Nelson Mandela International Airport (IATA: RAI, ICAO: GVNP), also known as Praia International Airport, is an airport located on Santiago Island in Cape Verde and being the island's airport, also it is Sotavento's only place for international flights. It was opened in late 2005, replacing the old Francisco Mendes International Airport. It is located about 3 km northeast of central Praia in the southeastern part of the island of Santiago and is in the northern part of the neighbourhood of Achada Grande Tras. It is accessed by the Praia Circular Road which serves as an alternate route between the port and the north of the island and Avenida Aristides Pereira, both part of Santiago Primary Route 6 (EN1-ST06) and intersects at the roundabout and the road to São Tomé in the northeast.
Video Nelson Mandela International Airport
About the airport
The IATA 3-letter code for the airport is the second, third and fourth letters of the city name Praia.
The departures area is divided into the national and international areas. The international area has a customs section for passengers entering and exiting the nation. It is the main customs house, which used to be located in the Port of Praia. There is another customs house at the port. It is one of four customs sections in the nation located at the airport. At the arrivals area, there is also the domestic area where there is also a luggage area and the international area with a customs section for passport control for passengers entering and exiting the nation.
To the south of the building is a VIP terminal and a cargo terminal. At the cargo terminal, a portion of the goods goes through the airport. Most of the goods go through the port.
The airport has a control tower for ordering, leaving and moving in the airport. The control tower is also used to control air traffic flying over the archipelago.
At the south end of the airport is car parking and car rentals. There is also a fire station. At the north end is a hangar where planes are built and repaired.
The airport's runway is categorized as 4D, and is 2,103 meters long and 45 meters wide. It is accessed by two taxiways. The airport runways are illuminated 24 hours a day.
The aircraft parking has six stands, and when an additional three are added, will total nine.
Maps Nelson Mandela International Airport
History
The first flight to the new airport was on 23 October 2005 with the TACV flight from Lisbon. Even though the airport serves the capital and largest city, Praia as well as the island of Santiago, Cape Verde's main international airport is Amílcar Cabral International Airport located on the smaller island of Sal.
Once connected with a single road up to 2009, since that time, it connects with the Praia Circular Road a bypass which links the Praia-Tarrafal and the Praia-Cidade Velha Routes.
In January 2012 a Cape Verde government statement noted that Praia International Airport was renamed after South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela, an icon for freedom in Africa, not without controversy.
In 2013, the annual passenger number reached over 500,000 and numbered 505,497, it also had 8,978 air operations and transported 1,418 tonnes of cargo. Also that year, the pavement was degraded and the runway and the taxi ways were repaved and repaired, they used and experimental asphalt that is resistant to UV rays.
In 2014, additional aircraft parking area was added and accommodated nine planes, mainly Airbus and Boeing planes with three spots for the ATR, also an additional 6,000 square meters of the terminal building were added, Also on June 12, 2014, the runway will be extended to 2,600 meters from 2,100, it will cost about $5 billion escudos (EUR 36 Mio).
In April 2017, Binter CV added a flight with São Filipe Airport. Starting on June 2, 2017, it will have the first flight with the Azores in the country as Azores Airlines will connect flights with Ponta Delgada and Praia.
Airlines and destinations
Statistics
See also
- Transport in Santiago, Cape Verde
- List of buildings and structures in Santiago, Cape Verde
References
External links
Media related to Praia International Airport at Wikimedia Commons
- TACV Timetable for Praia
Source of article : Wikipedia
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