"We will inaugurate T2 [Terminal 2] in October of this year," revealed the head of the Infrastructure, Mobility, and Housing Commission, also assuring that the initially planned schedule for the Portela construction is proceeding as planned.

At issue are improvement and expansion works implemented by the airport concessionaire, ANA, to increase capacity from the current 38 to 45 movements per hour by 2028.

The works at Humberto Delgado Airport, awarded to the Mota-Engil and Vinci consortium, involve an investment of over 233 million euros and aim to alleviate current infrastructure congestion until the new Luís de Camões Airport in Alcochete opens.

At the beginning of the year, the Public Prosecutor's Office filed a challenge to the Supreme Administrative Court, considering the need to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the first phase of the Portela improvement works, which also includes the expansion of Terminal 1 and the creation of an aircraft apron.

The Portuguese Environmental Association (APA), in turn, argues that an environmental assessment would not be necessary at this stage, as it would not affect the increase in infrastructure capacity. It envisages conducting a study only for the increase in flight capacity. This position is shared by ANA and the executive branch, which, at the time, filed a challenge to the administrative action.