Vinci completes Brazilian airport upgrade

Vinci Airports has ‘handed over’ Brazil’s Salvador Bahia Airport to officials after completing a €160 million (US$180 million) extension and upgrade programme.

The project included the extension of a terminal and the construction of a new jetty with six boarding gates, which have been designed to increase the annual passenger capacity of the airport from 10 million to 15 million people.

The company said that the environment was its central focus during the project and that it had designed and implemented a wastewater treatment plant to reuse water on site and a waste sorting centre and solar farm as part of the programme.

Nicolas Notebaert, CEO of Vinci Concessions and president of Vinci Airports, said, “These modernisation works have expanded the airport’s potential and made the airport into an efficient and friendly gateway to the Bahia region. The particularly ambitious environmental aspects of this project are a benchmark in sustainable infrastructure transition.

“We commend the exemplary engagement of the airport teams and are delighted to celebrate this major milestone with them.”

Vinci’s works to the airport also included the refurbishment of the runways, construction of additional airline counters, a new baggage handling system and a larger shopping area.