EFE.- Venezuela’s main airport, Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, resumed operations on Tuesday with temporary terminals and a scheduled itinerary of four international arrivals and four departures, Transport Minister Francisco Garcés announced.
Speaking to reporters from the airport, Garcés estimated that the resumption of flights will restore 25% of the operations that Maiquetía handled before the double earthquake in June. He did not specify the previous number of operations. The earthquakes damaged the terminal and forced authorities to close it temporarily for more than two months, until Tuesday.
“We will continue creating the conditions to increase this capacity, reaching 40% soon, within a couple of months, and then, by the end or beginning of the year, reaching as much as 60%,” the official added.
Garcés said the estimated check-in time is about 30 minutes and asked passengers to arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
At least 14 airlines will resume operations in Maiquetía during the first three weeks of September, including Spain’s Air Europa, Iberia and Plus Ultra; U.S.-based American Airlines; Panama’s Copa Airlines; Colombia’s Avianca; LATAM Colombia, a subsidiary of Chile’s LATAM Airlines; and Brazil’s GOL, according to information that the Airlines Association of Venezuela and the Venezuelan Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies provided to EFE.
Domestic carriers Láser, Conviasa, Venezolana de Aviación, Estelar, Rutaca and Avior will also resume operations.
On Monday, the Maiquetía International Airport Institute (IAIM) urged passengers to confirm directly with their airline or travel agency whether their flight will depart from Simón Bolívar International Airport, located in Maiquetía, in the coastal state of La Guaira, north of and adjacent to Caracas. Recent earthquakes caused the most severe damage in that state.
The temporary terminals can accommodate a total of 2,168 people, including 720 in the international departures area and 496 in the arrivals area, according to a statement that the state-run Venezuelan News Agency released Monday.
According to the IAIM, the terminals will offer air conditioning, Wi-Fi, waiting areas, vending machines, restrooms, medical services, charging stations and ramps for passengers with reduced mobility.
Meanwhile, airports in Valencia, capital of the northern state of Carabobo, and Barcelona, capital of the eastern state of Anzoátegui, will complement Maiquetía’s international flight schedule, the transport minister said.
