Brazil: Porto Alegre Airport Reopens After 5 Months
The airport suffered flooding that brought the region to its knees in May 2024
Salgado Filho Airport in Porto Alegre, Brazil, is scheduled to open on October 21. The terminal will first open for domestic flights and then, from December, for international flights.
The airport in the capital Rio Grande do Sul is one of the busiest in the country and was closed due to flooding that hit the area in May 2024 and severely damaged its structure. The slopes have now been repaired, and the signs are being renewed after specialized companies cleaned up all flooded areas and restored electrical equipment in a matter of weeks.
The announcement came from the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa: “We will reopen the airport next Friday and immediately start operating 70% of the flights that were operating before the floods.” Azul, Gol, and Latam airlines have already resumed ticket sales; in any case, we will start with a shortened runway and with some restrictions on routes to Curitiba, São Paulo, Campinas, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, and Brasilia.
The government plans to hold a ceremony on October 18 in the presence of President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva to celebrate the opening of the airport.