Lisbon Airport changes the name to Humberto Delgado Airport

The main commercial airfield of Portugal, Lisbon Airport (IATA code LIS) is about to be renamed. As from May 15, 2016 it will be officially known as Humberto Delgado Airport, in honour of the late Portuguese politician and air force general.

The decision was announced on a press conference on February 11, two days before the 51 anniversary of Delgado’s assassination and follows the notion of renaming the airport presented by the Municipality of Lisbon and unanimously approved by the government on February 11 2015 when the now prime-minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa was Lisbon’s mayor.

Humberto Delgado, known as the Fearless General, was an important figure of the opposition to Salazar’s dictatorship and a runner for presidency in 1958. Assassinated by Salazar’s secret police PIDE in 1965 while exiled in Spain, just three years before the collapse of the Portuguese regime, Humberto Delgado left a legacy of integrity, discipline and dedication to the  patriotic cause.

A General of the Air Force, Humberto Delgado is also considered the father of the Portuguese civil aviation, having presided the creation of Transportes Aéreos de Portugal – TAP, the Portuguese flag carrier.

Lisbon Airport is also referred to as Portela, or Lisbon Portela Airport, due to its location in the Portela neighbourhood (Portela de Sacavém). This name is widely used by the locals and is most likely to remain so. Since, as of early 2016 the Portuguese capital boasts only one airport, the indication “aeroporto” is usually sufficient to find one’s way to it in a taxi or on public transportation.

The airport is located approximately 4 miles north of Downtown Lisbon. It is served by major European airlines, both regular and low-cost. In 2015, Lisbon Airport registered a substantial growth, having served over 20 million passengers, a number which represents an over 10% increase over the year 2014.