Fraport AG subsidiary Fraport Brasil formally commenced operations at Brazil’s Fortaleza Pinto Martins International Airport (FOR) and Porte Alegre Salgado Filho International Airport (POA) yesterday.

As reported, Fraport secured 30-year and 25-year contracts to manage and operate concessions at Fortaleza and Porto Alegre in Brazil, respectively, in March last year as part of public tender called by Brazil’s Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC) for four airports in the country’s third round of airport privatisations.

The airport operator is set to invest approximately BRL 600m ($184m) at each gateway to fund infrastructure improvements and development projects during the course of the respective concession periods.

“We strongly believe in the potential of Fortaleza and Porto Alegre airports,” stated Andrea Pal, CEO of Fraport Brasil. “We are focusing our efforts on raising the attractiveness of these two airports through ongoing improvements in infrastructure and operational processes.”

THREE-STRONG NETWORK

The operational takeover follows the completed joint transition period with Brazil’s state-owned entity Infraero, which previously ran both airports.

Together with the new operations, Fraport AG now operates three airports in South America (the other being Lima Airport in Peru).

Stefan Schulte, Fraport AG’s Executive Board Chairman, added:  “We are proud to welcome these two ‘best-located’ gateways to the Fraport global portfolio. With Porto Alegre and Fortaleza, we now have three airports in South America and a total of 30 airports where we are active worldwide.  Our mandate is to enhance the passenger experience while strengthening the role of these airports for their respective stakeholders and regions.”

Dufry operates duty free stores in both departures and arrivals at Fortaleza, while Duty Free Americas (DFA) holds the contract at Porto Alegre.