abstract
| - Montréal-Mirabel International Airport, frequently shortened to Mirabel, is located in Mirabel, northwest in Montréal. Opened in a rural area in 1975, Mirabel was intended to eventually replace the older Dorval airport. it was the largest in the world in terms of surface area until Saudi Arabia's King Fahd International Airport opened in 1999. When opened in 1975, international flights to Montréal were routed to Mirabel. It was intended that domestic flights would be transferred by 1982 and Dorval would close. However, Mirabel was never popular due to its distance from downtown Montréal. Furthermore, long-range transatlantic flights no longer needed to land to refuel and Toronto became the economic hub of eastern Canada in the late 1970s. As a result, projected air traffic to Montréal never materialised and two airports were not necessary. Today, Mirabel is used for cargo flights only. It is also home to a Bombardier Aerospace manufacturing facility and Bell Helicopter commercial helicopter facility.
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