MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Punta Arenas included in Chile’s 285 million USD program to improve air travel

The Punta Arenas airport will receive funds for maintenance of the aircraft taxiing area

In response to increased air traffic this past decade, the Ministry of Public Works has formed a plan to improve and expand the airports of Chile including Punta Arenas.

The Ministry will invest 285 million US dollars in Chilean airports between 2011 and 2014. The construction will improve the transportation of passengers and cargo in three major areas of the country. According to the Airport Management of the Ministry of Public Works, over 15 projects are under consideration.

Three-quarters of the investment will go to the conservation, expansion, and improvement of airport infrastructure. The rest will be used for the replacement, construction, standardization, and analysis of airports throughout the country.

The Metropolitan, Los Lagos, and Magallanes regions have been targeted for 72% of this investment.

Santiago’s will receive 31% of the funds for projects to expand Arturo Merino Benítez Airport (AMB) in 2013. In addition, improvements to the airplane maintenance area, the parking platform, and other works connected to the aviation corporation are under consideration.

In the Los Lagos Region 23.2% will go toward the new airfield of Chiloé and the replacement of Chaitén’s airfield.

The Magallanes Region will utilize 17.6% for the conservation of the plane taxiing area of the Carlos Ibáñez del Campo de Punta Arenas Airport.

In the region of Valparaíso, 7.18% will be contributed to the plane taxiing area of the Mataveriterminal Mataveri on Easter Island.

These projects will allow Chilean airports to handle the increase in passengers and cargo. In just a decade, international and local passenger demand has almost doubled.

By Josh Naylor - The Santiago Times