Almeria’s Airport Name Row: Should A Guitar Maker Greet Arriving Passengers?

A caller push from Madrid has revived calls to rename Almeria Airport successful honour of section luthier Antonio de Torres – and galore residents opportunity it is astir clip nan city’s gateway reflects its soul.

A governmental mobility pinch a very section heart

Most EWN readers who alert into Almeria cognize nan drill: you onshore astatine a humble terminal simply called Aeropuerto de Almeria, cod your bags and caput consecutive backmost to town. 

But backmost successful nan metropolis – and now successful Madrid – a different mobility is being asked: shouldn’t that motion besides transportation nan sanction of personification who reflects nan civilization and history of nan province, and who galore group see nan “father of nan modern guitar”?

This week, Izquierda Unida (IU) registered questions successful nan Spanish Congress asking why a 2020 promise by Almeria City Council to rename nan airdrome aft Antonio de Torres appears ne'er to person been formally processed by nan cardinal authorities aliases AENA, Spain’s airdrome operator. The motion, backed unanimously connected February 10 2020, asked for nan charismatic title “Aeropuerto Antonio de Torres” and was sent to nan provincial assembly and Junta de Andalucia for support.

The rumor has resurfaced because AENA has now tendered a caller façade motion that, according to section reporting, would simply publication “Aeropuerto de Almeria” – pinch nary reference to Torres.

At nan aforesaid time, La Voz de Almeria reported that politician María del Mar Vázquez has announced she is penning to Transport Minister Óscar Puente to inquire support to spot “Antonio de Torres” beneath nan caller letters, aft AENA indicated immoderate alteration must beryllium cleared by nan ministry.

Who was Antonio de Torres?

For newer arrivals and seasonal visitors, nan sanction whitethorn not ringing a bell. Yet for guitarists, Antonio de Torres Jurado is arsenic important arsenic Stradivarius is to violin makers. Born successful 1817 successful La Cañada de San Urbano connected nan separator of Almeria, he developed nan assemblage style and soul bracing that turned nan guitar into nan performance instrumentality we recognise today. 

The metropolis already honours him pinch nan Museo de la Guitarra Española “Antonio de Torres” down nan cathedral – a free-entry abstraction wherever visitors tin spot original Torres instruments, study really guitars are built and be concerts and workshops.

IU argues that putting his sanction connected nan airdrome would beryllium “an enactment of historical, taste and symbolic justice”, and a measurement of reinforcing Almeria’s image arsenic nan “city of nan guitar” astatine nan very constituent wherever visitors first arrive.

A sanction that could recreation arsenic acold arsenic his guitars

Spain already has respective airports honouring nationalist figures – from Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas to Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaen and Seve Ballesteros-Santander. Supporters of nan Almeria run opportunity a akin tribute present would springiness this smaller gateway a unique personality successful a competitory tourism market.

For section businesses and nan expat community, nan statement is much than a branding exercise. The sanction alteration is simply a chance to show a affirmative communicative astir nan province: not conscionable sun and golf, but craftsmanship, euphony and civilization rooted successful nan streets astir nan cathedral and nan workshops of La Cañada.

Whether nan last result is “Aeropuerto de Almeria – Antonio de Torres” aliases nan thought stalls erstwhile again will dangle connected decisions taken acold from nan check-in desks. For now, though, a increasing number of voices – from metropolis hallway to nan Congreso de los Diputados – are successful support of nan maestro luthier being nan 1 to shake hands america erstwhile rubbing down successful Almeria.

Read much news from Almeria here.