In recent years, Brazil's major airports have proven to be woefully unprepared to effectively deal with the dramatically increasing number of visitors from abroad and the nation's rapidly expanding domestic air travel sector. With two major international events on the books that will attract even more passengers - the World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Olympic Games - the government is hard at work updating its aging and inadequate transportation infrastructure.
Airports Lag Behind Passenger Volume
São Paulo's Guarulhos International, Brazil's busiest airport, drives
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| Guarulhos |
home the point with alarming facts and statistics. According to a recent survey conducted by the New York City-based Americas Society / Council of the Americas, the facility's traffic has doubled in just the past seven years, yet it has not added a new terminal or runway since it was inaugurated in 1985.
(Click here for an insider's tips on getting through Guarulhos more quickly.)
Conditions across the country are quite similar: Nationwide, the number of passengers has doubled during the past decade. Last year, it's estimated that Brazil's airport processed 180 million travelers - a number that's close to the country's population. With that kind of overload, it's not surprising that many frequent travelers give Brazil's major airports low marks for efficiency, services and comfort.
Privatization to the Rescue?
In an attempt to head off a crisis before soccer fans from around the world begin to invade the country next year, the Brazilian government has decided to jumpstart the long-overdue process of expanding and improving key airports by allowing private firms to take over their management. During the past several months, long-term contracts worth approximately US$14 billion have been awarded to firms for the management of airports in São Paulo, nearby Campinas and Brasilia, the national capital. In addition to running the airports, the firms are required to make the needed improvements.
Historically, the country's method of airport management can be traced to 1972, when the military dictatorship created the Brazilian Airport Infrastructure Enterprise, or Infraero, as it is known by its Portuguese acronym. The entity was overseen by the Brazilian Air Force until 1999, and as recently as 2009 it managed airports responsible for 97% of the country's air transport activity. In an attempt to allow the private sector to gradually assume a larger role, the government is expected to grant more concession contracts, valued at nearly US$6 billion, later this year.
Air Traffic Control Complicates Matters
The Brazilian air force still has responsibility for air traffic control. A number of accidents and traffic tie-ups during the past several years have led to a partnership with the U.S. Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) to improve the air traffic control system. At the same time, the country's military is preoccupied with providing security for the upcoming mega-events. No-fly zones will be enforced around the sites of soccer games and Olympic competitions, and the military is acquiring new armaments such as surface-to-air missiles to bolster defense capabilities.
Viracopos airport in Campinas - Airport of the Future?
Not every Brazilian airport is a nightmare (although many travelers in
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| Rendering of the new Viracopos terminal |
the region rate Guarulhos as the worst airport). Located just 62 miles from São Paulo, Viracopos International Airport, which primarily serves the city of Campinas, is becoming increasingly favored as an alternative to airports in São Paulo and even Rio de Janeiro. Good weather is part of the reason: It is almost never closed due to climactic conditions. Direct bus service to São Paulo, taking about an hour, makes using Viracopos attractive for passengers traveling from other cities. In many cases, fares are substantially less than for direct flights to Brazil's largest city.
Indeed, some aviation experts predict that within a few years, Viracopos will become the country's busiest airport.
The facility is currently undergoing a US$1.5 billion upgrade, with a second runway and new passenger terminal in the works. Serving about nine million travelers a year, Viracopos ranks second in the country for freight handled and ninth for passengers served.
