Airport type Public Elevation AMSL 230 ft / 70 m Code RAI Phone +238 263 10 10 | Location Praia, Cape Verde Website RAI Website Elevation 70 m | |
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Operator Aeroportos Segurança Aérea (ASA) Hub for TACV Cabo Verde Airlines Address R. do Aeroporto, Praia, Cape Verde Similar TACV Cabo Verde Airl, Pestana Trópico, Pestana Tropico Hotel, Hotel Oasis Atlantico Praiamar, Universid de Cabo Verde (U | ||
Nelson Mandela International Airport (IATA: RAI, ICAO: GVNP), also known as Praia International Airport, is an airport located on Santiago Island in Cape Verde. It was opened in late 2005, replacing the old Francisco Mendes International Airport. It is located about 3 km northeast of central Praia in the southeastern part of the island of Santiago and is in the northern part of the neighbourhood of Achada Grande Tras.
History
The first flight to the new airport was on 23 October 2005. Even though the airport serves the capital and largest city, Praia as well as the island of Santiago, Cape Verde's main international airport is Amílcar Cabral International Airport located on the smaller island of Sal.
Once connected with a single road up to 2009, since that time, it connects with the Praia Circular Road a bypass which links the Praia-Tarrafal and the Praia-Cidade Velha Routes.
In January 2012 a Cape Verde government statement noted that Praia International Airport was renamed after South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela, an icon for freedom in Africa, not without controversy.
In 2013, the annual passenger number reached over 500,000 and numbered 505,497, it also had 8,978 air operations and transported 1,418 tonnes of cargo.
In 2014, additional aircraft parking area was added and accommodated nine planes, mainly Airbus and Boeing planes with three spots for the ATR, also an additional 6,000 square meters of the terminal building were added, Also on June 12, 2014, the runway will be extended to 2,600 meters from 2,100, it will cost about $5 billion escudos (€ 36 Mio)
Starting on June 2, 2017, it will have the first flight with the Azores in the country as Azores Airlines will connect flights with Ponta Delgada and Praia.