The 50th anniversary of Faro International Airport was celebrated today along with the news that French owned airports operating company ANA plans to spend €32.8 million to expand and remodel the airport terminal.
The investment aims to increase the airport's capacity from March 2017 when it will be able to cater for 30 aircraft movements per hour, six more than at present.
The airport currently has a planned capacity to handle up to six million passengers per year, but in 2014 it exceeded that amount with 6,116,927 passengers, according to the airport’s director Alberto Mota Borges.
The current 'in and out' flow of passengers currently peaks at 2,400 people per hour. This will increase to 3,000 people per hour when the work is completed.
The development by contractor Mota-Engil is due to start in September 2015 and includes the creation of more operational areas and more public space, an expansion of the retail area, increased security, and a more modern image for the terminal.
