Tancredo Neves International Airport

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Tancredo Neves International Airport Confins International Airport
IATA: CNF - ICAO: SBCF
Summary
Airport type		public
Operator		Infraero
Serves		Belo Horizonte
Elevation AMSL		2,715 ft (828 m)
Coordinates		19°38′02″S, 43°58′08″W
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
16/34	9,843	3,000	Asphalt

Tancredo Neves International Airport (IATA: CNF, ICAO: SBCF), popularly known as Confins International Airport, is located at 45 km from downtown Belo Horizonte. It is currently the largest and busiest airport in Belo Horizonte and the state of Minas Gerais. It is deemed to be one of the finest and best equipped in Latin America, although it was once one of Brazil's least used airports. The name honors the memory of former President Tancredo Neves.

1 History
2 Projects
3 General information
4 Airlines
5 External links

[edit] History

The airport was built by Infraero in early 1980s at the cost of $1.2 billion, and was inaugurated in 1984. It was built to lessen congestion at Pampulha Regional Airport, which was operating at 120% of its capacity of 1.3 million passengers per year.

It was expected that movement in the airport would be of nearly 2 million passengers per year in 1990, however, it has only surpassed 1 million passengers 22 years later. Its maximum operational capacity is 5 million passengers per year.

From its inauguration, despite the plans to help lessen congestion at Pampulha, just a fraction of its capacity was used due also to the huge distance from downtown and lack of satisfatory transportation, what led people to continue using the older one.

However, as of March 2005, 130 flights have been transferred from Pampulha to Tancredo Neves International Airport by the government, increasing passengers flow from 350.000 to around 3.0 million in 2005. This was extremely necessary, as the former was operating at 200% of its maximum capacity and the latter was known as Infraero's most unefficient and the least used airport.

Today, the airport serves mostly domestic, but few international flights, such as to Buenos Aires, Argentina, although authorities plan to increase the number of the latter.

[edit] Projects

Recently many projects are being executed, including the restoration of the highway that binds the city to the airport (MG-10 highway) as part of a bigger project called Linha Verde (Green Line), which will reduce the time needed to arrive at the airport and is due to be completed by the end of 2006. Another project, called industrial-airport, will tax exempt industries interested in settling their business near the airport, transforming its surroundings.

There are Shuttle Buses that ply between Downtown Belo Horizonte and the Airport. The fares range from R$6.50 for the conventional Shuttle to R$13.90 for the executive Shuttle.

[edit] General information

Landing strip length: 3000 m (9,842 ft)
Co-ordinates: 19°37′27″S, 043°58′18″W
Administration: Infraero
Annual capacity: 5,000,000
Other passenger facilities information: 33 check-in desks, 9 gates, 9 jetways, 1,080 long term parking spaces, min. connection times Dom-Intl: 60 min, Dom-Dom: 20 min, post office, bank, bureau de change, restaurants, cafeterias, bars, VIP lounge, duty free shop, newsagent/tobacconist, chemist shop, gift shop, travel agent, tourist help desk, car rental, taxi service/rank, first aid, baby/parent room, disabled access/facilities
Cargo facilities: capacity 18,000 tonnes (39,682,000 lb); Warehouse 6,400 m² (68,889 ft²), Bonded Warehouse, Transit Zone, Domestic Cargo Only, Mechanical Handling, Heated Storage, Refrigerated Storage, Deep Freeze Storage, Mortuary, Animal Quarantine, Fresh Meat Inspection, Livestock Handling, Health Officials, Security for Valuables, Dangerous Goods, Radioactive Goods, Very Large/Heavy Cargo, Express/Courier Centre, Handling Equipment: Forklift, Porta-pallets
Transportation: It is regularly served by buses, taxis and shuttles. Transfer at Belo Horizonte's subway, when using buses, is possible.