ANA airports authority has dismissed a report by GPIAAF (the civil aviation accident investigation authority) which has warned of the risks of take-offs using reduced power on Lisbon’s main runway.
The issue developed from a GPIAFF investigation into why an easyjet A320 airbus left the runway at a lower altitude than stipulated.
Said GPIAFF, the incident back in April showed take-offs could have “serious consequences” in the event of engine failure.
But ANA has labelled the report “alarmist”, stressing that airport security is “strategic” and has always been a priority for the company.
A source told Lusa that not only does ANA have national safety certificates, it complies with European and international regulations.
The GPIAFF ‘scare’ came as in the wider context easyJet has been bemoaning the “loss of opportunities that won’t be repeated” as the short-term expansion of the airport to Montijo seems to be stuck in bureaucracy.
Despite a new environmental impact study having been compiled, there is still no government decision either way.
Indeed there is still no certainty that the Montijo plan will be officially passed.
Presenting his company’s latest figures, easyJet director José Lopes told reporters that the Portuguese economy “cannot wait for the conclusion of works at the airport and the adaptation of Montijo”.
Other ways have to be found to “find solutions to increase capacity and the attraction of the capital”, he stressed, as if they aren’t Portugal will start losing out to better equipped destinations that are suddenly seeing a return of touristic interest.
Lopes named Greece, Turkey, Israel and Egypt.
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