Construction of US$2bn Lima airport registers 90% progress

Construction of Lima's new US$2 billion Jorge Chávez airport, which will replace the current facility, registers progress of 90% and will finish in December.

In a statement, construction company Lima Airport Partners (LAP) reaffirmed that it will meet the December 18 deadline, adding that is handing over commercial spaces to the 100 retail tenants. It is expected that retail and five complementary works will generate business worth an additional US$400 million.

Yet, the transportation and communications ministry (MTC) is still evaluating the start of commercial operations, previously planned for January 2025.

LAP said construction is practically finished as installation of security and baggage control systems, heavy cargo elevators, check-in modules, among others, advances.

The 59 departure lounges are ready while installation of new control tower windows should be finished in October, after which state-owned air traffic control and runway lighting maintenance company Corpac will be able to continue its familiarization process with the new infrastructure. The windows were part of a controversy due to which public aviation officials refused to use the new tower.

ACCESS

Complementary works like the 346mn-sol (US$92mn) Santa Rosa bridge, planned to be the main access to the airport, are not advancing as swiftly. 

The bridge will now be built under a government-to-government agreement with France, rather than the works-for-taxes mechanism, which allows companies to build infrastructure instead of paying certain taxes.

Removing the project from the MTC's list of priority works-for-taxes caught the attention of specialists. Transportation and communications minister Raúl Pérez Reyes told reporters that the bridge will now be part of the US$440mn Vía Expresa Santa Rosa highway that will connect the airport and Lima's Costa Verde and is built by French firm PMO Vías.

Initially planned to be ready in H2, the MTC now suggests works could wrap up in early 2027. The change of mechanism may have created some uncertainty.

However, the modular bridges installed as a temporary solution will be ready in September.