Three Peruvian Airports Remain Closed As Clashes Between Protestors And Police Continue

LATAM Airlines is the largest operator at these airports.

Three Peruvian airports, Ayacucho, Jaén, and Juliaca (AYP, JAE, and JUL, respectively), remain closed as political uncertainty continues throughout the country and deadly clashes between protestors and the police drag on. The closure of these airports impacts the operations of three airlines, Sky Airline, JetSMART, and LATAM Peru.

What has happened in Peru?

A month ago, then-Peruvian president Pedro Castillo attempted a failed Coup d’État, leading to his arrest and dismembering of its government. Instead, the vice president, Dina Boluarte, took office, declared a state of emergency, and allowed the military to take the streets to maintain order. The clashes between civilians and the authorities have led to the death of at least 47 people.

The nationwide protests have impacted the civil aviation industry on several occasions. First, five airports, Andahuaylas (ANS), Arequipa (AQP), Juliaca (JUL), Cuzco (CUZ), and Ayacucho (AYP), were forced to close due to the ongoing protests in the country. At least Andahuaylas, Cuzco, and Arequipa were damaged by protestors, destroying the runway, air traffic control offices, perimeter fences, safety signs, and more, according to local reports.

This led the local authorities to reinforce airport operations, particularly at Lima International (LIM), Peru’s main hub and point of international entry. Lima Airport Partners (LAP), the administrator of the airport, introduced new safety measures looking to guarantee the safety of all passengers and users.

Several international airline and airport bodies, including the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Airport Council International (ACI), and the Latin American & Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA), called the Peruvian authorities to secure airport operations. In a joint statement, they said,