Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport has announced plans to complete a USD 90 million expansion and improvement programme by 2020.
According to operator, Corporación Quiport, the plan involves nine projects structured aimed at improving the airport’s processes and procedures for the benefit of passengers, airlines and other customers.
Around USD 60 million of the total will be invested on expansion projects and USD 30 million for improvements.
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The expansion projects include increasing the size of the terminal by 18% to create additional space for six self-check-in kiosks in the departures hall; new retail/F&B facilities; bigger and better Immigration and Customs areas; more space in the boarding lounges; and an additional gate and boarding bridge.
Also being enhanced are the gateway’s cargo facilities and apron parking areas to allow for more aircraft parking and ground support equipment.
Improvements to existing facilities essentially involves the reconfiguration of different areas to “optimise the operation and enhance the user experience” and increase their operational efficiency.
Talking about the upgrade, Andrew O'Brian, president and director general of Corporación Quiport, said: "Our main objective is to develop our connectivity by strategically working hand-in-hand with municipal and national authorities to attract more airlines, and to open more destinations, making us the most successful public-private partnership model in Ecuador.
“Thanks to our work aiming at tourist promotion, Quito and Ecuador have become a hot destination. The airport expansion results in the arrival of many new flights. Quiport and the city are ready to receive the world."
Ecuador’s Undersecretary of Air Transport of the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, Jessica Alomía, said: "Quito's airport is one of the main catalysts of development - it generates employment, tourism, trade, and this in turn is translated into many jobs and many opportunities for Ecuadorian families.
“These great achievements drive us to continue working for air connectivity, tourism and trade.”
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And secretary of productive development and competitiveness for the municipality of Quito, Álvaro Maldonado, noted: "The airport is a model and a successful case of public-private partnership.
“There are very few cases of this magnitude in Latin America. I want to emphasise that this is an absolutely winning project with an interesting future.
"It is a case study for the region and it is, indeed, an excellent presentation letter for our investment attraction strategy, now complemented by the national government with a policy of economic development, that goes hand in hand with the private sector and investors."