Brazil's GRU Airport Takes Over Operation Rights of Two Regional Airports

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 9, the government of Bahia State, Brazil, announced the airport management transfer arrangements. GRU Airport, the operator of Guarulhos International Airport, will take over management of Paulo Afonso Airport and Lençóis Airport in the state, with the management transfers scheduled to be completed on November 10 and November 30, respectively. This adjustment is part of the Brazilian federal government's AmpliAR Regional Airport Development Program. The two airports were previously managed by the Bahia State Department of Infrastructure and will be incorporated into GRU Airport's concession management system after the transfer.

According to the schedule announced by the Bahia State government, the management transfer ceremony for Paulo Afonso Airport is set for 9:30 a.m. on November 10, while Horácio de Matos Airport in the city of Lençóis is scheduled to complete its transfer at 9:30 a.m. on November 30. GRU Airport has dispatched operations teams to both airports starting November 9 to conduct on-site operational inspections, facility handovers, and management preparations. This adjustment involves daily airport operations, facility maintenance, and subsequent renovation management, and does not constitute a transfer of airport ownership.

Infrastructure renovations at both airports have been included in the AmpliAR Program. Paulo Afonso Airport is planned to receive 106.2 million reais in investment, and Lençóis Airport is planned to receive 80.2 million reais, totaling approximately 186.4 million reais. The renovation priorities include runways, aprons, passenger terminals, and related airport facilities. Specific construction arrangements will be advanced in conjunction with subsequent operations and project implementation plans.

Paulo Afonso Airport is located in northern Bahia and serves local air transport and regional transportation needs. Once the airport's operational capacity is improved, it can provide aviation transportation support for local business travel, tourism, and regional economic activities. Lençóis Airport is located in the Chapada Diamantina region of Bahia. Horácio de Matos Airport is an important aviation gateway for this tourism region, and airport facility renovations will involve passenger service capacity and aviation operational support conditions.

The transfer of these two airports is part of GRU Airport's expansion of its regional airport operations network. In November 2025, the company won the concession rights for 12 regional airports in the first round of auctions under the Brazilian federal government's AmpliAR Program, covering the states of Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rondônia, and Tocantins. On April 14, 2026, Brazil's Ministry of Ports and Airports signed a supplementary agreement to the concession contract, formally incorporating the 12 airports into GRU Airport's existing concession system.

The overall investment plan for the 12 airports is 731.6 million reais, of which approximately 630 million reais will be used for airport infrastructure modernization, mainly involving runways, aprons, and passenger terminals. The takeover of Paulo Afonso and Lençóis airports will advance the program into the stage of specific regional airport operational management and facility upgrades.

GRU Airport is the concession operator of Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil. Through this regional airport business expansion, the company will continue to operate São Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport while taking on management and infrastructure renovation tasks for more small and medium-sized airports. Subsequent projects will focus on airport operational support, facility maintenance, passenger services, and regional aviation network connectivity.