Finally, after extensive deliberation among industry stakeholders, the Brazilian government has reversed its decision, and Santos Dumont Airport will no longer have destination restrictions. Instead, an annual passenger quota will be implemented.
This announcement was reached through an agreement between municipalities, governments of various Brazilian states, the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), airlines, and concessionaires. Following negotiations, the Ministry of Ports and Airports ultimately decided to revoke the order issued in August by the National Civil Aviation Council (Conac). According to the ministry, this decision is based on technical considerations and aims to strengthen Brazilian aviation.
As previously reported, the government had planned to implement, starting from January 2nd, measures to reduce operations at Santos Dumont Airport (SDU), located near downtown Rio de Janeiro. The decision was set to take effect from January 2, 2024, restricting flights to just 400 kilometers in a straight line. Airlines were already planning a 25% reduction in flights for the fourth quarter compared to the second quarter of the current year.
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This decision is rooted in the effort to bolster Galeão Airport, which has been experiencing a decline in passenger volume. This decline is exacerbated by economic challenges and security concerns in the metropolitan area of Rio. Therefore, travelers and airlines prefer to arrive at a more central airport with shorter travel times to key tourist and business destinations.
The ministry announced that Santos Dumont will operate without destination restrictions, although there will be a limit of 6.5 million passengers per year. According to the government, this quota aims to ensure service quality and align with the airport’s operational capacity. This new directive will come into effect in January 2024.
