Brazil: Porto Alegre Airport to resume operations in October
Operations at Salgado Filho International Airport in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, one of the country’s busiest, will resume in October after unprecedented flooding in the region disrupted flights in May.
The airport, operated by Fraport, had its runways and corridors submerged in water due to heavy rains that hit Rio Grande do Sul, of which Porto Alegre is the capital, causing the death of more than 180 people.
Flights to and from the airport had been temporarily suspended due to damage to the runway and terminals. The Government allowed airlines to operate at the nearby Canoas Air Base, but on a reduced basis because it did not have adequate infrastructure.
The government indicated last Thursday night that operations at Salgado Filho will resume as of October 21, initially with 128 daily flights. Airlines have already received authorization to sell tickets for flights to and from Porto Alegre.
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The airport is expected to operate at full capacity as of December 16, the government added.
“Initially there will be more than 3,000 flights per month, which will undoubtedly accelerate the recovery of the state’s economy,” said the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho.
Azul, one of Brazil’s largest airlines, said in a statement Friday that it will be the carrier with the most available slots when operations resume, planning to operate up to 60 flights per day.
The airline has already started selling tickets for flights connecting Porto Alegre with destinations such as Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte.
LATAM Airlines also began selling tickets to and from Porto Alegre.
Starting October 21, the airline will operate 10 daily flights between Salgado Filho airport and 3 other destinations in Brazil. The offer increases from October 27, with 15 to 17 daily flights to 5 domestic destinations. The resumption of 100% of flights in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul will take place from December 16, when LATAM will offer 20 to 22 daily flights.
With information from Reuters
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