Nelson Mandela International Airport
| Praia International Airport | |||||||||||
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| IATA: RAI – ICAO: GVNP | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Aeroportos Segurança Aérea (ASA) | ||||||||||
| Location | Praia, Cape Verde | ||||||||||
| Hub for | TACV Cabo Verde Airlines | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 230 ft / 70 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 14°55′27.12″N 23°29′38.04″W / 14.9242000°N 23.4939000°WCoordinates: 14°55′27.12″N 23°29′38.04″W / 14.9242000°N 23.4939000°W | ||||||||||
| Website | RAI Website | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  RAI Location in Cape Verde | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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Praia International Airport aka Nelson Mandela International Airport (IATA: RAI, ICAO: GVNP) is an airport located on Santiago Island in Cape Verde. It was opened in late 2005, replacing the old Francisco Mendes International Airport. It is located about 3 km northeast of central Praia in the southeastern part of the island of Santiago.
History
The first flight to the new airport was on 23 October 2005. Even though the airport serves the capital and largest city, Praia, Cape Verde's main international airport is Amílcar Cabral International Airport located on the smaller island of Sal.
In January 2012 a Cape Verde government statement noted that Praia International Airport was renamed after South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela, an icon for freedom in Africa,[1] not without controversy.[1]
Airlines and destinations
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Azores Airlines | Ponta Delgada (begins 2 June 2017) |
| Binter Canarias operated by Binter CV | Sal, São Vicente |
| Royal Air Maroc | Casablanca |
| TACV | Bissau, Boa Vista, Dakar, Fortaleza, Lisbon, Maio, Providence (RI), Recife, Sal, São Filipe, São Nicolau, São Vicente |
| TAP Portugal | Lisbon |
References
- 1 2 "Cape Verde Names Airport After Nelson Mandela". All Africa.com. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
External links
Media related to Praia International Airport at Wikimedia Commons