“The government has taken a series of initiatives to build a solution for Lisbon, integrating the airport on the north bank with the new airport on the south bank and, depending on what the evolution of traffic is, it is the only possible solution in the context,” he said.


“We have very little time to make a decision, after years when decisions always evolved in a very unstructured way. So, this is the only plausible solution regarding the times we have ahead of us,” he added.


Neves also added that the infrastructure Portugal has is “limited” against “an outlook for growth” of air traffic and industrial activities.
He recalled that the European aeronautical market “is growing at 11 percent per year,” and Portugal “is said to be an increasingly desirable location,” with “very competitive” market conditions.


In mid-April, airport management company ANA – Portugal airports announced the completion of the environmental impact report (EIA) of Montijo airport, but the conclusions are not yet known, neither by the environmentalists nor by the members.


On 8 January, ANA and the state signed an agreement for the expansion of airport capacity with an investment of €1.15 billion until 2028 to increase the current airport in Lisbon and to transform the air base of Montijo into a new airport for Lisbon.


Portugal’s prime minister António Costa said that he is only waiting for the EIA for the location chosen of the new airport to be “irreversible.”
On 11 January, Costa said that “there is no plan B” for the construction of a new complementary airport in Lisbon in case EIA fails the location in Montijo and has again ensured that “there will be no airport in Montijo” if the EIA does not allow it.