The government postpones the promised renovation of Nantes-Atlantique airport

2023-09-28 19:30:00

It was a promise from the State after the abandonment of the Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport project in January 2018: the Nantes-Atlantique airport was going to be redeveloped as soon as possible. Five years later, little has really progressed. To the great dismay of local elected officials and travelers who are growing impatient with saturated and aging equipment. And the latest decision of the State is not likely to resolve the situation. According to Le Figarothe call for tenders for the designation of a new concessionaire was canceled by the government.

This new concessionaire, which was to succeed Vinci Airports, would have been in charge of operating the airport and carrying out the renovation work. It was planned, in particular, to modernize and expand the terminal, create covered parking lots, as well as renovate and extend the airport runway.

Last March, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) assured that the concessionaire would be designated “during 2023”. The lack of candidates for the tender may have dampened the state’s appetite. Only Vinci has made it known that he is applying for his own succession. Nothing will happen from now on without relaunching a new call for tenders, a process which will still require several years of waiting.

The extension of the runway abandoned?

It is also said that the extension of the airport runway (an additional 400 meters to the south) should be abandoned. Costly and contested by local residents, this extension was nevertheless the main decision taken by the State following two months of public consultation in 2019. It should, theoretically, make it possible to reduce the noise pollution suffered during the construction phases. landing, by populations living north of the runway (Nantes, Rezé, Bouguenais).

His renunciation will revive the memory of the electoral consultation organized in 2016 in Loire-Atlantique, the result of which was favorable to the transfer of the current airport. Less than two years later, the state passed an opposite decision on the ballot.

Ninth French airport in terms of attendance, Nantes-Atlantique transported 5.8 million passengers in 2022 and should have more than 6 million in 2023. Its traffic record dates back to 2019 (7.2 million passengers), just before Covid .

More information to follow…/…