Beja: Thousands of people headed to the airport to see the A380 landing and aparcar.
And Beja was deserted. Thousands of people concentrated along the fence around the Airport parking card to see the largest aircraft in the world.
They were 16,58 hours the Airbus A380 became the track Air Base (BA)11, where he landed for the first time in Portugal, after a first flyby on the airport infrastructure Alentejo.
To understand the importance of the moment, which many described as "the new beginning and a happy future for the airport, Beja and the region ", ended the festival formed a long, long line of cars along 8 kilometers bind, the airport and the city.
since the 14,00 hours many people headed terminal will in expectation of can access the plate, but this was not allowed, not to many media, who were present. When the A380, manned by Portuguese, Commander Carlos Mirpuri, We came to the apron, two fire brigade vehicles BA 11 They christened the plane with water jets.
Hi Fly was weight in Beja and the kids and grads were distributed banners with the phrase "Beja welcomes the A380". Nobody wanted to miss this moment regarded as "historical and leading to the airport of Beja. There is an economic and financial lobby against the Beja airport and in favor of Montijo. This is not a trivial flight. Now we need the road and rail links, in order to be able to be a cost-effective infrastructure ", disse Florival Baioa, Beja the movement deserves +.
Tulio Ramos, a resident citizen in Beja and one of the many people who went to the airport justifies its presence as a "support the sustainability of the same. The arrival of the A380 could be the beginning of a political vision of our leaders to the use of this infrastructure ", adding that "not see the reality, is spending money unnecessarily and create damage to the country to invest in Montijo ", finished.
Luis Salgueiro, the Portuguese Association of Spoters, model airplane pilot and mode Federation judge, moved from Lisbon to Beja, to photograph the A380. "I've been in many airports and cities, and photographed this plane, but this is a unique moment landing in Portugal. I could not miss ", justified.
O Airbus A380, acquired by the Hi Fly Sigapure Airlines, will stay in Beja by the end of next week, with the day today (Tuesday) to be dedicated to institutional visits of local and national entities, First take contact with the aircraft.
Interestingly or maybe not, as six years ago when the inaugural flight which called Beja to Cape Verde, also yesterday (Monday) one C-130 aircraft of the Portuguese Air Force, based in Montijo Base, He has been doing takeoffs and landings, as if to announce "here send us military".
Carlos Bagogo, Chief Financial Officer of Hi Fly
"This is a historic day for national aviation to reach the largest aircraft in the world to Portugal. The first flight will leave Beja to one of the largest airports in Europe, where will the first commercial flight, whose fate was hired 24 hours after certification to operate, but we could not yet disclose the route. We have bases in Beja, Lisboa e Brisbane (Australia), but here we have all the conditions to work the plane. It is a significant bet, but necessary and future ".
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
