Sardinia Airport Alghero History

Alghero Airport was born like a military airport during the last world war.

In the following years, runways and ramps were built up. Afterwards, there were the main transformations during the 60's with the hangar on the east side of the airport area, used as the first air teminal.

Only in 1968, a real air terminal was built up: also the runway was extended (during the 70's) from 2,200 mt to the actual 3,000 mt.

Historical military activities at the Alghero Airport come out from pilot's training made by the Basic Flying School SVBI. Basing on this tradition and over the special conditions of the Alghero Airport, the Alitalia Flying School was born few years later.

During the 80's, following the demilitarisation of flight assistance services, Alghero Airport became completely a civil airport.

At the beginning of 90's, Alghero Airport didn't have a good situation, in spite of tourism developments in 60's and 70's. For several reasons (due to late development of the surrounding area), its decline was taken for granted, caused by the indifference of Italian aeronautical monopolist and by the growth of other Sardinian airports really supported by more active managements.

The Sardinian North area, in particular the North-western one, has been living during the first half of 90's a strong operative pushing action from local economic actors, from institutions to public administration, clearly supported by the willing to determine the following social-economic new era and to value local resources and skills (also thanks to European laws, accepted from the Italian Government).

In this uncertain but stimulating atmosphere, the Sassari Province began a new initiative, thanks to the new aeronautical liberalization rules for services and airports. This new way of founding the SO.GE.A.AL SpA (the new management company of Alghero Airport) was followed by the Sassari Chambre of Commerce and the Alghero and Sassari Town Councils; also Sardinia Region gave a strong support and, by the public regional financial company (SFIRS) entered the company property.