Brazil’s Natal Airport re-concession will test the continuing appeal of its airport infrastructure

Brazil's airport concession programme is coming to a conclusion as CAPA has said often. But even as it does, one of a number of potential reconcessions is coming to a head after bubbling under for several years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And it isn't any old airport. It is the Natal Aluízio Alves International Airport, a greenfield project that began in 2011 and was the very first privatisation, commissioned by an appointed 'dream team' of one of the world's largest airport operators and a major transport infrastructure company - both of them from Latin America.

It hasn't been a dream though, even if it didn't quite turn into a nightmare. The traffic projections were out of kilter with reality and Brazil's economic problems, followed by the pandemic, rendered the airport unable to realise expectations.

On top of that, the leading partner in the consortium then faced financial issues during the pandemic.

So the baton will soon be handed over to another investor - and there will undoubtedly be one, because for all the difficulties of operating in that environment, Brazil still seems to have some sort of hold over them.

(That investor revealed itself on 19-May-2023 to be Flughafen Zurich, which is currently the operator of four other Brazilian airports).