The Pyrenees-La Seu d'Urgell airport reopens after 16 years
The Catalan Government wants to reach an agreement with Andorra for future development of the project. Only small-sized planes can currently land. However, with a further investment, medium-sized planes could operate out of the Catalan Pyrenees.
Barcelona (CNA).- The Pyrenees-La Seu d’Urgell airport reopened this Friday after its closure sixteen years ago. The President of the Catalan Government, José Montilla, told the press that reopening work had cost € 2,9 million. A small investment according to Montilla, given the opportunities it offers to the area. The Catalan Government is now aiming to reach an agreement with the Government of Andorra for the future development of the airport. Currently only small-sized planes can land and it is expected that with the reform medium-sized planes will also be able to use the runways.
The airport runway is 1,2 kilometres long and has a capacity for a hundred 10-seater planes. Joaquim Nadal, the Catalan Minister for Public Works and Territorial Policy, said that in the near future the airport is going to grow and will introduce more hangars. A 300-metre larger runway will be able to offer commercial flights for up to seventy people. Nadal aims to further develop the project with the Andorran Government.
The Catalan President said that the airport offers a service to a sixty square kilometre area and over 130,000 people, 90,000 of which are Andorran. In his inaugural speech, Montilla said that the Catalan Government has made a project dating back to the Republic times (1931-1936) come true. The Pyrenees-La Seu d’Urgell airport, also known as Pyrenees-Andorra, was built in 1976 and opened in 1982, but was closed two years later due to its lack of use. Montilla said that the airport was a project “way ahead of its time”.