Vinci consortium to develop Chilean airport

The Chilean government has chosen a consortium made up of Aéroports de Paris, Vinci Airports and Italian contractor Astaldi to build a terminal at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago. 

The Nuevo Pudahuel consortium is led by Aéroports de Paris, which holds a 45% share; Vinci has a 40% stake and Astaldi has 15%. 

It will renovate and redesign the existing terminal, and design, build and fund a second 175,000 square metre terminal with 37 aircraft stands. When the work is complete in 2020 the capacity of the airport will increase to 30 million passengers; last year it handled a little more than 16 million. 

The consortium will also operate the commercial development for 20 years, including the two terminals, car parks and future property developments. 

Building works will be jointly executed by Astaldi and Vinci Grands Projets. 

Augustin de Romanet, chairman and chief executive of Aéroports de Paris, said: “Santiago de Chile ranks among Latin America’s most dynamic regional hubs, with an average annual growth in passenger traffic of 10% over the past 20 years.  

“This airport offers strong potential for growth and the creation of new routes that will enable it to become one of the main entry points to Latin America from Europe, the US and soon from Asia.” 

Xavier Huillard, president of Vinci Airports, said “the new 15 million passenger terminal will be completed by 2020”.

Photograph: Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport as it is now (Wikipedia)