The Salgado Filho International Airport in Porto Alegre will resume operations in the second half of December after being closed due to the floods in early May.
The reopening timeline was announced on June 3 by Paulo Pimenta, the Minister of the Extraordinary Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic for the Reconstruction of Rio Grande do Sul. However, the minister stated that the reopening depends on the results of the analysis conducted on the airport’s runway in July.
The airport’s operations were indefinitely suspended by the concessionaire, Fraport Brasil, thirty days ago. In response to Agencia Brasil, the company confirmed the minister’s statements: “For now, we cannot guarantee a timeline. There is an expectation that, if evaluations are positive, it will reopen in December.”
In a public statement, Fraport Brasil confirmed that testing and surveys began assessing the soil’s resistance on Monday. The evaluation will cover everything from soil compaction to the pavement and concrete of the runway and taxiways.
According to our associated media AERIN, these studies will determine the impact caused by water accumulation in recent weeks.
“This testing period is expected to last about 45 days, depending on weather conditions. We estimate that it will be possible to detail the necessary interventions on the runway by early July,” says Fraport Brasil.
Cleaning and Infrastructure Assessment
Fraport Brasil began the runway cleaning process at Salgado Filho International Airport last Monday after the accumulated water started to drain.
The company explains that the cleaning involves thoroughly sweeping the entire runway, taxiways, and aprons to remove debris and waste.
“All cleaning and drilling work will begin in earnest this week. It is a priority to maintain the pace and operationalize this airport as quickly as possible. This is strategic for the logistics and economy of the state of Rio Grande do Sul,” emphasized Paulo Pimenta.
Meeting Between the Brazilian State and Fraport Brasil
Minister Paulo Pimenta’s statements followed a meeting with the CEO of Fraport Brasil, Andreea Pal.
During the meeting, Fraport Brasil provided details about the airport’s situation and the next steps for its reconstruction. A national and local authorities delegation also visited the airport to inspect the facilities this morning.
“We are concluding a stage of this work involving ANAC, the Ministry of Ports and Airports, the state government, the Public Ministry, and especially the Salgado Filho Airport concessionaire to understand what measures have been taken since the start of this catastrophe,” said Pimenta.
Affected Equipment
Fraport states that it is still impossible to detail the damages’ total value or which equipment will need to be replaced or repaired.
“Since the waters began to recede, Fraport Brasil has been in constant contact with insurance companies to assess the situation, receiving regular inspections and inventorying all affected elements,” Fraport said in a statement.
Alternative Airport
Until Salgado Filho Airport resumes operations, the Canoas Air Base will receive commercial flights immediately. The Ministry of Ports and Airports announced that starting June 10, the airbase will handle 10 arrivals and 10 departures of commercial flights daily.
Fraport Brasil has set up a remote terminal at ParkShopping Canoas, where passengers can check in and process their luggage. A designated area on the ground floor of the shopping center is used for this operation. From there, passengers are transported by bus to the aircraft.
