The extension of terminal 2 is planned to the west of the existing buildings -
F. Binacchi / ANP / 20 Minutes
The Nice airport extension project, which provides for an additional 25,000 m2, is postponed in the current health context.
"But there will be a great need for this expansion," says Franck Goldanel, the boss of the Riviera platform.
Traffic reduced by 65%, Terminal 1 still closed and prospects for a return to normal not before “three to four years”.
Even if it is doing "much better than other provincial airports", according to its new boss, the one in Nice is still sailing on sight in the Covid-19 crisis and "will take time" to work well his project - contested - of extension.
"Climaticide" according to an association, it is now part of a health context that may have moved the lines.
At the end of the summer, Christian Estrosi explained himself: “Mass tourism is not our target.
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In the meantime, the expansion of Terminal 2, whose work was due to start in 2021, is postponed.
This was announced to the press on Tuesday, Franck Goldanel, appointed on September 21 chairman of the management board of Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur (ACA).
"Work on our communication"
“But there will be a great need for this extension, he also assured.
Just to properly handle the summer 2019 traffic, when our facilities were oversaturated, it would have been necessary.
I will defend the case before the shareholders.
After a record attendance of 14,485,423 passengers last year, Nice airport should close this special year 2020 with a total of 5.5 million visitors.
Franck Goldnadel, new president of the Airports of the Côte d'Azur, Tuesday October 20, 2020 at Nice airport - F. Binacchi / ANP / 20 Minutes
“Traffic will return to normal within three to four years.
And the current crisis will give us time to work well on the substance of the subject and our communication around this project, ”he also said, without wishing to specify a new timetable.
An appeal against the building permit
This “time”, the new manager of the platform would like to use it in particular to convince the detractors of this extension of 25,000 m2 imagined to accompany the increase in attendance.
It should allow the platform to accommodate up to 18 million passengers each year.
The extension will increase the airport's annual capacity by 4 million passengers - Aéroports Côte d'Azur
"An anachronistic and climaticide project", denounces again this Tuesday the citizen collective 06, at war against this expansion, including in court.
The administrative court of Marseille must still rule on an appeal against the building permit, granted at the end of 2019 by the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes.
The metropolis is more discreet on the subject
In the meantime, Christian Estrosi, who had supported the project before the health crisis, is now more discreet on the subject.
Asked Monday by
20 Minutes
, on the need for this expansion, the Nice metropolis, which retains 1% of ACA, did not wish to answer.
At the end of August, on the occasion of a first assessment of the summer tourist season, the mayor of Nice had described "business, cultural and green tourism" as "the dominant ones who will prevail", also assuring that " mass tourism is not our target ”.
The Nice CCI, a 25% shareholder in Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur, privatized in 2016 and majority-owned (64%) by the Azzurra Aeroporti consortium, continues to openly defend the project.
"Nice Côte d'Azur international airport is a structuring facility for the Alpes Maritimes department and its tourist attractiveness", argues its president Jean-Pierre Savarino, praising the "sustainable design" and "environmental standards" retained for the extension.
"The development of terminal 2 will take into account and anticipate the evolution of air traffic while ensuring the best reception and level of service to passengers", he said.
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