Fraport signs concession to develop airports in Brazil

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Porto Alegre Airport, picture credit Rhcastilhos, commons.wikimedia.org


Fraport has signed concession agreements to manage and develop Fortaleza and Porto Alegre airports following a government public auction in Brazil.

A new company, Fraport Brasil will take over operations by the beginning of 2018, and it will be required to develop the infrastructure at the airports via a ‘Mandatory Construction Program’ that includes expanding existing terminals, extending runways, refurbishing taxiways and apron areas and re-designing the road system.

Fraport senior executive vice president for Global Investments and Management, Aletta von Massenbach says Fraport is working closely with the existing operator – Infraero – along with the Civil Aviation Secretary of the Brazilian Presidency, the National Civil Aviation Agency and other state institutions to advance the transition for handling over operations.

Von Massenbach says: “The concession agreements outline vital mandatory infrastructure projects that will significantly enhance overall operations, service performance and capacity – thus benefitting airlines, passengers, airport business partners, as well as helping drive economic development in the respective airport regions served by Fortaleza and Porto Alegre airports.”

The concession for Fortaleza will run for 30 years and 25 years at Porto Alegre.

Andrea Pal has been appointed chief executive officer (CEO) of Fraport Brasil, having spent more than 16 years in the international airport business, and the last seven years at Northern Capital Gateway – the consortium involving Fraport managing Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Pal says she is honoured to serve as CEO, and is excited to move from one BRIC country in the Northern hemisphere to one in the South.

She says: “I look forward to leading the Fraport Brasil team in South America’s largest market.  Our commitment is to create two modern, efficient and customer-oriented gateways.  By leveraging Fraport’s extensive expertise and the energy of our future team that we are attracting to Fraport Brasil, we will successfully launch a new era of air transportation at Fortaleza and Porto Alegre.”