LAP plans new US$400mn investment for expansion of Jorge Chávez airport in Peru

With an investment of US$1.6bn, concessionaire Lima Airport Partners (LAP) expects to conclude in 2025 the first expansion of the Jorge Chávez airport in Peru's capital.

LAP will then make a series of additional investments to ensure high levels of customer service and turn capital Lima into a hub in Latin America, CEO Juan José Salmón told a press conference.

As of 2028 the firm will begin a US$400mn investment to expand the airport's second terminal, bringing it to 300,000m2 in order to meet growing demand for air travel, Salmón said, adding that the airport could see traffic surpass 40mn that year.

NEW AGREEMENT

On April 29, LAP and the transport and communications ministry signed a new agreement authorizing the company to operate with two passenger terminals instead of one.

The agreement gave LAP 30 days to provide the ministry with the conceptual design for the new terminal, which will have an extension of 180,000m2 and capacity to serve 37mn passengers as of 2025.

It maintained LAP’s obligation to finish the second runway and new control tower in January 2023. The company has said it plans to have both ready in July this year.

The obligation to complete the new terminal in January 2025 was ratified as was the commitment of civil aviation authority Corpac to have the equipment ready for the new tower in January 2023.

The agreement also dealt with non-compliance issues regarding infrastructure works that the Peruvian state should have had ready in July 2021, including the Santa Rosa bridge, but which have not yet been tendered. LAP waived any right to take legal action for the delays and January 2025 was set as the new deadline for the works in question.

WORK PROGRESS

According to LAP, works on the new control tower and the second runway are 95% complete, while the new passenger terminal will be ready in January 2025.

In addition to the US$1.6bn investment to expand the airport through 2025, LAP will invest US$160mn in the first terminal for improvements, remodeling and implementation of new systems and technology.