Lisbon Portela Airport, also known as Lisbon Airport (IATA: LIS, ICAO: LPPT), is an international airport located 7 km (4.3 mi) north of Castle of São Jorge in the city of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. In Portuguese, it is called Aeroporto de Lisboa, Aeroporto da Portela, or Aeroporto da Portela de Sacavém. It takes its name from the neighbouring parish (freguesia) of Portela, also known as Portela de Sacavém.
The airport is the main international gateway to Portugal and a major European hub. It is one of the largest airports in southern Europe. The airport has two main runways, capable of accommodating large-size aircraft such as the Boeing 747. During the Second World War, as the neutral airport was open to both German and British airlines, it was a hub for smuggling people into, out of and all around Europe, as widely referenced in the classic Casablanca movie, whose plot revolved around an escape attempt to Lisbon airport. As such, it was heavily monitored by both Axis and Allied spies. In 2010, the airport handled 14,035,273 passengers and 93,871 tonnes of cargo. The airport is the main base-hub of TAP Portugal, and also for easyJet, SATA International, Luzair, euroAtlantic Airways, Hi Fly, Orbest, Portugália and White Airways. The airport is run by state-owned company ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal.
Read more about Lisbon Portela Airport: History, Airlines and Destinations, Busiest Routes, Other Facilities, Accidents and Incidents
Famous quotes containing the word airport:
“Airplanes are invariably scheduled to depart at such times as 7:54, 9:21 or 11:37. This extreme specificity has the effect on the novice of instilling in him the twin beliefs that he will be arriving at 10:08, 1:43 or 4:22, and that he should get to the airport on time. These beliefs are not only erroneous but actually unhealthy.”
—Fran Lebowitz (b. 1950)