New Region III airport sprouts wings

Concessionaire Aeropuerto Regional de Atacama broke ground Friday on the site of a new US$25mn airport that will serve Chilean Region III capital Copiapo, the government reported. Chilean construction firm Belfi makes up the concessionaire, which was awarded a 20-year concession last year to build and operate the 3,000 sq. m. airport. Works include a 2.2km runway, facilities for four Airbus A-320, a wastewater treatment plant, access roads and parking. Once operational it will provide 300 fulltime jobs. The airport, known simply as Aeropuerto Regional de Atacama, should be ready in the first half of 2005, with an estimated 175,000 passengers/year expected to use the airport.