[REVISION HISTORY]

Aena management and expansion of Galeão Airport

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2026-10-13 23:55 UTC → 2026-10-17 13:41 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Spanish company Aena has assumed management of Rio de Janeiro’s Galeão International Airport through a concession agreement lasting until 2039. Following a R$ 2.9 billion auction, Aena intends to focus on operational efficiency, passenger experience, and cargo transport to establish the terminal as an international hub. To support this goal, Aena is coordinating a R$ 1 billion investment package from private partners over the next three years. Key infrastructure projects include the construction of a 232-room international hotel, a logistics warehouse, a BYD testing center, and a maintenance hangar for GOL Linhas Aéreas valued at over R$ 100 million. These developments are expected to generate approximately 3,860 jobs. By January 2027, Aena aims to increase weekly flight frequencies by over 50 for nine existing destinations, such as Paris, Miami, and Frankfurt, while also launching or resuming service to nine new cities, including New York, Toronto, and Lima. Air France is set to support this growth by expanding its Paris-Rio de Janeiro operations starting May 31, 2027, with two daily flights using Airbus A350-900 aircraft. While passenger traffic is projected to reach 19 million this year, the airport remains well within its 37-million-passenger annual capacity. Aena noted that reopening Terminal 1, closed for a decade, will depend on passenger demand. Additionally, Minister of Ports and Airports Tomé Franca stated that flight restrictions at Santos Dumont Airport will remain in place until 2029 to facilitate Galeão’s growth. Tiago Faierstein, president of the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), emphasized that Brazil’s size requires multiple international gateways, positioning Galeão as a major secondary hub to São Paulo’s Guarulhos airport. Specific private investments include a R$ 430 million logistics warehouse by Hire Capital, a R$ 300 million testing center for BYD, a R$ 100 million hangar for Gol, and a R$ 90 million Accor hotel.

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