São Paulo may gain a third airport.
It would be built by the construction companies Camargo Correa and Andrade Gutierrez, under a concession agreement, and would be located in the Caieiras region.
After nearly four years on hold, the project to build a third airport in Greater São Paulo by Andrade Gutierrez and Camargo Corrêa is about to have its operational viability assessed by the Department of Airspace Control (Decea). Holding the right to purchase a 9 million square meter area in Caieiras, in the metropolitan region, the companies want authorization to proceed with the project privately.
In a meeting held in July at the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), DECEA requested more information from the companies to study the technical feasibility of the airport, stated the head of the sector responsible for strategic operational planning at the agency, Julio Cesar de Sousa Pereira. According to him, with this data, DECEA would take a month to complete the analysis.
According to sources, however, the agency has already informed the government internally that the project is not viable. This reinforces the lack of enthusiasm the presidential palace has shown towards the project. ANAC, the regulatory agency for the aviation sector, never even studied the feasibility of granting the construction and operation of the new airport to the private sector, a source revealed.
Among the agency's directors, the excuses for inaction reveal the controversial nature of the project: the alleged rejection by President Dilma Rousseff, the operational infeasibility claimed by DECEA (Department of Airspace Control), and even the opposition from Odebrecht, a construction company rival to Andrade and Camargo.
The agency's new CEO, Marcelo Guaranys, however, would not be against the authorization, sources say. He took over ANAC this month. The São Paulo state government is another ally in the construction of the third airport, although it has not specifically commented on the Caieiras project. The view is that such an investment would be a solution to unlock infrastructure bottlenecks, the most visible examples of which are the long queues at Congonhas and Guarulhos airports.
A meeting between the State Secretariat of Logistics and Transport and ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency) to discuss the matter, scheduled for June, was canceled. The agency reportedly cited a scheduling conflict, according to the department's press office. Secretary Saulo de Castro has a meeting scheduled with the Minister of the Civil Aviation Secretariat, Wagner Bittencourt, "soon," but a date has not yet been set. According to his press office, he prefers not to give an interview before the meeting.
One of the reasons the government is not encouraging a third airport in São Paulo is its conviction that it will be able to implement the High-Speed Train (TAV) project linking Rio, São Paulo, and Campinas.
According to technicians from the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) who worked on the studies for the failed high-speed rail auction, the connection between São Paulo and Campinas would make Viracopos Airport a viable third option for Greater São Paulo. The high-speed rail studies were conducted at BNDES under the leadership of the current minister, Wagner Bittencourt, who was the bank's infrastructure director.
On the way to Caieiras airport, 35 kilometers from São Paulo, lies Infraero. The government believes that building a new airport in the region could hinder a future initial public offering (IPO) of the state-owned company. Another airport in Greater São Paulo could also reduce the value offered by consortia interested in the concessions for Guarulhos and Viracopos airports.
According to a consultant, the government also fears that authorizing the project will be seen as favoring the companies. However, even if the government were to invite other potential bidders, the two construction companies would be the winners, as other groups would have difficulty finding land.
When contacted, Camargo Corrêa declined to comment. Andrade Gutierrez confirmed in a statement that it "remains interested and working towards the success of São Paulo's third airport." SAC did not respond to the reporter's questions.