Through a public-private alliance, Fomilenio plans to make improvements to the cargo terminal at El Salvador's international airport, Monsenor Romero, and in a second phase, to invest $44 million in its expansion.
Fomilenio authorities detailed that they have completed the feasibility studies and determined that the first project to be carried out under the figure of Public - Private Alliance is the extension of the cargo terminal at the International Airport Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez.
Tocumen is preparing a plan to tender several expansion works and equipment at the airfields of Panama Pacific, David, Colon and Rio Hato.
One of the regional airports where Tocumen plans to invest in order to improve its functionality is Panama Pacific, which is projected to double capacity of the terminal in order to handle five flights simultaneously instead of two, increasing the number of airline counters from 3 to 7 and improving the waiting area for departing passengers and the migration area.
The second terminal under construction will not be enough to meet projected demand by 2020, therefore a third airport expansion is being considered.
The authorities at Tocumen SA have projected that by 2020 the average annual number of passengers who transit through the international airport in Panama City will amount to 20 million and the second terminal, in which they are investing $800 million, will exceed its capacity in 2022.
The funds raised will be used to complete construction of waiting rooms and a food area and start works on four aircraft platforms and the parking area.
Pension operators were the main buyers of the securities placed by Hencorp Exchange on October 19 in the local market, as part of the total emission worth $78 million approved in 2012 to finance the expansion of the international airport.
The airline, the main user of the Salvadoran air terminal, will maintain the hub as long as the government carries out its expansion plans.
The airline reiterated the need to improve Infrastructure at San Salvador International Airport.
An understanding agreement signed between Avianca and the Autonomous Executive Port Commission (CEPA) aims to accelerate the funding processes and start expansion works at the airport, where the airline connects 27 destinations.
The government could sign a cooperation agreement with the aerospace company for the project to expand the international terminal in San Salvador.
This is not the first time that representatives from the aviation sector have approached the government to propose the development of the Monseñor Romero airport , which is already operating above its capacity and limiting the development and growth of companies in the same sector and the country as an air hub for the airline Avianca.
After complaints from the private sector, improvements have been announced in attention and services at the airport in the capital, which now operates throughout the day and night for both cargo and passengers.
The registration of passengers on domestic flights, one of the steps that employers considered cumbersome and detrimental to attracting tourism, has been eliminated as part of the improvements made in the terminal.
The private sector is urging the government to define and execute financing once and for all for the expansion works of San Salvador's airport, which already operates at "200% of its capacity."
Avianca representatives say the current capacity of Monsignor Romero airport has already been far exceeded and the terminal needs to be expanded in order to improve passenger services and increase air operations.
The airport administrators are negotiating with Citi to structure and launch the second issuance in no more than two months in order to complete financing for the expansion of the terminal.
The aim is to sell on the international market the entire issue before the end of this year, and simultaneously negotiate with the holders of bonds of the first issue to extend their maturity periods, improving debt conditions so that the final tranche of funding of the South Terminal will be complete.
Days after securitization was mentioned as an option to finance the expansion of the international airport, the government is now saying that it would be better to use pension funds.
Sending signals which only confuse and generate more uncertainty about such an important work as the extension of the main air terminal in the country, the Salvadoran government now says that using pension funds is the best option for financing the expansion.
Works have started with the movements of land to build a new aircraft maintenance hangar at the international airport in San Jose, a project valued at $39 million.
From a statement issued by the Government of Costa Rica:
New aircraft hangar to be built at Juan Santamaria Airport
Under the supervision of the Technical Council of Civil Aviation, earthworks have started for the construction of a new aircraft maintenance hangar, with corresponding workshops and other facilities that will be occupied by Coopesa, in the Juan Santamaria International Airport.
A terminal for domestic flights and a new fire station are part of the works that the administration of San Jose International Airport plans to start in November.
This project includes two ramps for aircraft waiting at the new domestic terminal and a fire station in in the southern sector, and it is expected that construction will start in November this year.The investment for these two works to be carried out simultaneously amounts to $20 million and is expected to be completed during 2016.
The construction of the southern terminal of the Panama City Airport is now 40% complete and its start-up is scheduled for 2016.
The work on expansion of the international airport is in line with the original international airport for the project, being run by the construction company Norberto Odebrecht.
"...The South Terminal master plan states that the work will cover 74,000 square meters of construction, of which 10% will be commercial area, plus 20 new boarding gates, the platform for positioning aircraft, the structure for baggage handling and equipment, VIP lounges, bars, restaurants and 1,600 additional parking spaces, among other things."
Changes in Avianca flight paths added 600,000 passengers per year to the current movements, forcing development of a plan for emergency works.
The increase in passenger arrivals is due to the hub belonging to Avianca. This has motivated the Comisión Ejecutiva Portuaria Autónoma (CEPA) to speed up the work being carried out at the International Airport El Salvador (AIES) in order to be able to attend to the new passengers.
The company Conceptos y Espacios was the only party interested in bidding for the extension of the north terminal at Tocumen offering $2.8 million.
The authorities at Tocumen SA have said that in less than a year the total debt acquired will be paid off, thanks to new grants to be awarded in the North Terminal which will have a final cost of $71 million.