The Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing has announced that most of the nine proposed amendments put forward by the concessionaire have been deemed relevant and widely agreed upon.
Notable changes include the reduction of the maximum runway length, the increase in distance between runways to allow for independent triple operation, and the addition of contact parking positions.
“In the letter sent to the concessionaire, the Government confirms the need to update certain minimum specifications set out in the Concession Contract, which have become partially outdated in light of developments in the aviation sector,” a statement issued by the Government said today.
This need had already been identified by the Government in a message sent to ANA on January 16, 2025.
During the consultation process, more than 100 entities were consulted, including major airlines and ground handling services, public entities such as NAV Portugal, the National Civil Aviation Authority, the Air Force, municipalities, and other operators related to airport operations. The report was submitted to the executive on July 16.
While the legal process to update the specifications in the concession contract is underway, the Government considers it feasible for ANA to proceed with preparing the subsequent reports—environmental and technical—based on the optimized versions of the specifications already validated by the State.
However, the ministry headed by Miguel Pinto Luz emphasizes that the communication sent to the airport concessionaire “does not constitute formal acceptance of the Complete Application, which will be evaluated as stipulated in the Concession Contract.”
The executive highlights that the new airport project remains on schedule, with the delivery of the Environmental Report expected by January 2026.
The Government also reinforces its commitment to “transparency, technical rigor, and the defense of the public interest,” noting that the executive summary of the Consultation Report and the formal response to the concessionaire are available on the IMT—Mobility and Transport Institute’s website.
According to the initial proposal submitted by ANA Aeroportos at the beginning of the year, the opening of the new Lisbon airport is projected for mid-2037, or, with timeline optimizations to be negotiated with the Government, by the end of 2036.
The initial estimates by the concessionaire for the new Luís de Camões airport at the Alcochete Firing Range suggest costs of 8.5 billion euros, with 7 billion financed through debt issuance.
[Updated at 5:22 PM]
