In 1973, a single terminal was opened at the airport, with 40 check-in counters, 16 boarding gates and seven baggage belts. As a result, passengers walk a short distance to the terminal, or are picked up by a shuttle bus. Getting through this terminal is really quite fast and uncomplicated. In 2016, it was announced that the airport would be renamed Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport in honour of the world footballer who hails from this very place, Madeira. The official renaming of the facility and the presentation of the bust of Ronaldo at the airport took place on exactly 29 March 2017. Following much controversy over the airport's renaming bust from politicians and the local community, a new bust was made and unveiled on 15 June 2018. Also in 2016, Madeira Airport was modernised and refurbished by the operator ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, the investment included the refurbishment of the terminal area, improvements to the facility, the creation of shopping areas for both domestic and foreign brands. The passenger control area increased from 650 m2 to 1,500 m2, while the passenger waiting and verification area increased from 300 m2 to 650 m2. The project also included the creation of a new transfer hall and three new departure gates. The renovation and investment project also included the reinforcement, re-profiling of the runway and taxiways, thereby increasing the usable area by more than 1,500 m2. Only €11 million was spent as part of this investment.
However, the airport also has several aviation accidents and incidents on its record:
- In 1973, an Aviaco Sud Caravelle 10R aircraft, crashed into the sea during the approach to landing;
- In 1977, TAP Air Portugal Flight 425, a Boeing 727-200, attempted a second landing due to poor weather conditions. Unfortunately, taking too long to land contributed to the aircraft falling down a steep embankment, hitting a stone bridge, the right wing being torn off, and then crashing on the beach, causing a severe fire in the aircraft;
- Also in the same year, 1977, SA de Transport Aérien Flight 730, Sud Caravelle 10R, after being cleared for an approach to land, descended too low, causing the aircraft to crash into the sea; - The last aviation accident occurred in 2003, a Beechcraft plane crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from the airport.
Madeira Airport (port.: Aeroporto da Madeira), opened in July 1964 and officially named Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport since 2017, is an international airport located in Santa Cruz, Madeira and 13.2 km from the regional capital Funchal itself. It is located 58 metres above sea level and is considered to be the third most dangerous airport in Europe, and ninth on the world list, due to its location and runway design. To land at this airport, pilots must undergo additional training.
MADEIRA AIRPORT - INFORMATION
Indeed, Madeira airport is an unusual airport in itself, as it is situated on a peninsula jutting out into the sea. At the end of runway 05 there are hills, cliffs that prevent a traditional aircraft approach to land. Instead, aircraft are forced to make a visual approach, which involves flying around the airport and then circling in a ~180o turn before setting up on a very short final approach. The 05/23 airport runway itself is a tabletop runway, in other words there are steep drops at either end of the runway.
Madeira Airport was officially opened on 07 July in 1964 with a single 1600m runway (06/24) and the first aircraft to land with 80 passengers on board was a Lockheed Constellation aircraft of TAP Air Portugal. Due to the increase in tourist interest in 1972, it was decided that the runway should be extended to 1800 m, which was done in February 1986 by the then President of the Portuguese Republic, António Ramalho Eanes. Meanwhile, in 1973, a new terminal was built at the airport to serve 500,000 passengers. However, this was not the end of the airport's expansion. As the popularity of the island of Madeira grew, the runway was lengthened even further, resulting in a slight correction of the runway direction and a change of designation from 06/24 to 05/23. The length of the newly lengthened runway is now 2781 m, together with the reconstruction of the terminal was inaugurated in October 2002 and on this occasion an Icelandic Being 747-200 by Air Atlanta landed at the airport. This extension was carried out by the Brazilian company Andrade Gutierrez and is recognised worldwide as one of the most difficult bridge constructions, as the further part of the runway was built on a platform, partly over the ocean, supported by 180 columns, each about 70 m high.
Funchal, thanks to this innovative redevelopment, was awarded the Outstanding Structure Award in 2004 by the International Association of Bridge and Structural Engineering, for its innovative, creative yet remarkable completion of construction over the past few years.
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