Beja Airport
Encyclopedia
Beja Airport is a portuguese airport that opened doors to civilian flights on April 15, 2011, having scheduled several charter flights to the United Kingdom
and to Cape Verde
. It is the only portuguese airport in Alentejo, the biggest portuguese region, with an area comparable to the size of Belgium
. This airport aims to attract low cost carriers to develop local tourism, namely in the vast region that surrounds Alqueva Dam
, the biggest artificial lake in Europe
. It also looks at the chances of being a logistic platform between the goods that are shipped to the Port of Sines
and whole Europe
.
Beja Airport may also serve as an alternative to busier airports such as Lisbon Portela Airport and Faro Airport
benefiting from lower taxes than these two while being at 150km from Lisbon
, 120km from Faro
and less than 60km from Spain
.
The airbase has also served as one of the Space Shuttle landing sites.
In 2011 a new civilian terminal was built and Beja became also a civilian airport, aiming to attract low cost carriers.
Alentejo is a south-central region of Portugal
. The origin of its name, "Além-Tejo", literally translates to "Beyond the Tagus
" or "Across the Tagus". The region is separated from the rest of Portugal by the Tagus river, and extends to the south where it borders the Algarve. Alentejo is a region known for its polyphonic singing groups, comparable to those found on Sardinia
and Corsica
.
Its main cities are Évora
(region's capital), Santarém
(formerly belonging to Ribatejo
region), Portalegre, Beja, Serpa and Sines
.
Being a traditional region, it is also one of the more recent seven Regions of Portugal (NUTS
II subdivisions). Today Lezíria do Tejo
subregion, formerly belonging to Lisboa e Vale do Tejo
region, is part of Alentejo NUTS II region.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and to Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
. It is the only portuguese airport in Alentejo, the biggest portuguese region, with an area comparable to the size of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. This airport aims to attract low cost carriers to develop local tourism, namely in the vast region that surrounds Alqueva Dam
Alqueva dam
The Alqueva dam is a dam located on the Guadiana River in the Alentejo region. The reservoir is the largest in Portugal and Western Europe.The complex project was made to produce hydroelectric power, irrigation for farms in the surrounding area, as well as a large reservoir where several tourist...
, the biggest artificial lake in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It also looks at the chances of being a logistic platform between the goods that are shipped to the Port of Sines
Port of Sines
The Port of Sines is an open deep-water sea port with excellent maritime access, with no restrictions, leading the Portuguese port sector in the volume of cargo handled, and offering unique natural characteristics able to receive any type of vessels...
and whole Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Beja Airport may also serve as an alternative to busier airports such as Lisbon Portela Airport and Faro Airport
Faro Airport
-Incidents and accidents:*On 21 December 1992, Martinair Flight 495 skidded off the runway in bad weather at Faro Airport killing 54 passengers and two crew out of a total of 340 people on board....
benefiting from lower taxes than these two while being at 150km from Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, 120km from Faro
Faro, Portugal
Faro is the southernmost city in Portugal. It is located in the Faro Municipality in southern Portugal. The city proper has 41,934 inhabitants and the entire municipality has 58,305. It is the seat of the Faro District and capital of the Algarve region...
and less than 60km from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
History
An airbase was established on 21 October 1964, originally built to serve as a training facility for the Luftwaffe, due to airspace limitations within West Germany. Until 1993 it was used particularly for weapons training, and in 1987 the Portuguese Air Force's 103 Squadron using Lockheed T-33 and Northrop T-38 aircraft was relocated from Montijo. After their arrival, the base started to host a mixed array of fixed and rotary-wing trainers, as well as maritime patrol aircraft.The airbase has also served as one of the Space Shuttle landing sites.
In 2011 a new civilian terminal was built and Beja became also a civilian airport, aiming to attract low cost carriers.
Location
Beja (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈbɛʒɐ]) is a city in the Beja Municipality in the Alentejo region, Portugal. The municipality has a total area of 1,147.1 km² and a total population of 34,970 inhabitants. The city proper has a population of 21,658.Alentejo is a south-central region of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. The origin of its name, "Além-Tejo", literally translates to "Beyond the Tagus
Tagus
The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...
" or "Across the Tagus". The region is separated from the rest of Portugal by the Tagus river, and extends to the south where it borders the Algarve. Alentejo is a region known for its polyphonic singing groups, comparable to those found on Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
and Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
.
Its main cities are Évora
Évora
Évora is a municipality in Portugal. It has total area of with a population of 55,619 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Évora District and capital of the Alentejo region. The municipality is composed of 19 civil parishes, and is located in Évora District....
(region's capital), Santarém
Santarém, Portugal
Santarém is a city in the Santarém Municipality in Portugal. The city itself has a population of 28,760 and the entire municipality has 64,124 inhabitants.It is the capital of Santarém District....
(formerly belonging to Ribatejo
Ribatejo
The Ribatejo is the most central of the traditional provinces of Portugal, with no coastline or border with Spain. The region is crossed by the Tagus River...
region), Portalegre, Beja, Serpa and Sines
Sines, Portugal
Sines is a coastal municipality in the district of Setúbal, in the Alentejo Litoral region of the Portuguese Alentejo. Its population in 2011 was over 14260 residents, with a total area of 203.3 km², concentrated on the municipal seat of Sines.-History:...
.
Being a traditional region, it is also one of the more recent seven Regions of Portugal (NUTS
Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics
The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics or Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics is a geocode standard for referencing the subdivisions of countries for statistical purposes...
II subdivisions). Today Lezíria do Tejo
Lezíria do Tejo
Lezíria do Tejo is a Portuguese NUTS III subregion, part of NUTS II Alentejo Region.Lezíria do Tejo belonging to Lisboa e Vale do Tejo Region for planning, but to Lisbon Region in the NUTS scheme, has its main urban center in the city of Santarém and almost coincides with the traditional Ribatejo...
subregion, formerly belonging to Lisboa e Vale do Tejo
Lisboa e Vale do Tejo
Lisboa e Vale do Tejo was one of the five Regions of Portugal . Today two of the subregions are in the new Lisboa Region, two in the Centro Region and one in the Alentejo Region....
region, is part of Alentejo NUTS II region.