Christine M. Watterson
Maó
Menorca airport has sufficient capacity to cover demand until 2020, without further major investment or the construction of new infrastructure, especially following the alterations carried out in the embarkation and check-in areas. Airport Director, Tomás Melgar, explained that the revision of the Plan Director (currently on public display) does not contain objectives but actions to be carried out "always linked to reality", i.e. traffic forecasts, which are now lower than those contained in the original document. The revised plan reduces the forecasted traffic in 2010 to a minimum of 2.74 million passengers and a maximum of 3.22 million and in 2020 to 3.36 million and 5.05 million passengers respectively.
Melgar stated that the airport is already equipped to handle these 5 million passengers without further extension to the airfield, terminal or services area.
Projects shortly to be started include the northern check-in area and a four-storey car park (two of the storeys being underground) which will provide parking for 932 cars and should be in use by 2010. The existing control tower, built in 1969, is to be replaced as it is now obsolete and an ILS system, currently undergoing trials, is to be installed. A building previously used for security checks is to be converted for use for general aviation services and the 40-year old sewage plant is to be replaced as it is now too small.
According to the Director, no expansion of the airfield is planned but other actions will be carried out to improve the safety aspect. One of these will be to provide a 150-metre wide safety zone on either side of the runway which will involve removing any obstacles but not require resurfacing.
Runway Repairs
Melgar stressed that actions to be carried out at the airport in the next few years will be "minimal" and mainly in connection with maintenance.
One such project, due to start next year, is for improvements to the surface of the runway and taxi lanes. This was put out to tender last week and is expected to cost in the region of 7 million euros.
Inauguration
Although already in use, the third phase of extensions to the airport terminal was only officially opened on Saturday. The project, which started in 2004, has cost 157.7 million euros.
During his inaugural speech, the Regional Minister for Public Works, Buildings etc., José Blanco, spoke of the important role played by air transport in the Balearic Islands and issued an assurance that his ministry is constantly analysing the services offered in respect of connections to the other islands and the Spanish mainland.
He also referred to measures introduced to encourage companies to fly to the Balearics "bringing more passengers to the Islands" and helping to boost tourism. These include a temporary freeze on airport and navigation taxes from next year and increasing the bonus on taxes applicable to passengers to 30%.