Francisco Mendes International Airport

The airport was closed and replaced for several critical reasons. Its location, embedded within a dense urban area of Praia, made it dangerous and prevented any future expansion. The runway was notoriously short (approximately 1,600 meters), which limited the size of aircraft that could operate and restricted takeoff weight for long-haul flights. The proximity to surrounding hills and the city also posed significant safety risks during takeoffs and landings. The government of Cape Verde decided to build a new, modern airport with a longer runway and up-to-date facilities in a safer location further from the city center to accommodate larger, modern jets, boost international tourism, and meet international safety standards. The new airport, Nelson Mandela International Airport (GVNP/RAI), fully replaced its operations.

The former airport site has been completely decommissioned and is undergoing extensive urban redevelopment. Located in a prime area adjacent to the city center (Plateau) and the Achada de Santo António neighborhood, the land has been repurposed for major governmental, diplomatic, and commercial use. Key structures now occupying the former airport grounds include the new National Assembly of Cape Verde, several government ministry buildings, the U.S. Embassy, hotels, and residential and commercial complexes. While parts of the old runway's outline are still faintly visible from satellite imagery, the area has been transformed into a new modern district of Praia, effectively erasing its former aviation function.

Opened in 1961, Francisco Mendes International Airport (former ICAO: GVFM, former IATA: RAI) was the primary gateway to Cape Verde's capital, Praia, and the island of Santiago for over four decades. It was named in honor of Francisco Mendes, an independence leader and the first Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau, a key ally in the region's struggle for independence. The airport was a vital piece of national infrastructure, serving as the main hub for the national airline, TACV (Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde), for both domestic flights connecting the archipelago's islands and international flights. It handled crucial connections to Europe (primarily Lisbon, Portugal), West Africa, and the Americas, serving business, government, and the large Cape Verdean diaspora. Despite its physical limitations, it was central to the economic and social life of the nation until its replacement.

There are zero prospects for reopening the airport. Its function has been permanently and successfully transferred to the much larger and more modern Nelson Mandela International Airport. The original site has been irreversibly redeveloped with significant and permanent infrastructure, making any return to aviation use impossible. The land is now far more valuable for its role in the urban expansion of the capital city.