Brasília International Airport

Brasília–President Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport

Aeroporto Internacional de Brasília–Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek
Summary
Airport typePublic/military
Operator
  • Infraero (1973–2012)
  • Inframérica (2012–present)
ServesBrasília
OpenedMay 3, 1957 (1957-05-03)
Hub for
Time zoneBRT (UTC−03:00)
Elevation AMSL1,066 m / 3,498 ft
Coordinates15°52′16″S 047°55′07″W / 15.87111°S 47.91861°W / -15.87111; -47.91861
Websitewww.bsb.aero
Map
BSB is located in Brasília
BSB
BSB
Location in the Federal District
BSB is located in Brazil
BSB
BSB
BSB (Brazil)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
11R/29L 3,300 10,827 Asphalt
11L/29R 3,200 10,499 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Passengers14,860,880 Increase 10%
Aircraft Operations140,320 Increase 11%
Metric tonnes of cargo49,390 Increase 10%
Statistics: Inframérica[1]
Sources: Airport website,[2] ANAC,[3] DECEA[4]

Brasília–President Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport (Portuguese: Aeroporto Internacional de Brasília–Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek) (IATA: BSB, ICAO: SBBR), also known as the Brasília International Airport, is the international airport serving Brasília and the surrounding Federal District. Since April 20, 1999, the airport is named after Juscelino Kubitschek (1902–1976), the 21st President of Brazil.[5] The airport is located in the administrative region of Lago Sul, 5 kilometers from Brasília's South Wing (Asa Sul). It is operated by Inframerica.[6]

The airport site covers an area of about 2,900 hectares (7,165 acres) of airport property.[7] Some of its facilities are shared with the Brasília Air Force Base of the Brazilian Air Force.

Airport diagram
Airport in 1959
The apron before the expansion
Aerial view in 2014

History

[edit]

Brasília was only a project when in 1956 President Juscelino Kubitschek landed for the first time in the Central Plateau. Vera Cruz Airport, built in 1955 by the then Deputy-Governor of Goiás, Bernardo Sayão, at the request of the chairman of the location of the New Federal Capital, Marechal José Pessoa, already existed. On 2 October 1955, the airport received the first crew of workers that would build the new capital. This facility was located where today is the Integrated Bus and Train Terminal of Brasília. It had a dirt runway of 2,700 metres (8,900 ft) and a passenger terminal in a makeshift, cob-wall shack covered with buriti-leaves.[8] This facility, however, was only temporary. The relocation to a definitive site had already been identified as a priority and construction work started on 6 November 1956. The work lasted for over six months and required the clearing of an area of 1,334 million square metres (14,360×10^6 sq ft), 178,500 square metres (1,921,000 sq ft) of earthwork, base-stabilized 40,900 square metres (440,000 sq ft), covering 73,500 square metres (791,000 sq ft), topographical services, positioning and leveling. The runway was designed to have a length of 3,300 metres (10,800 ft) but initially it had only 324 metres (1,063 ft), and was 45 metres (148 ft) wide. The passenger terminal was built of wood. On 2 April 1957, the presidential aircraft landed for the first time at the site, and the official inauguration took place on 3 May 1957. That year, at the same location the Brasília Air Force Base was also commissioned.[8]

In 1965, Oscar Niemeyer proposed a visionary project for Brasília Airport to replace the wooden terminal: circular, with similar outside pillars of Alvorada Palace and subway tunnels to the satellite apron.[9] However, he lost the concession, and due to the 1964 Brazilian coup d'état, the military-government chose to build the project of Tércio Fontana Pacheco, an architect of the Brazilian Air Force Ministry. The airport is thus one of the few important buildings in Brasília that is not related to Niemeyer.[10] This building was opened in 1971.

In 1990, Brasília International Airport underwent its first major renovation and began to gain its present form with a central body and two satellites initially planned, but only one concluded, the west wing. Since 1990, it has been under renovation and expansions, constructed by Camargo Côrrea, following an architectural concept of the architect Sérgio Roberto Parada, with conclusion between 2000 until 2004.[11] The first phase included the construction of an access-viaduct to the passenger terminal and metal cover inaugurated in 1992 and the first circular satellite, inaugurated in 1994, in which its form resembles an ovni disc. In the second phase, the main body of the passenger terminal was refitted to include a shopping-mall and the satellite received nine jetways. In 2005, a second runway was opened.[8]

The former terminal for general aviation originally built in 1988 was again reviewed and transformed into Passenger Terminal 2. It was opened for traffic on 2 August 2010.[12]

On 31 August 2009, Infraero unveiled a BRL514.8 million (US$306.06 million; EUR224.76 million) investment plan[13] to renovate President Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport, focusing on the preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Brasília being one of the venue cities, and the Summer Olympics in 2016 which were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:

  • Enlargement of apron and taxiways (BRL 34.5 million). Completed in April 2013
  • Renovation of the existing passenger terminal (BRL 22.5 million). Completed in November 2015
  • Enlargement of the passenger terminal (BRL 439 million). Completed in April 2015
  • Parking (BRL 18 million). Completed in April 2014

Responding to critiques to the situation of its airports, on May 18, 2011, Infraero released a list evaluating some of its most important airports according to its saturation levels. According to the list, Brasília was considered to be critically saturated, operating above 85% of its capacity.[14]

Following a decision made on 26 April 2011 by the Federal Government for private companies being granted concessions to operate some Infraero airports,[15] on 6 February 2012, the administration of the airport was granted for 25 years to the Consortium Inframérica, formed by the Brazilian Engineering Group Engevix (50 %) and the Argentinean Group Corporación América (50 %).[16] Infraero, the state-run organization, retains 49% of the shares of the company incorporated for the administration.[17][18]

Between 2012 and 2014, the consortium INFRAMERICA invested R$ 1.2 billion:[19] remodeling the terminal, increasing the number of jetways from 13 to 29 and 40 to 70 airplane positions. In April 2014, the South Concourse, which serves domestic flights, was opened. Until April 2014, the terminal was capable of handling 9 million passengers per year, but actually handled around 14 million. With numbers constantly increasing until 2015, with a decline afterwards.

For 2016 until 2022, there were planned investments for the international area, new parking construction, four new hotels in the vicinity, a new business area and other facilities, like a Shopping Mall, but none was realized until middle 2022.[20]

The Brazilian Integrated Air Traffic Control and Air Defense Center section 1 (Cindacta I) is located in the vicinity of the airport.[21]

Airlines and destinations

[edit]

Passenger

[edit]
AirlinesDestinations
Aerolíneas Argentinas Buenos Aires–Aeroparque
Azul Brazilian Airlines Belém, Belo Horizonte–Confins, Campinas, Cuiabá, Recife, São Paulo–Congonhas
Seasonal: Maceió, Natal, Porto Seguro, Salvador da Bahia
Copa Airlines Panama City–Tocumen
Gol Linhas Aéreas Aracaju, Belém, Belo Horizonte–Confins, Boa Vista, Bogotá (resumes 4 February 2025),[22] Buenos Aires–Ezeiza (resumes 7 January 2025),[23] Campinas, Cancún (resumes 10 December 2024),[24] Cruzeiro do Sul, Cuiabá, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Goiânia, João Pessoa, Juazeiro do Norte, Maceió, Manaus, Marabá, Miami, Natal, Orlando, Palmas, Porto Alegre, Porto Velho, Recife, Rio Branco, Rio de Janeiro–Galeão, Rio de Janeiro–Santos Dumont, Salvador da Bahia, São Luís, São Paulo–Congonhas, São Paulo–Guarulhos, Teresina, Vitória
Seasonal: Jericoacoara, Porto Seguro
LATAM Brasil Aracaju, Belém, Belo Horizonte–Confins, Boa Vista, Campo Grande, Cuiabá, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Goiânia, Imperatriz, João Pessoa, Macapá, Maceió, Manaus, Marabá, Natal, Palmas, Porto Alegre, Porto Seguro, Porto Velho, Recife, Rio Branco, Rio de Janeiro–Galeão, Rio de Janeiro–Santos Dumont, Salvador da Bahia, Santarém, Santiago de Chile, São Luís, São Paulo–Congonhas, São Paulo–Guarulhos, Sinop, Teresina, Vitória
Seasonal: Navegantes, Uberlândia
LATAM Perú Lima
Sky Airline Seasonal: Santiago de Chile
TAP Air Portugal Lisbon

Cargo

[edit]
AirlinesDestinations
LATAM Cargo Brasil Manaus, São Paulo-Guarulhos
Modern Logistics Campinas, Manaus, Recife

Statistics

[edit]
South Concourse of BSB. The concourse is connected to BSB's main terminal and opened in April 2014.
Terminal interior
LATAM Brasil aircraft with the Rio 2016 Olympic Torch arriving in Brazil

Following is the number of passenger, aircraft and cargo movements at the airport, according to Infraero (2007-2012) and Inframérica (2013-2023) reports:[25][26][1]

Year Passenger Aircraft Cargo (t)
2023 14,860,880 Increase 10% 140,320 Increase 11% 49,390 Increase 10%
2022 13,471,797 Increase 28% 126,432 Increase 23% 45,064 Increase 7%
2021 10,499,097 Increase 34% 102,897 Increase 30% 42,203 Increase 68%
2020 7,848,297 Decrease 53% 79,415 Decrease 45% 25,167 Decrease 64%
2019 16,727,177 Decrease 6% 143,772 Decrease 7% 70,443 Increase 35%
2018 17,855,163 Increase 6% 153,796 Increase 3% 52,219 Increase 6%
2017 16,912,680 Decrease 6% 148,619 Decrease 8% 49,036 Increase 10%
2016 17,947,153 Decrease 9% 161,167 Decrease 14% 44,398 Decrease 4%
2015 19,821,796 Increase 9% 186,377 Increase 1% 46,337 Decrease 3%
2014 18,146,405 Increase 10% 183,874 Increase 2% 47,780 Decrease 8%
2013 16,489,987 Increase 4% 179,656 Decrease 5% 51,986 Decrease 16%
2012 15,891,530 Increase 3% 188,528 Decrease 1% 62,055 Increase 54%
2011 15,398,737 Increase 7% 189,570 Increase 8% 40,407 Increase 24%
2010 14,347,061 Increase 17% 176,326 Increase 9% 32,651 Decrease 35%
2009 12,213,825 Increase 17% 162,349 Increase 15% 50,388 Decrease 11%
2008 10,443,393 Decrease 6% 141,477 Increase 12% 56,619 Decrease 18%
2007 11,119,872 126,853 69,170

Accidents and incidents

[edit]
  • 22 December 1962: a Varig Convair CV-240 registration PP-VCQ flying from Belo Horizonte-Pampulha to Brasília descended below the prescribed altitude while on final approach to Brasília, struck trees, skidded and fell to one side. One crew member died.[27]
  • 25 April 1970: a VASP Boeing 737-200 in route from Brasília to Manaus-Ponta Pelada was hijacked by a person who demanded to be flown to Cuba. The hijack lasted a day.[28]
  • 14 May 1970: a VASP Boeing 737-200 in route from Brasília to Manaus-Ponta Pelada was hijacked by a person who demanded to be flown to Cuba. Duration was one day.[29]
  • 22 February 1975: a VASP Boeing 737-200 registration PP-SMU in route from Goiânia to Brasília was hijacked by a person who demanded ransom. The hijacker was taken down.[30]
  • 25 May 1982: a VASP Boeing 737-200 registration PP-SMY made a hard landing with nose gear first at Brasília during rainy weather. The gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded off the runway breaking in two. Two passengers out of 118 occupants died.[31]
  • 18 March 1991: an Air Conesul Táxi Aéreo Learjet 25 crashed during a nighttime approach 8km (5mls) from the airport. All four occupants were killed.[32]

Access

[edit]

The airport is located 11 km (7 mi) from downtown Brasília, in the administrative region of Lago Sul. Regular buses, numbers 102 and 102.1, are frequent and link the airport to the main bus terminal at Rodoviária, from where travelers can catch buses or the subway to other parts of the city. The airport is also served by taxis.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Dados operacionais". Inframérica (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Aeroporto de Brasília". Inframérica (in Portuguese). Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Aeródromos". ANAC (in Portuguese). 22 August 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek (SBBR)". DECEA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Lei n˚9.794, de 20 de abril de 1999". Presidência da República (in Portuguese). 20 April 1999. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  6. ^ "About Inframerica". bsb.aero. Archived from the original on 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  7. ^ "Information about Brasilia Intl Airport". aeroportobrasilia.net. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  8. ^ a b c "Aeroportos: Brasília" (in Portuguese). Jetsite. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  9. ^ "Aeroporto Oscar Niemeyer". 4 May 2022.
  10. ^ Parada, Sergio Roberto. "Aeroporto de Brasília, uma questão de arquitetura" (PDF) (in Portuguese). IABDF. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  11. ^ "Aeroporto". 4 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Terminal 2 do aeroporto de Brasília recebe voos regulares" (in Portuguese). Infraero. 1 September 2010. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  13. ^ Rittner, Daniel; Braga, Paulo Victor (31 August 2009). "Infraero vai gastar R$5 bi em reforma de aeroportos". Valor Econômico (in Portuguese). pp. A4. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  14. ^ "Governo muda critério de avaliação e 'melhora' desempenho de aeroportos" (in Portuguese). O Estado de S. Paulo. 19 May 2011. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  15. ^ Bitencourt, Rafael (26 April 2011). "Governo define concessão de obras em 3 aeroportos, diz Palocci" (in Portuguese). Valor Online. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  16. ^ Rittner, Daniel (7 February 2012). "Cumbica, Viracopos e Brasília são privatizados" (in Portuguese). Valor Econômico. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  17. ^ Salomon, Marta; Monteiro, Tânia (1 June 2011). "Governo pretende privatizar três aeroportos e abrir o capital da Infraero" (in Portuguese). O Estado de S. Paulo: Economia. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  18. ^ "Brazil moves swiftly (at last) to award airport concessions". CAPA. 9 February 2012. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  19. ^ "Investments". Inframérica. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  20. ^ "Brasília ganha complexo de R$ 700 million". 7 February 2022.
  21. ^ "Cindacta I" (in Portuguese). Brazilian Air Force: Departamento de Controle do Espaço Aéreo DECEA. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  22. ^ "Gol inicia a venda de passagens de sua nova rota internacional partindo de Brasília". Flap International (in Portuguese). 16 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  23. ^ "Aeroporto de Brasília terá mais uma companhia aérea operando voos com destino a Buenos Aires". Aeroin (in Portuguese). 2 November 2024.
  24. ^ "GOL retomará voos para o México e terá exclusividade na rota". Aeroin (in Portuguese). 21 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  25. ^ "Anuário Estatístico Operacional" (PDF). Infraero (in Portuguese). 12 April 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  26. ^ "Estatísticas". Infraero (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  27. ^ "Accident description PP-VCQ". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  28. ^ "Incident description Vasp April 25, 1970". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  29. ^ "Incident description Vasp May 14, 1970". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  30. ^ "Incident description PP-SMU". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  31. ^ "Accident description PP-SMY". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  32. ^ "Accident description PT-LLL". Aviation Safety Network. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brasília_International_Airport&oldid=1255059120"