A new name for Palma Airport?
Tuesday, February 8th, 2022
When Palma Airport began operating in the early 20th century, it was given the name Son Sant Juan, after the area 8 kilometres east of Palma, where the airfield was built. Now there are calls for it to be renamed. According to a recently launched petition, the airport should be given the new name of “Aeropuerto International Rafael Nadal“.
The successful tennis player is probably one of Mallorca’s most famous personalities. Born on 3 June 1986 in Manacor, he continues to live on the island. With his victory in the Australian Open on 30 January, he became the first male tennis player to win his 21st Grand Slam trophy. At a recent press conference, the tennis star commented that the renaming of the airport would be an honour for him.
Considering the fact that many Spanish airports bear the name of famous personalities, the idea is not that unusual and has already gained some political support. However, whether it will ever get the official seal of approval is far from certain. A similar initiative 5 years ago, suggesting that the airport should receive the name “Aeropuerto Ramon Llull”, failed, after having been hotly debated for some time. This was partly due to the not inconsiderable cost involved in a name change. It remains to be seen whether the current petition for an “Aeropuerto International Rafael Nadal” will be more successful.
