The airport authority AENA currently expects the new second runway at Málaga airport to be inaugurated in June and when fully operational, it will allow 72 planes to land and take off each hour compared to the current figure of 37.
The Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is currently carrying out the mandatory inspections necessary for the opening of the new runway, a process which began last August. A few minor deficiencies have already been found, mostly to do with signalling, and a series of instructions have been issued to rectify the problems.
Málaga will become the fourth airport in Spain to have two or more runways after Madrid (4), Barcelona (3), Palma de Mallorca (2) and Gran Canaria (2).
The project began in 2000 and construction started in August 2007. The runway is 2,750 metres long, has a parallel taxiway, four access roads and parking for 27 aircraft. The cost of the project has so far been €400 million.
Adrian Wilkinson says:
Now all we need are the visitors, and some sensible prices and flight times from the airlines!