With an investment of $100 million the works of the Panama Airport North Terminal have been inaugurated.
A press release from the Tourism Authority of Panama reads:
The north terminal at Tocumen International Airport has been formally opened, a project which was developed with an investment of $100 million, as part of the expansion and remodeling of the main air terminal in Panama.
Copa Airlines passengers will have the option to connect to the island as a new destination from June.
From June 2012, Isla Colon, in the province of Bocas del Toro, Panama, will be part of the tourist destinations to which passengers can reach using the Panamanian airline Copa Airlines. The company has reached an agreement with the domestic airline Air Panama, which is responsible for transferring passengers from Tocumen International Airport to Isla Colon.
The complex will be developed in a 300 hectare area, which was purchased by Tocumen SA for $109 million.
A press release from the Tourism Authority of Panama reads:
After completion of the North Terminal, the next projects planned by Tocumen are the airport city "Aeropolis" and the Dock and South Terminal, valued at approximately $750 million.
The "Aeropolis" project, consisting of commercial, hotel and hospital infrastructure, requires around $400 million, while the Dock and South Terminal is expected to cost $350.
With an investment of $100 million, the construction company will deliver the work between 15th and 20th January.
Juan Carlos Pino, manager of Tocumen SA, told media that the new areas will be used immediately.
"Pino explained that operations will be carried out in only two of the 12 new boarding gates and part of the operational area, where is baggage moved and aircraft re-fuelled and re-stocked with food supplies.
The plan is for a 20 gate terminal that is completely independent from the current one, with an investment of $350 million.
Transit through Tocumen International Airport grew by almost 20% during 2011, reaching 6 million passengers, up from the 5.1 million recorded in 2010. It is estimated that in 2012 the figure will be between 6.4 and 6.6 million.
It is expected that 14 million passengers will pass through Tocumen Airport in 2025, almost triple the amount of 2010.
According to several industry representatives, the main challenge will be the growth of airport infrastructure, which eventually will become a constraint for the sector.
Ofelia Barcenas, solutions manager for the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said the agency is working to streamline all processes related to passenger transit, such as migration and security. Some examples are the use of electronic tickets and collecting boarding passes using smartphones.
Spanair is negotiating with Panama to establish frequencies with Tocumen International Airport for their passengers to connect from there to other countries in the isthmus.
After Air Europa abandoned its intentions to fly from Spain to Panama, the only airline with that connection is Iberia.
Now the Spanish airline Spanair is looking for an airport to act as a center for passengers making connections with flights to other Central American countries.
Authorities have signed contracts worth over $4 million for various urgent projects.
Air conditioning, garbage collection and X-ray inspections are some of the services that the airport has contracted directly, after having signed emergency declarations, the prequisite to exempt them from the contractor selection process.
In this way, airport authorities will expedite the procurement process and gain time to advance the implementation of these projects.
The administration of the airport terminal has suspended the tender planned for the 30 November for the acquisition of equipment for the north terminal.
In light of complaints presented by 10 of the 11 companies interested in participating, the administration has decided to postpone the creation of the tender so that it can review the wording of the conditions and specifications.
The company Foster and Partners is interested in participating in work on the new terminal on the south side of Tocumen International Airport.
The company, which designed an airport in Hong Kong Airport and one in Shanghai has expressed interest in participating in the bidding process to be held next year, said the president of the Board of Tocumen, Frank de Lima, at the end of Panama Invest which took place in London and Paris.
Tocumen Airport’s administration has announced a concessionary award for shops selling luxury leather goods.
Businesses have until November 11 to request the conditions. The date of submission of bids is scheduled for December 20.
The new annex will have 14 modules in which there are plans to install at least 25 stores in the duty free area, or tax-free zone", Alex E. Hernandez told Prensa.com.
Seven airlines in Asia, Europe and the UAE are discussing starting direct flights to Panama because of its facilities as a connection center for Latin America.
The most advanced negotiations are with Lufthansa and British Airways, said the manager of Tocumen S.A., Juan Carlos Pino.
"Meanwhile, Asian airlines that are already exploring mounting a hub in Panama are, Korean Air from Korea, and Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong , Singapore Airlines and EVA Airways from Taiwan", noted an article in Panamaamerica.com.pa.
Tocumen S.A. has put out to tender extension works north of Tocumen International Airport.
According to the specifications the tender is for the Study, Design and Construction of the North Side extension, Terminal Building,Tocumen International Airport.
The approval meeting is scheduled for 21 September 2011 in the Training Salon at Tocumen International Airport, third level.