| São Pedro International Airport receives certification | ||||
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São Pedro Airport on the island of São Vicente has been authorized to receive international flights by the Civil Aeronautics Agency. The airport will receive its first international cargo flight today, a Boeing 737 sent by Portuguese airline TAP that will bring equipment for the airline’s international operations on the island. In the view of Mário Paixão, the CEO of airport and air security company ASA, the certification of São Pedro Airport is the culmination of an arduous process that involved many people from his company, as well as from the Civil Aeronautics Agency, construction companies, the São Vicente municipal chamber, the customs department and the National Police, among institutions. “This is reason for great satisfaction and pride. São Pedro Airport will serve to stimulate the development of São Vicente and of Cape Verde as a whole.” The airport’s international debut will take place with the arrival of a cargo plane sent by TAP and operated by Arnaut. “On December 22, the official opening day, we will receive one of TACV’s Boeings, which will fly from Praia to São Vicente and then from São Vicente to Fortaleza [Brazil]. The inaugural flight is expected to take place at approximately 3:00 pm. At 4:00 pm, the aircraft will take off for Fortaleza with passengers from São Vicente,” he explains. According to Paixão, the opening ceremony is expected to see speeches by himself, São Vicente mayor Isaura Gomes, Minister of Infrastructures, Transportation and Telecommunication Manuel Inocêncio Sousa, and Prime Minister José Maria Neves. “This will be followed by a guided visit of the airport and a concert with Tito Paris and the Lisbon Orchestra, and with Cesária Évora and her band,” concludes Paixão. |
