Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón International Airport (AQP), located in the city of Arequipa, Peru, is planning to expand its passenger terminal. The project is part of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications´s (MTC) portfolio. The project will improve the quality and level of service offered to passengers and will make air transportation to and from the White City sustainable.
The concessionaire of the Second Set of Provincial Airports, Aeropuertos Andinos del Perú S.A., began preparing the technical file for the work on August 11 of this year.
Arequipa (AQP) is the third airport with the highest passenger traffic in Peru, behind Lima and Cusco, according to Aviacionline figures obtained through CORPAC indicate 1,990,820 passengers flew to AQP from mostly domestic and international destinations and 15,746 aircraft operations during 2019.
Sanitary restrictions have hit the nation’s air sector through July 2021 only 19.95% of passenger volume and 26.55% of area operations has recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
Although the epidemiological situation has affected the recovery of international travel, a rebound in domestic flights is projected in the coming months as airlines resume routes and begin new destinations.
The project contemplates the following changes:
- The customer service areas will grow from 2,985 m2 to 4,734 m2 an increase of approximately 58%.
- The loading hall would be expanded from 794 m2 to 1478 m2.
- The arrival hall would be expanded from 488 m2 to 679 m2.
- The departure hall would be enlarged from 255 m2 to 679 m2.
- The X-ray security checkpoint area would grow from 170 m2 to 354 m2.
- The baggage area would grow from 964 m2 to 1534 m2.
- Waterproofing of the building against rainfall
- The implementation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), a space for emergency attention in compliance with aeronautical regulations.
The total investment required for the works is 58 million soles (approximately USD 1.4 million). The technical file is scheduled to be completed, evaluated and approved by December 2022.
Current operations from Arequipa (AQP) are as follows:
- LATAM Airlines 64 weekly flights from Lima (LIM).
- LATAM Airlines 3 flights per week from Cusco (CUZ)
- SKY Airlines 21 flights weekly from Lima (LIM)
- SKY Airlines 1 flight weekly from Cusco (CUZ)
- VIVA Peru 3 flights weekly from Cusco (CUZ)
- JetSmart 1 weekly flight from Santiago (SCL) (Only international operation)
