"In April or May we should start the Construction of the New Airstrip of the Juliaca Airport"
Aeropuertos Andinos del Perú (AAP) is the concessionaire of the air terminals located in Puerto Maldonado, Tacna, Ayacucho, Arequipa and Juliaca. In fact, these last three were the most affected after the wave of violence unleashed in the south of the country. Its general manager, Raúl Díaz, spoke with Gestión about this situation.
What damage was inflicted to the Inca Manco Cápac airport in Juliaca?
More than 1,000 meters of perimeter fence and 20 brick walls were affected. There is also not-so-serious damage to the runway; also in the case of the air navigation systems and the lights, but that detail has to be seen with Corpac.
How much will it cost to recover this infrastructure?
To this day, we estimate that Juliaca alone should cost S/ 500,000.
When could this airport be operational?
As soon as the demonstrations cease and the risk is reduced. I would think it should be no more than 30 days.
How much is being lost for each day closed?
Our greatest interest is that there is no impact on the life of any person. Still, we are talking about around six daily flights with a flow of approximately 1,500 passengers. If the situation does not calm down, we have another situation because of how soon the Candelaria festival will start, where the impact can be twice the average and that is a problem for the region.
Have there been more attacks on the airport?
I understand that we have demonstrations, not near the airport, but in the city, and we don't know what will happen with the social immobilization that has been decreed.
What is the situation at the Alfredo Mendívil Duarte Airport in Ayacucho?
The damage to the airport took place around December 15th, when the protesters affected not only the perimeter fence, but also the runway, some lights and lighting systems. Today it is working normally during the day. We are already working at 100% capacity and the airlines are already adapting.
How much was the investment to recover this infrastructure?
More or less, S/250,000.
The Alfredo Rodríguez Bailón Airport in Arequipa was also closed... The Arequipa Airport was closed for seven days. Arequipa has 20 daily flights and the impact is much greater, as this means more than 5,000 passengers. We have invested more or less S/ 350,000 in fixing the perimeter fence; in addition, the runway was damaged and we had to do maintenance on it, but that was done very quickly, in two or three days we managed to recover everything.
Is it possible to operate at night in this air terminal?
We are operating until nine in the evening. This month has been particularly difficult for AAP as a concessionaire… We have had troubles at the airports especially in December and January. We closed Ayacucho, Arequipa and Juliaca seven days in December, then we preemptively closed Ayacucho two days and now we have Juliaca closed since January 6th.
Do you have an estimate of what is lost due to the closure of these airports?
No. In reality, we all lose, not just because of the airports but because of families who stop working.
On the other hand, do you have investments planned for this year?
We have the second largest investment in a local airport after Jorge Chávez (airport): the new runway in Juliaca which is a project of more than US$120 million and should start in April or May of this year. The construction process would require more than two years, during which time, obviously, the airport will not be closed.
What does this work involve?
We'll change the entire runway, which is 4.2 kilometers long. Also redesign the airport drainage system.
Will the latest events delay investments?
We have not stopped working despite the situation we are in. At the same time, we continued the approval of the study to start the project, launching the international public tender and choosing the bidder as soon as possible.
At the other airports, are there any pending projects?
This year we plan to purchase various airport equipment. From now on, subject to the approval deadlines, it is time to carry them out - the expanssions - in all the regional airports. Each project should be around US$15 million, depending on the size of the airport.
Do these protests discourage investment?
Our airports are still operating, we closed them temporarily. Our concession will last many years more and it is part of the company to continue with the investment processes.
Interview by Mayumi García for Diario Gestión.
