In a statement, the Intermunicipal Community of Baixo Alentejo (CIMBAL) said that this guarantee was given to the mayors of the intermunicipal council by officials from the airport management company in Portugal, at a meeting held in Beja this week.

The meeting took place following the invitation made, in July, by CIMBAL to ANA, to discuss “the current situation and future perspectives” of Beja Airport.

In the communiqué, the intermunicipal community highlighted “the availability of collaboration shown by those responsible for ANA, welcomed with satisfaction by the mayors of Baixo Alentejo”, and that, “in the near future, joint actions will be developed to promote and dynamise the use of the airport equipment.

“Clear desire”

“It seemed to us that there is a clear desire” on the part of ANA “to grow” Beja Airport “for passengers”, even though it is “a more difficult market” and that “it does not increase overnight”, said António Bota, chairman of the inter-municipal council of CIMBAL.

According to the mayor in Almodôvar, “there is an opening” from ANA so that, “little by little, there are new contracts, new operators and new routes from Beja, which are being studied and presented to the airlines”.

“But the operators do not suddenly stop working at an airport to come to Beja, so it will be a slow progression market, but it will happen”, he reinforced.

António Bota said that “a visit by the mayors was also scheduled” to the Alentejo airport, “to see ‘in loco’ what the existing conditions are”, as well as “the possible expansion” and “the needs that the equipment has”.