Viru Viru International Airport
| Viru Viru International Airport | |||||||||||
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| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Abertis | ||||||||||
| Location | Santa Cruz de la Sierra | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,225 ft / 373 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 17°38′41″S 63°08′07″W / 17.64472°S 63.13528°WCoordinates: 17°38′41″S 63°08′07″W / 17.64472°S 63.13528°W | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  VVI Location of airport in Bolivia | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2015) | |||||||||||
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Viru Viru International Airport (IATA: VVI, ICAO: SLVR) in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia is Bolivia's largest international airport. Viru Viru handles domestic, regional, and international flights from Bolivia, North America, South America and Europe and is the hub for Bolivia's biggest airline Boliviana de Aviación. The airport is able to handle aircraft up to the Boeing 747-400.
History
The airport was opened in 1983, to replace the obsolete El Trompillo Airport. Upon its inauguration, Viru Viru became a main gateway for international flights. Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano used Viru Viru as a hub before ceasing operations in 2008. On 1 March 1997 the government of Bolivia entered into a 25-year contract with Airport Group International to operate the three largest airports in Bolivia — El Alto International Airport in La Paz, Jorge Wilstermann International Airport in Cochabamba and Viru Viru International Airport. Servicios de Aeropuertos Bolivianos Sociedad Anonima (SABSA) was created to operate the concession. In 1999 Airport Group International was purchased by TBI plc. In 2004, Spain's Abertis/AENA purchased TBI.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
Notes:
- ^a : Amaszonas' flight to Montevideo makes a stop in Asunción.
- ^b : Avianca's flight to Bogotá resumes on October 29, 2017.
- ^c : Avianca Ecuador's flight to Quito makes a stop in Lima.
- ^d : Azul Brazilian Airlines' flights begin on December 10, 2017.
- ^e : LATAM Brasil's flights begin on April 2, 2018.
Cargo
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| American Airlines Cargo | Miami |
| TAB - Transportes Aéreos Bolivianos | Cochabamba, La Paz, Miami, Panama City |
Statistics
Top destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Top carriers | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Miami, United States |
386,496 | American Airlines, Boliviana de Aviación |  4% |
| 2 |  São Paulo (Guarulhos), Brazil |
372,773 | Boliviana de Aviación, Gol Airlines |  10% |
| 3 |  Buenos Aires (Ezeiza), Argentina |
358,943 | Aerolíneas Argentinas, Austral Líneas Aéreas, Boliviana de Aviación | 43% |
| 4 |  Madrid, Spain |
348,603 | Air Europa, Boliviana de Aviación | 5% |
| 5 |  Panama City, Panama |
278,277 | Copa Airlines | 15% |
| 6 |  Lima, Peru |
268,584 | Avianca Ecuador, LATAM Perú | 26% |
| 7 |  Iquique, Chile |
94,733 | Amaszonas, LATAM Chile | 7% |
| 8 |  Asunción, Paraguay |
79,962 | Amaszonas, LATAM Paraguay | 13% |
Accidents and incidents
- On 8 March 2006, an Argentine air force Learjet 35 flying from El Alto International Airport in La Paz to Viru Viru crashed after take off, killing all six people on board.
- 23 July 2010: an AeroSur Boeing 737 flying from Miami, Florida, USA, to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, with 122 passengers and 6 crew members on board, lost cabin pressurization at 08:00 UTC over the Brazilian Amazon basin and was forced to land at Rio Branco International Airport.[13]
- 1 November 2014: A privately owned de Havilland DH-114 Heron four engined aircraft on a ferry flight from Miami, USA to Cochabamba-J Wilsterman Airport (CBB/SLCB), made an emergency landing at Santa Cruz-Viru Viru International Airport (VVI) in Bolivia following the in flight separation of the no. 3 prop. The prop struck engine no. 4, causing substantial damage to that engine.
References
- ↑ http://www.sabsa.aero/aeropuerto-el-alto
- ↑ http://www.sabsa.aero/Documentos/informacion/Estadistico_pax_atz.pdf
- ↑ http://www.la-razon.com/suplementos/financiero/Argentina-luz-verde-vuelos-Amaszonas_0_2745325447.html
- ↑ http://www.erbol.com.bo/noticia/economia/23122016/linea_de_amaszonas_volara_desde_santa_cruz_miami
- ↑ http://www2.anac.gov.br/voosautorizados/
- ↑ http://www.olhardireto.com.br/noticias/exibir.asp?id=435062¬icia=azul-solicita-nova-data-para-iniciar-voo-entre-cuiaba-e-bolivia
- ↑ http://www2.anac.gov.br/voosautorizados/
- ↑ http://www.prensa-latina.cu/index.php?o=rn&id=69598&SEO=boliviana-de-aviacion-gestiona-vuelos-regulares-a-peru-y-mexico
- ↑ http://www.contralinea.com.mx/archivo-revista/index.php/2017/05/24/boliviana-de-aviacion-calienta-motores-hacia-el-crecimiento/
- ↑ http://mensajeroweb.com.ar/post/57045/charla-de-cafe-con-francisco-ruffolo.html
- ↑ http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/272982/latam-brasil-files-bolivia-schedule-from-april-2018/
- ↑ "Tráfico de pasajeros - Origen/Destino Servicio Regular Internacional" (PDF). Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (Bolivia) (in Spanish). January 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ↑ Aerosur plane with 128 on board performed emergency landing in Brazil. ABC Color, quoting EFE news agency, 23 July 2010. In Spanish. Retrieved on 11 August 2010.
External links
- Official website
- Airport information for SLVR at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.