Flughafen Zürich AG awarded concession for airport in Chile
26-Aug-2011 Flughafen Zürich AG, the owner and operator of Zurich Airport, was awarded the concession for the extension and operation of Antofagasta Airport in Chile through its Joint Venture A-port Chile S.A. With this, the airport operator is now engaged in three Chilean airports.
The Joint Venture A-port Chile S.A., in which Flughafen Zürich AG participates, has won the rebidding of the concession for the Antofagasta Airport in Chile against seven competing companies. With the takeover by end of 2011, the responsibilities for the extension and management of this second largest Chilean airport is going to be transferred to A-port Chile S.A. for a maximum of 15 years.
Profile Antofagasta Airport
The Aeropuerto Internacional Cerro Moreno of Antofagasta is located a few kilometers north of the city - a seaport at the edge of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, around 1,400 kilometers from its capital Santiago. In 2010, the airport hosted 1.2 million passengers and is currently Chile's second largest airport. The city of Antofagasta counts 350,000 inhabitants and its region lives mainly of the production of copper and saltpeter.
Due to a continuously large passenger growth in the past years (+ 30% in 2010), the Antofagasta Airport has reached its capacity limit in terms of the existing infrastructure. As a consequence, the concession also includes investments for the construction of a new terminal, a new landside access road as well as several structural adjustments on the airside.
Engagement in Latin America
Flughafen Zürich AG specifically concentrates on closing management contracts in emerging markets such as South and Central America, Eastern Europe or South East Asia, and collaborates with strong local partners at all times. Currently, the Airport Operator is engaged in ten airports worldwide. In addition to Bengaluru International Airport in India, nine airports in Latin America, including Chilean airports Puerto Montt and La Serena, belong to its international activities.
A-port Chile S.A. is a Chilean-Swiss Joint Venture with its purpose to develop, construct and manage airport projects and airport related infrastructure in Latin America. With the award of the concession in Antofagasta, another important step into extending its portfolio in Latin America could be achieved.