Government wants to limit capacity at Santos Dumont Airport

The Minister of Ports and Airports, Márcio França, used social networks this Friday (7) to say that the government intends to limit the number of flights to Santos Dumont Airport, in Rio de Janeiro. The statement came after Infraero revised the terminal’s capacity from 9.9 million to 15.3 million passengers per year, or 54.5% more.

“Right away, we determined that the operation of Santos Dumont Airport this year will have a reduction in relation to the number registered in 2022, and will be below 10 million passengers in 2023”, said the minister.

According to the minister, the measure is a way to recover movement at Tom Jobim International Airport (Galeão). “We are going to resume Galeão’s protagonism! This is our commitment demonstrated since the beginning of the Lula government”, he said, noting that the Secretariat of Civil Aviation is preparing studies with possible solutions to increase the number of passengers at the airport.

Earlier, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes (PSD), had classified the decision by Infraero, administrator of Santos Dumont, as “scumbag”. Paes said he was, along with the state governor, Cláudio Castro (PL), ready “to take the necessary measures to ensure that Santos Dumont has its capacity reduced and Galeão receives new flights, recovering its importance”.

“Just do not see who does not want! Santos Dumont Airport became the only source of revenue for the state-owned company Infraero! In other words: the more flights, the more revenue. In addition, it helps make Galeão unfeasible”, said Paes.

Also according to the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, this obstacle would lead to the concessionaire’s lack of interest in managing the Tom Jobim International Airport, and Infraero would be the biggest beneficiary.

Infraero claims that the “definition of passenger processing capacity is related to demand, which varies between peak and low flow times”. The state-owned company informed that it follows criteria established by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).