Government backtracks and admits reviewing flight restrictions at Santos Dumont, in Rio

Minister Silvio Costa Filho, of Ports and Airports, admitted that limiting flights at Santos Dumont airport, in Rio de Janeiro, may not be the solution to encourage the use of Galeão. The measure, which was announced in mid-August and would come into force in January 2024, must be reviewed and a definitive solution presented in the next 15 days.

Among the proposals under discussion, says the minister, one of the most promising is the limitation of the annual number of passengers at the airport, in exchange for strict control of the origin and destination of flights. This, according to Costa Filho, could enable the expansion of regional aviation.

This measure would replace the previously established norm, which set a maximum distance of 400 km from Santos Dumont for the destination and origin flight, with the aim of encouraging the use of Galeão International Airport.

“We are looking for alternatives. We are talking to Mayor Eduardo Paes (PSD-RJ), with Governor Cláudio Castro (PL), with all the agents involved in this construction, in addition to the TCU. One of the possibilities is to establish a specific number of flights to Santos Dumont itself”, he said in an interview with Folha de São Paulo published this Monday (23).

Costa Filho highlighted the importance of strengthening Santos Dumont while seeking to increase the number of flights on Galeão. Rio’s largest airport saw a 58% drop in the flow of travelers between 2019 and 2022, while the terminal in the center of the capital of Rio de Janeiro operates close to the capacity limit of 10 million passengers.

Regarding the future of Galeão International Airport, the minister informed that the decision is no longer under the control of the ministry, as the process is now in the hands of the Federal Audit Court (TCU). Costa Filho announced that conversations are scheduled with the Changi concessionaire over the next 15 days to understand the investment plans and visions for Galeão. He expressed his desire for Changi to remain on the project.

The Brazilian government, in partnership with local authorities, seeks to find solutions that balance the development of Santos Dumont Airport and the viability of Galeão, while meeting the needs of different regions of the country.