Thierry Ligonnière, the CEO of ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal, revealed that the company is making investments of 120 million euros in national airport infrastructure this year, as reported by Postal.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ANA was speaking at the opening day of the 7th edition of the Portugal Air Summit, in Ponte de Sor, as per him, the company is “working” on “planning the future” of its infrastructures.
“Not just in Lisbon, but in all our airports,” he said, adding that, at the same time, ANA teams “are also looking at the near future of existing airports.”
He further added that,
“this year, we are implementing and delivering a plan with 120 million euros of investments”.
Thierry Ligonnière recalled that “major operations are underway” at Porto airport, in a “very impactful, very sensitive investment of 50 million in what is the airport’s biggest asset, which is its runway”.
“There are obviously operations in Faro, in the terminal area, on the airport roof”, which represent an investment of “around 20 million”, he added.
It's to be mentioned that the number of passengers passing through the airport Faro in the first half of 2024 it increased by 3,3% compared to the same period last year, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE).
The CEO of ANA also stated that, in Madeira, the company is investing “over 50 million” in the “new Porto Santo airport terminal”.
In turn, in the Azores, the CEO of ANA stressed, without specifying the amount invested in this case, the company is “currently intervening in the terminals of Ponta Delgada and Horta”.
And, within the scope of planned investments in national airport infrastructures, Humberto Delgado Airport, in Lisbon, is also no exception, according to the executive president of ANA, who complained, however, of some difficulties in this process.
The company will, “naturally”, carry out works in Lisbon, “if we can move forward with the investments, if we can actually obtain the necessary licenses to be able to move forward with these investments”, he highlighted, recalling that there is “some debate at the moment, on this matter”, which “is known” and “is in the media”.
“But we have our teams working, we have the projects ready, we have a magnificent project to expand Terminal 1, to create a new parking area, and also to expand Terminal 2,” he said.
In addition, works are planned that “are normally invisible to the general public, but which contribute” to the operation and functioning of the airport.
In his speech, Thierry Ligonnière also indicated that this year will be marked by “new records” for air traffic at airports in Portugal.
“We are approaching or surpassing some symbolic traffic thresholds”, such as “35 million passengers in Lisbon, 15 million in Porto, almost 10 million in Faro, four million in Madeira” and getting “closer to three million, now increasingly, in Ponta Delgada”, he explained.
Passenger numbers that “say something”, according to the CEO of ANA, stressing that the country has also taken steps forward in terms of air connectivity: “It was another fantastic year [2024], 67 additional routes, including 40 new destinations”.
The Portugal Air Summit takes place until Saturday at the Ponte de Sor Municipal Aerodrome, under the theme 'Flying 4 Change'.
In May this year, ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal had signed a contract with Acciona for the structural reinforcement of the runway at Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, worth 50 million euros.
The project began on July 31st and will last for 19 months, the intervention planned at Porto airport was on the track and adjacent areas, namely:
In another development, ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal intends to increase taxes only at Lisbon airport. The proposal for 2025 is an increase of 2.85%, equivalent to 0.45 euros per passenger, according to Negócios. Airports in the Azores and Madeira will not be included.
