Viru Viru International Airport

Viru Viru International Airport
Summary
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°W / -17.64472; -63.13528Coordinates: 17°38′41″S 63°08′07″W / 17.64472°S 63.13528°W / -17.64472; -63.13528
Map
VVI
Location of airport in Bolivia
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
16/34 11,483 3,500 Concrete
Statistics (2015)
Passengers 2,384,746
Source: SABSA,[1] Airport Statistics[2]

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

AirlinesDestinations
Aerolíneas Argentinas Buenos Aires-Ezeiza
Air Europa Madrid
Amaszonas Asunción, Cochabamba, Córdoba, Guayaramerín, Iquique, La Paz, Montevideo1, Riberalta, Sucre, Tarija, Yacuiba
American Airlines Miami
Avianca Ecuador Bogotá (begins 22 November 2018), Lima
Boliviana de Aviación Buenos Aires-Ezeiza, Cobija, Cochabamba, La Paz, Madrid, Miami, Oruro, La Romana, Salta, São Paulo-Guarulhos, Sucre, Tarija, Trinidad, Yacuiba
Copa Airlines Panama City-Tocumen
EcoJet Cobija, Guayaramerín, Riberalta, Sucre, Tarija, Trinidad
Gol Airlines São Paulo–Guarulhos
Seasonal: Rio de Janeiro–Galeão
LATAM Chile Santiago de Chile
LATAM Perú Lima
TAM - Transporte Aéreo Militar Cobija, Cochabamba, La Paz, Puerto Suárez, Sucre, Tarija, Trinidad

Notes:

  • ^1 : Amaszonas' flight to Montevideo makes a stop in Asunción.
  • ^2 : Avianca Ecuador's flight to Quito makes a stop in Lima.

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
American Airlines Cargo Miami
TAB - Transportes Aéreos Bolivianos Cochabamba, La Paz, Miami

Statistics

Top destinations

Busiest international routes from VVI
(2015–2016)[3]
Rank City Passengers Top carriers % Change
1 United States Miami, United States 386,496 American Airlines, Boliviana de Aviación Decrease 4%
2 Brazil São Paulo (Guarulhos), Brazil 372,773 Boliviana de Aviación, Gol Airlines Increase 10%
3 Argentina Buenos Aires (Ezeiza), Argentina 358,943 Aerolíneas Argentinas, Austral Líneas Aéreas, Boliviana de Aviación Increase 43%
4 Spain Madrid, Spain 348,603 Air Europa, Boliviana de Aviación Increase 5%
5 Panama Panama City, Panama 278,277 Copa Airlines Increase 15%
6 Peru Lima, Peru 268,584 Avianca Ecuador, LATAM Perú Increase 26%
7 Chile Iquique, Chile 94,733 Amaszonas, LATAM Chile Decrease 7%
8 Paraguay Asunción, Paraguay 79,962 Amaszonas, LATAM Paraguay Decrease 13%

References

  1. ↑ http://www.sabsa.aero/aeropuerto-el-alto
  2. ↑ http://www.sabsa.aero/Documentos/informacion/Estadistico_pax_atz.pdf
  3. ↑ "Tráfico de pasajeros – Origen/Destino Servicio Regular Internacional" (PDF). Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (Bolivia) (in Spanish). January 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
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