Mexican airport U-turn spurs global interest in Lima expansion

Mexico’s decision to cancel a US$13b airport has made investors hungrier to participate in the expansion of Peru’s main air terminus, according to the project’s director. Anton Aramayo, who is overseeing the plans at Lima Airport Partners, said dozens of international companies are interested in bidding for around $1.2b of works to build a second runway and a new passenger terminal. The cancellation of Mexico’s giant Texcoco airport last year helps to explain the interest. Aramayo says strong demand for engineering contracts could help drive down the overall cost of the airport’s expansion, which is currently estimated at about $1.5b, he said. The project is long overdue. The Jorge Chavez International Airport will handle more than 23m passengers this year, up from roughly 10m a decade ago. <br/>