Honduran government announces renovation and expansion of the San Pedro Sula Airport (SAP)
The Honduran government has announced a $3.8 million project to renovate and expand the current terminal of the Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport / San Pedro Sula Airport (SAP).
Context
Located in La Lima, Honduras, it serves the city of San Pedro Sula, is the busiest airport in the country, and is the leading connectivity hub for cargo and passengers of the northern region, the one with the highest economic activity in the country.
On March 3rd, 2023, representatives of the Secretariat of Infrastructure and Transportation (SIT) presented the project to the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Cortés (CCIC) and the tourism sector.
Why it matters
The current airport terminal, inaugurated in 1997, was built originally to have a capacity between 300,000 and 400,000 passengers per year but currently serves 1.2 million passengers. The lack of essential investments in the last couple of years has rendered the airport ill-equipped to handle the current number of travelers and provide efficient and effective critical services for passengers, businesses, and visitors.
Key investment areas
- Redesign of the existing terminal
- Two additional jet bridges
- One extra conveyor belt for luggage handling
- Ampliation of the waiting area
- More extensive customs processing and luggage areas
- Customs kiosk for Honduran nationals
- Improvement of the flood protection systems
Timeframe
The project’s final plans should be ready by next month; then, the tender and bidding process will initiate. Authorities estimate that the execution time will be nine months and plan to finish it by January 2024.
New terminal building
Authorities explained that a new terminal building would take 3-4 years to build, so this renovation project is essential to improve airport operations and passenger services.
Credits
