Bilbao airport

The Bilbao airport is the main public airport located 9km (5.6 mi) north of Bilbao in northern Spain. The IATA airport code is BIO. The Bilbao airport is the key airport of Basque country in northern Spain. The Bilbao airport served 4,172, 903 passengers in 2008. The Bilbao airport is renowned for its new main terminal opened in 2000. Famous architect Santiago Calatrava has designed the new main terminal.

The sleek new terminal has two symmetrical “wings” and a sharp tip placed in the center. The central tip is especially visible when the terminal is approached from the sides and this special designed has earned the Bilbao airport terminal the nickname of La Paloma or “the Dove”. White concrete and glass have been used in making of the terminals. The interiors of the terminals are luminous and open spaces divided into two floors. The upper floor handles the departures from the airport (gates and check in counter) and the lower floor is for arrivals. The new terminal design has not been without its share of criticisms, especially from Aena, the Spanish airports authority. The main criticism against the terminal has been the fact that the terminal is too closed and there is no space for further developments in the terminal. However, nevertheless the criticisms, new modifications have been made in 2005 and 2006 in the check in area, almost doubling the retail space previously available.