Brazil set to upgrade five airports for World Cup

Brazil's federal government will look to carry out restoration and expansion work at five international airports through concessions and public-private partnerships (PPPs), according to presidential chief of staff Antonio Palocci.
February 29, 2012
Brazil's federal government will look to carry out restoration and expansion work at five international airports through concessions and public-private partnerships (PPPs), according to presidential chief of staff Antonio Palocci.

"We will coordinate the airport expansion work with public funds and perform the work through concessions to the private sector," Palocci, without specifying the type of model to be applied.

National civil aviation authority Seac has already defined the criteria for the allocation of services and the government is planning to start the work shortly, government news service Agência Brasil reported.

The airport concessions will require an estimated investment of US$2.55 billion,

Tenders for Guarulhos and Viracopos Airports in São Paulo have been launched, while the Brasilia concession should be launched at the end of May, news service Agência Estado reported.

Tenders for the Cofins Airport in Belo Horizonte and Galeão Airport in Rio de Janeiro are due at the end of June or beginning of July.

The projects will involve building new terminals and runways and expanding road networks, as well as other restoration and modernisation work.

Brazil's airports are one of the government's main concerns in the run-up to the 2014 World Cup. A recent study by government-linked think tank Ipea showed that nine of the 13 airports scheduled for upgrades prior to the event will not be ready in time.
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