
city-served = Lisbon
location = Portela de Sacavém
elevation-f = 374
elevation-m = 114
coordinates = Coord|38|46|53|N|09|08|09|W|type:airport
website = http://www.ana.pt/portal/page/portal/ANA/
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 03/21
r1-length-f = 12,484
r1-length-m = 3,805
r1-surface = Asphalt
r2-number = 17/35
r2-length-f = 7,874
r2-length-m = 2,400
r2-surface = Asphalt
stat-year =
stat1-header =
stat1-data =
stat2-header =
stat2-data =
footnotes =

Portela Airport, also known as Lisbon Airport Airport codes|LIS|LPPT, is located within the city of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. In Portuguese, it is called "Aeroporto da Portela", "Aeroporto da Portela de Sacavém", or "Aeroporto de Lisboa". It takes its name from the neighbouring parish ("freguesia") of Portela, also known as Portela de Sacavém.

The airport is the main international gateway to Portugal and a major European hub. It is one of the largest airports in Southern Europe. The airport has two main runways, capable of accommodating large-size aircraft such as the Boeing 747. During World War II, as the neutral airport was open to both German and British airlines, it was a hub for smuggling people into, out of and all around Europe. As such, it was heavily monitored by both Axis and Allied spies. In 2007, the airport handled 13 392 059 passengers and 82 879 tonnes of cargo. [ [http://www.ana.pt/portal/page/portal/ANA/ ANA] ] The airport is the main base-hub of TAP Portugal. The airport is run by State-owned company ANA Aeroportos de Portugal.

The airport was opened on 15 October, 1942, with four 1,000 m runways. It quickly expanded, with extended runways and a new terminal. It also expanded its parking facilities to allow more aircraft movements (110 437 in 2002).It has six jetways.

Replacement

The airport is now completely surrounded by urban development, being one of the few airports in Europe located inside a major city. This has led to a national debate on whether to keep the present location or to build a new airport, where this last option was taken. Initially, Ota, a village 50 km north of Lisbon, was chosen as one of the sites for the new airport. In 2007 an independent study coordinated by the Portuguese Industry Confederation (CIP) suggested Alcochete as an alternative location (see Alcochete Airport). In Alcochete a military training facility currently occupies the site, but the military agreed to abandon the location provided they could transfer their facility to a different area. A second government-contracted study led by the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering (LNEC) [ [http://www.moptc.pt/tempfiles/20080110143959moptc.pdf LNEC study favouring Alcochete as the location for Lisbon's new airport, in portuguese] ] concluded in late 2007 that Alcochete was the best location.

The Selection of Alcochete was announced in January 10 2008, more than 35 years after the first capacity increase studies were initiated. Portuguese prime minister José Sócrates announced that Alcochete was the preliminary choice, to be finalized after public consultation. [ [http://economia.publico.clix.pt/noticia.aspx?id=1316214&idCanal=57 Alcochete airport announcement, in portuguese] ] . [ [http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2008/01/10/afx4516319.html Portugal's new Lisbon airport to be built in Alcochete for 4.9 bln eur - PM] from Forbes online, January 10 2008] The location of Alcochete as the construction site of the future Lisbon Airport was confirmed by the Portuguese Government on 8 May, 2008 [ [http://www.portugal.gov.pt/Portal/PT/Governos/Governos_Constitucionais/GC17/Conselho_de_Ministros/Comunicados_e_Conferencias_de_Imprensa/20080508.htm Portal do Governo ] ]

Interim solution

In November 2006, the company operating the airport, ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, announced an expansion plan for some airport structures, in order to respond to current passenger traffic growth trends and full capacity use of the airport, until the new Lisbon international airport is finished in 2017.

This plan involves the construction of Terminal 2 (concluded and operational since August 2007) and expansion of the current main terminal, with new boarding gates, new airbridges and new parking positions and a more efficient use of currently existing structures and a new underground (metro) station. The plan should be completed 2010.

Currently, Terminal 2 is used for domestic regular flights while the main building (now denominated as Terminal 1) operates all international regular and charter flights. The usage of Terminal 2 as a low cost terminal was referred in the media, but no actual decision was made (it would be difficult to explain unless different fees were charged for terminal 1 and 2, not currently the case).

Airlines and destinations

Destinations by airlines

Cargo airlines

*Agroar Carga Aérea
*DHL Airways
*FedEx Express
*Flyant
*Star Air
*Swiftair
*TAP Cargo
*TNT Airways
*UPS

2007-2010 improvement and expansion plan

Source: Aeroportos de Portugal [http://www.ana.pt/ngt_server/attachfileu.jsp?look_parentBoui=7894331&att_display=y&att_download=y]

References

External links

* [http://www.ana.pt/portal/page/portal/ANA/AEROPORTO_LISBOA/ Aeroporto de Lisboa / Lisbon Airport (official site)] pt icon and en icon
*WAD|LPPT
* [http://azworldairports.com/airports/p2320lis.htm A-Z World Airports: Lisbon Airport (LIS/LPPT)]
*Presentation of the [http://www.ana.pt/ngt_server/attachfileu.jsp?look_parentBoui=5118428&att_display=n&att_download=y Portela Airport expansion plan] 2007-2017 (in Portuguese)