Runway rehabilitation works began at the end of July and will take place from Monday to Saturday, between midnight and 06:00 “to minimise the impact on airport operations” throughout the 19 months of work, ANA Aeroportos de Portugal explained in May when signing the contract with Aciona.

When questioned by Lusa, ANA said in a statement that the airport would reopen at 06:00 on the 11th, adding that on this day of total closure, “the remaining interventions will be carried out between 00:00 and 06:00, from Monday to Saturday”, as has been the case until now.

The forecasts indicate that the structural reinforcement works on the runway will be completed in February 2026, ANA also said.

With this rehabilitation operation, which represents an investment of 50 million euros, ANA will “improve the operational conditions of the airport, this being the largest intervention carried out on the runway of this infrastructure”. The intervention on the runway and adjacent areas includes the complete repaving of the wear layer of runway 17-35, interventions to reinforce the structure of the runway, adjustment of the geometry of the strip and the approach line (light signalling) of runways 17 and 35, as well as the replacement of the runway lighting systems with LEDs. The work also includes a complete renovation of the runway drainage system and the installation of civil infrastructure for the implementation of navigation equipment (ILS category II) on runway 35, which will allow operations in low visibility.

The president of ANA explained that “this date was chosen based on the probability of favourable weather conditions”.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed that the conditions will actually be favourable for the works to be carried out”, he said.