Brazil Flight Information!!

[RalphJ]

Originally Posted by JMBroad

How can you compare Aracaju with Natal? Natal is operating at 107% of official capacity, welcoming more international arrivals per year (250.000) than other airports 3 times larger in the same region. Aracaju is operating at 45% of official capacity, welcoming under 100 international arrivals per year.

That's like comparing Apples and a Vietnamese spring roll with prawns and chilli resting on a bed of rucola.

I hope Natal gets it JM....talk to me in a few years. In the meantime I'll phone a friend that works for Infraero in Brasilia. I'll try to get some detailed info. for ya.

[JMBroad]

Originally Posted by RalphJ

I hope Natal gets it JM....talk to me in a few years. In the meantime I'll phone a friend that works for Infraero in Brasilia. I'll try to get some detailed info. for ya.

Thanks, look forward to it

Last I heard was that they were going to plan everything out in detail until around Dec 2008 then plan out construction details to start sometime in 2009. Let me know if that is still +/- correct

[RalphJ]

Originally Posted by JMBroad

Thanks, look forward to it

Last I heard was that they were going to plan everything out in detail until around Dec 2008 then plan out construction details to start sometime in 2009. Let me know if that is still +/- correct

I'll try him here in a few minutes....

[michaelbush]

Originally Posted by JMBroad

How can you compare Aracaju with Natal? Natal is operating at 107% of official capacity, welcoming more international arrivals per year (250.000) than other airports 3 times larger in the same region. Aracaju is operating at 45% of official capacity, welcoming under 100 international arrivals per year.

That's like comparing Apples and a Vietnamese spring roll with prawns and chilli resting on a bed of rucola.

I still cannot accept that Natal Airport runs at over full capacity with just 10 flights a day!!! I would think that Bournemouth has more flights than that!!

[RalphJ]

OK...just got off the phone with my buddy at Infraero. He had to connect me to one of his bosses...a director. Got quite a bit of information. Even contacts and phone numbers for the engineers on the ground.

According to them it's going to be 3 years until it's complete, they've already started the "terraplanagem", or excavation. And it's located 40 minutes (by car) from Natal.

[JMBroad]

Originally Posted by RalphJ

OK...just got off the phone with my buddy at Infraero. He had to connect me to one of his bosses...a director. Got quite a bit of information. Even contacts and phone numbers for the engineers on the ground.

According to them it's going to be 3 years until it's complete, they've already started the "terraplanagem", or excavation. And it's located 40 minutes (by car) from Natal.

That is correct, it's in Sao Gonçalo de Amarante, about 30-40 mins from Natal onthe north side of the Potengi and the terraplanagem (flattening of the earth) has been carried out by the army for a while now. However whether they are actually going to start building the terminals in 2009 or 2010 to be finished by 2012 is still the question.

Also, are they going to build terminals for 5 million passengers initially as stated by the government or for 15 million, as stated by ADIT or 40 million as stated by the majority of agents and developers. I'm guessing 5 first then 15 then remotely possible 40 million sometime in the distant future IF there is enough demand at the time.

[JMBroad]

Originally Posted by michaelbush

I still cannot accept that Natal Airport runs at over full capacity with just 10 flights a day!!! I would think that Bournemouth has more flights than that!!

Haha funny you should say that ;D - google'd bournemouth airport because I've never visited it and funnily enough:

Bournemouth currently welcomes 950 thousand passengers (less than Natal) but is under development to soon have double the capacity of Natal airport (3 million).

Bournemouth airport terminals are about half the size of Natal airport terminals. Bournemouth welcomes 950.000 in a year, Natal welcomes 1.500.000 in a year. Both say they need to increase capacity. Seems understandable.

Bournemouth Airport : £32million redevelopment programme

[Golfingworld]

I have never heard so much junk spoken about airports in all my life. I have worked in airline/airport related businesses for 30 years now...have any of you ever been to any Caribbean islands and seen their airports? St Lucia/Babados/St Maarten etc etc...there is more than enough room and runway space for Natal to operate the existing airport with many more international flights...anyone travelled thru St Lucia recently with their 2/3 747's arriving at the same time...I bet there are 10 times more tourists going into there than Natal! The facts are as follows:-
1. For some reason airlines (charter) are not coming here on mass, this is because there is not a growing market either natural or promoted. There is no publicity on Natal anywhere in the free press!
2. International carriers do not have traffic rights through or to anywhere else inbound or outbound.
3. The only profitable routes are Rio/SP for international carriers and for TAP everywhere at prices double Dubai or NYC due to their monopoly at present..they are not going to rush to let this go.
4. Charters cannot officially sell outbound tickets one way or return.

You could build another Chaingi or Chep Lok (Hong Kong) and it wont make one iota of difference until the airline market is freed up.

So all throw as many stats as you like at eachother or ring anyone in high places and the fact is it is about the airline not where they land that counts. Tourism is well down in Natal this year it is rumoured that Thomsonfly is pulling out for Salvador and prices have peaked here..that is prices for everything, property, beer, food and hookers!

[RalphJ]

Originally Posted by Golfingworld

I have never heard so much junk spoken about airports in all my life. I have worked in airline/airport related businesses for 30 years now...have any of you ever been to any Caribbean islands and seen their airports? St Lucia/Babados/St Maarten etc etc...there is more than enough room and runway space for Natal to operate the existing airport with many more international flights...anyone travelled thru St Lucia recently with their 2/3 747's arriving at the same time...I bet there are 10 times more tourists going into there than Natal! The facts are as follows:-
1. For some reason airlines (charter) are not coming here on mass, this is because there is not a growing market either natural or promoted. There is no publicity on Natal anywhere in the free press!
2. International carriers do not have traffic rights through or to anywhere else inbound or outbound.
3. The only profitable routes are Rio/SP for international carriers and for TAP everywhere at prices double Dubai or NYC due to their monopoly at present..they are not going to rush to let this go.
4. Charters cannot officially sell outbound tickets one way or return.

You could build another Chaingi or Chep Lok (Hong Kong) and it wont make one iota of difference until the airline market is freed up.

So all throw as many stats as you like at eachother or ring anyone in high places and the fact is it is about the airline not where they land that counts. Tourism is well down in Natal this year it is rumoured that Thomsonfly is pulling out for Salvador and prices have peaked here..that is prices for everything, property, beer, food and hookers!

LOL...that's the way it always it GW. Salvador is a GREAT destination, very nice city and infrastructure not to mention many international flights. I don't doubt what you're saying as I too will be VERY surprised if Natal has one of the biggest airports in the world in the upcoming years....very difficult for me to believe after living here the years I have and hearing the things I have for them to never come to fruition. Although I did talk to a good friend of mine that I trust and he did say that the airport was supposed to be done in 3 years....now according to JM it's not until 2012?

As I've stated before...I'll bet anyone a dollar to a doughnut that 5 years from now there is no new airport...but I could be completely wrong. I guess we'll see.

[JMBroad]

No, I wasn't clear - official stance is that it will be ready in 2-3 years, I am assuming with delays, etc around 2012 is more likely.