As of today, Faro Airport will be renamed Gago Coutinho Airport, in honour of the admiral born in São Brás de Alportel, Algarve, who made the first air crossing of the South Atlantic, on a trip between Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro in January 1922.
The airport's official renaming ceremony was presided over by Prime Minister António Costa, in a celebration that was attended by the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Pedro Nuno Santos, the Chiefs of Staff of the Navy, Air Force and Army, mayors and officials of political positions in the region and national civil and commercial aviation entities. Also present was the CEO of VINCI Concessions and President of VINCI Airports, Nicolas Notebaert.
In the year of the 100th anniversary of this historic milestone in aviation, it is fitting to emphasize that one of the decisive factors for the success of this trip was the invention, by Gago Coutinho, of an air navigation device – a new type of sextant – which, having proved effective in navigation between the Tagus River and Guanabara Bay, it was later used in the following decades in the aeronautical industry.
The official name of this airport was approved by the Government in the Council of Ministers last June.
For the president of VINCI Airports, Nicolas Notebaert, “this is a well-deserved tribute, because it is about celebrating a man from the region who made history in world aviation. Therefore, it is only fair that Faro Airport honours Admiral Gago Coutinho, taking into account that this is a very relevant infrastructure for the region and for the country, where we have already invested more than 100 million euros., and we continue to invest. One of the most recent investments was the construction of a photovoltaic plant. It is the first at an airport in Portugal, where we plan to build 6 more, putting Portuguese airports at the forefront of environmental sustainability in the next decade. In this way, we reaffirm our commitment to the country and to all the regions where we have airports and, once again, guarantee that we will continue to work, together with the regions, to narrow distances and connect people and cultures."
Opened in 1965, Faro airport, now Gago Coutinho Airport, is the main tourist airport in Portugal and plays a key role in the country's economic development, by serving the main tourism hubs in southern Portugal and Spain.
The airport recorded a record number of passengers in 2019, with a total of 9.1 million. In Faro, this summer, 27 regular companies have operate from the airport in Faro, travelling to 63 destinations, operating 75 routes.
Source https://postal.pt/
