Why Airport Growth Depends on Factors Outside the Terminal

Terminal Capacity Is Not the Issue as Madeira Airport Eyes Further Growth

In a recent interview with RTP Madeira, airport official Thierry Ligonniére said that Madeira Airport still has capacity to handle more passengers and that the terminal building itself is not a barrier to future growth.

According to him, the real constraint lies outside the terminal building. The limiting factor is the aircraft parking area: there is simply not enough space to park additional aircraft.

While the airport can still accommodate a small number of extra jets, the margin is minimal. At most, two or three additional aircraft could be handled, and that would already represent the absolute limit under current conditions. Each occupied parking stand limits the number of additional flights the airport can accept.

Madeira Airport Parking Area May Be Too Small for Demand

We are looking at what the terminal can handle, and especially what the parking area can handle. The terminal is easy to solve, the aircraft parking area is more complicated
Thierry Ligonniére, CEO of ANA Aeroportos, RTP Madeira

Passenger Numbers Depend on Aircraft Size: Why Madeira Airport Has No Clear Ceiling

It was further made clear they cannot give a single, firm ceiling for growth, because the number of aircraft the parking can handle changes with plane size.

With only two or three parking stands available, the number of passengers that could be served may vary depending on the size of the aircraft, since larger planes can carry more passengers than smaller ones.

Is Madeira Going to Have a Second Airport?

Both Madeira’s President Miguel Albuquerque and Aviation Experts have previously called for long-term planning for a potential second airport, emphasizing that it is not an immediate project. He also highlighted the need to strengthen both air travel and digital connectivity to support the island’s growth.

It remains unclear, where the aiport should be located. Past proposals, such as an airport in Paúl da Serra, were dismissed due to high costs, environmental concerns, and difficult terrain.