The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) extended the deadline until March 30 to decide whether to accept the request of Lima Airport Partners (LAP) to modify the Master Plan for the Jorge Chávez International Airport’s expansion.
As is known, LAP insists on its proposal to build a second terminal. This one will operate alongside the current one – which will grow according to demand – starting in 2025.
If the approval is not given, LAP will be forced to build a new terminal for 37 million passengers to replace the current one that has to be ready in 2025.
Although it was initially established that the Jorge Chávez International Airport’s expansion would be ready in 2025, LAP proposes that the term be extended until 2035.
In mid-December 2021, LAP began negotiations with the MTC to adjust the proposal. Such should have ended on February 28, but did not. Afterward, the deadline was extended until March 30 to decide whether to accept LAP’s request to modify the Master Plan for the Jorge Chávez International Airport’s expansion.
Now there are already 105 days of negotiations, which implies that the project will be extended for at least that same period.
For this reason, it would no longer have to be delivered in January 2025, but in May 2025.
What is LAP Looking For?
The modifications to the plan proposed by LAP imply that the airport’s expansion will be carried out in two phases, which would last until 2035.
LAP presented in May 2021 its proposal to modify the Airport Development Plan to determine if the airport could continue using the current air terminal and add a new terminal, smaller than planned.
This proposal was rejected by both the MTC and the Supervisory Agency for Investment in Transportation Infrastructure for Public Use. Their technical opinion indicated that having two terminals was not in the initial LAP’s proposal.
Despite this, LAP began negotiations with some adjustments to its proposal.
What Do the Unions Think?
The air transport unions were against this change, as it would further delay the original terminal expansion project.
The Association of International Air Transport Companies’ CEO, Carlos Gutiérrez, commented to Gestión that these LAP changes are of concern. Plus up to now they have not presented a formal proposal on how the aircraft will operate.
In addition, he indicated that the LAP changes could move the plans of airlines interested in operating in the country.
See also: Peruvian Government Initiates Expropriation Processes for Airport Expansion
