Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

Juan Carlos Zevallos, head of Peru's supervisory authority for the investment in public transport infrastructure - OSITRAN affirmed that Lima's Jorge Chavez Airport did not need more space.

Zevallos made these statements in response to requests made last week by Lima Airport Partners (LAP) to use government-owned property to expand airport facilities.

LAP, which was awarded a 30-year concession in February 2001, has assured the airport does not have enough space for the planes it must keep at the terminal overnight.

Jaime Daly, LAP's general manager has explained that more airlines are making Jorge Chavez their hub and tourism is to continue increasing.

The head of OSITRAN has assured that LAP only wants more land for commercial use and that the airport has enough space for another five years.

"LAP doesn't need more land. The area in the concession contract has been foreseen, established and completed. What they want is to extend their commercial operations, but that's not part of the deal," said Zevallos.

According to LAP's corporate affairs manager Claudia Vivanco, the land is needed to build a maintenance area for planes.

Vivanco explained the state had not provided LAP with 12,000 square meters of land granted to them in concession contracts and that the government had taken another 4,000 square meters of their property.