Brazil Air Travel Demand Triples Since 2002

BRASILIA, Brazil -- Demand for flights in Brazil has nearly tripled in the past decade, authorities said Wednesday. That is straining a system that is under pressure to prepare for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

Brazil's civil aviation agency said demand for air travel rose 194 percent in 10 years. Demand in 2011 alone increased 16 percent over the previous year.

In 2002, airlines flew 34.3 million passengers on flights originating in Brazil. That rose to 107.8 million last year, the agency reported.

While airlines are enjoying the boom, air travelers are suffering from packed airports, jumps in ticket prices, and routine delays often caused by woeful airport infrastructure, from poor runways to problems with radar systems that air control operators rely upon.

At least seven airports in the nation require substantial work to make improvements Brazilian officials promised in winning the right to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. The work on the airports is expected to be the most expensive part of Brazil's preparations for the events.

Officials have said the total investment on airport upgrades has jumped from 5.5 billion reals ($3.2 billion) at the beginning of 2011 to 6.4 billion reals ($3.7 billion) by the end of the year.

The government has said all airport upgrades will be finished in time for the World Cup, but none will be fully ready before the Confederations Cup to be held in 2013, the important warmup tournament for the World Cup.

Government officials previously said that five airports were expected to be ready by June 2013, when the Confederations Cup begins, but acknowledged recently that none will be completed by then. Among the key airports being upgraded are those in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

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Comments

[Joao paulo Laranjeira]

10:13 AM on 01/30/2012

You can see it when traveling there .. airports are packed !

Mat
--
http://www.ddi-ddd.com.br

[clebernpp]

01:22 PM on 01/26/2012

No kidding, I was just there and let me tell you, Brazil has a major challenge when it comes to infrastructure.
Not just airports, housing, hotels, hospitals, roads etc...
Brasilia was the only planed city in Brazil, every other major city was built with no planing or a future in mind, therefore it will be sad to see a disastrous World Cup because the country simply don't have the structure necessary for a large event such as a World Cup.
As for the Olympic Games, I feel more confident, because Rio is really ahead of schedule, and the Olympic Villa is being built in a prominent rich neighborhood where money its not an issue and they will shine just like Beijing did.
As for the World Cup, there are simply no time left to build new hotels, airports, expand roads etc...

[sobe123]

03:11 PM on 01/27/2012

Brazil probably bit off with more than it can chew with both the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. GIG is not going to be a pretty sight.

[clebernpp]

03:53 PM on 01/27/2012

I think GRU will be even worst...
I was just in SP and the airport is a mad house, and I feel bad for the brazilians who have to put up with a dysfunctional government.
They should privatize all airports in Brazil, that's their only chance to get a better service.
INFRAERO in a joke...

[sparkybrown7877]

08:53 AM on 01/26/2012

Brazil is "hot" !!!!!