El Dorado International Airport
Encyclopedia
El Dorado International Airport is an international airport
located in Bogotá
, Colombia
. It is the largest Latin America
airport
in terms of cargo movements with 593,946 tons (2010) and the third in terms of passenger traffic, only behind São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport and Mexico City
's Benito Juárez International Airport, transporting 18,934,203 passengers in 2010; as well as the largest airport
in Colombia
and the main international and domestic air gateway in the country, serving as an important hub for Avianca
(the national flag carrier
of Colombia), Copa Airlines Colombia
, Aires
, Satena
, EasyFly
and other cargo companies. It is managed by Operadora Aeroportuaria Internacional (OPAIN), a consortium
composed of Colombian construction and engineering firms and the Swiss
Flughafen Zürich AG
.
El Dorado is, politically and economically, the most important airport in Colombia and serves as the nation's primary international gateway, accounting for 49% of the total air traffic in the country. It handles all domestic and international flights into Bogotá and boasts the world's third largest landing field
6.9 square kilometres (1,705 acre) of land. El Dorado is located about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) west of the city center; Avenida El Dorado (26 street), one of the fastest highways in Bogotá, provides passengers access to downtown. At the end of the year 2008 construction of a new TransMilenio
line started, which will connect the airport with the mass transportation system of the city.
. Its construction began in 1955 and entered in service at the end of 1959, replacing the interim terminal and joining other portions of the then brand new airport. The new terminal consisted of several taxiways, maintenance platforms, parking areas, a cellar, passenger halls, Mezzanine areas and other amenities. Its second floor consisted of the departures area with executive waiting rooms and restaurants. The third floor consisted mainly of offices for the airlines and of other airport related services.
The fourth floor held the management offices and its dependencies which accounted through to the fifth floor. The sixth floor contained mainly the dependencies of meteorology and power station of air navigation aids of the ECA. The seventh floor held the route control facilities for the runways and taxiways and the eighth floor contained air traffic radar controllers. The ninth floor contained the airport's electrical maintenance and offices, and the tenth floor held the control tower and air traffic controllers.
In 1973, the airport hit a milestone by serving nearly three million passengers and processing nearly 5 million pieces of luggage. That year turned out to be one of most prosperous for the industry of aviation, registering high passenger growth in both domestic and international loads. In that time the necessity for a second runway at El Dorado was expressed under concerns that the explosive growth would lead to over congestion in the future. In 1981, Avianca
undertook the construction of the Puente Aéreo Terminal inaugurated by President Julio César Turbay Ayala
, to serve its high density flights from Bogotá to Cali
, Medellín
, Miami and New York City. In 1990, the Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics
(Aerocivil) moved to the third floor in the main building. During this same year, the Centro de Estudios Aeronáuticos and at the east part of the airport the building for the National Center for Aeronavigation were constructed. In 1998, the second runway was officially opened.
Over the past few years, the baggage claim areas has been extended on both the northern and southern portions of the airport, and the departure lounges towards the west have also been greatly expanded, adding more restaurants and shops.
in Bogotá, offering an estimated 6,000 possible connections per week, including greater numbers of frequencies, schedules and destinations served. Connections between domestic and international destinations are currently operated directly and through codesharing agreements with airlines such as Delta Air Lines
, Lacsa
(part of Grupo Taca), Iberia
and Air Canada
.
Operations out of the Bogotá
hub allow travelers to easily connect between domestic destinations (such as Medellín
to San Andrés), from a domestic destination to an international destination (Such as Cali
to Los Angeles), from an international destination to a domestic city (Such as Ft. Lauderdale to Baranquilla), between two international destinations (Such as Paris to Guayaquil
) and allows for simpler codeshare connections (such as Atlanta to Cartagena
with Delta Air Lines
and Avianca).
The hub also features facilities for easier transits, such as exclusive check-in counters for travelers in transit, buses for internal transportation between Puente Aéreo and El Dorado terminals, and a special lounge for international transit passengers to avoid having to go through Colombia
n customs and immigration between transits.
Avianca's original purpose for the terminal was to attend flights to Cali, Medellín, Miami and New York. During the first years of operation and until 2005 Avianca gradually moved all of its domestic operations to the Puente Aéreo and shifted the Miami and New York operations to the main terminal.
This allowed them to streamline their operations by using space previously assigned to customs and immigration for passenger gates and lounges. The culmination of this process came in 2006 when the airline undertook extensive renovations on the building. However, the airline was mindful of the then impending and current reconstruction of El Dorado International Airport which contemplates demolishing the Puente Aéreo along with the main terminal and old cargo buildings to be replaced with a new mega terminal. Many of the reforms made to the terminal in 2006 were obviously temporary and designed to be cheap but effective. For example, the walkways for the new gates are simply floor tiles placed over the old tarmac and the structure is made of aluminum with plastic sheets instead of glass windows. Passengers must cross the lanes used by buses, baggage carts and other vehicles in order to reach the aircraft. Once at the gate travellers must climb stairs to access the plane, much as was the norm in the 1950s and 1960s but has for many years been surpassed by enclosed, level boarding ramps.
In February 2008 Avianca
opened a pioneer store called Aviancastore which sells different products including: toy airplanes, hats, umbrellas, clothing, stuffed toys, pens, mugs and other such products, all embossed with the company logo. The store was an instant success and the airline extended the concept to various other cities in Colombia.
In 1954 he created a "Liaison Squadron" operating under direct orders of the President of the Republic, at the time, Gen. Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
. The Squadron was located in the Airport of Techo, the first airport of Bogotá. Its success led to the creation of a Military Airlift Group, which reached the category of Transportation Base in 1959. By then El Dorado International Airport was finished, so the Colombian Air Force
ordered the transfer of the Unit to an area adjacent to the new Airport of El Dorado, using the civil airport facilities, while finishing the construction of a new base. The base was baptized as Comando Aéreo de Transporte Militar (Military Transportation Air Command) or CATAM. The base was inaugurated on May 28, 1963.
The base acquired the status of Operations and Logistics Support Center by FAC Directive No. 4429 of 8 July, 1963, starting operations on 25 October. In 1968 the first two Hercules C-130B, with Colombian airplane military numbers FAC-1001 and FAC-1002, were delivered to this base. These aircraft, clearly designed for war missions and troop and materials transport, were able to use short and unpaved runways used in military operations through the country, fulfilling the needs of Colombian Air Force.
In 1977, the Military Transport Aviation Command was named after the Colombian aviation pioneer, Honorary Brigadier General Camilo Daza Alvarez. In order to expand its capacity for troop and cargo transportation in support of surface forces, in their fight against subversion and drug trafficking, the Air Force acquired new C-130 Hercules
aircraft that been used for security purposes but also for humanitarian assistance. Between 1990 and 1991 the base received from the U.S. government six C-130B aircraft to support operations to combat drug trafficking and guerrillas.
In 1996 the base opened new ground accesses through an area devoted to the Military Transport Aviation Command. The narrow street that impeded the entrance and exit of vehicles was replaced by a dual carriageway and a tunnel that allows access to vehicular traffic passing below the airplane access ramp to runway number 2 of El Dorado International Airport. The parking lot was also enlarged to serve up to 260 vehicles. The base hosts the Colombian Air Force Museum, which has planes in display that represent the various types used in service during the 85 years history of the force.https://www.fac.mil.co/index.php?idcategoria=130&pag=3
In 2003 NVG equipment for night vision air operations was installed in Hercules C-130 and CN-235 Nurtanio airplanes. This increased the operational and support capacity of the base given to ground Army force, by allowing transportation, parachuting and aeromedical evacuation on combat runways lacking illumination. In this way Colombian Air Force almost doubled its operating capacity at this base, since it works 24 hours a day. https://www.fac.mil.co/index.php?idcategoria=115
has two passenger terminal
s, the main terminal, El Dorado, named after the famed legend of El Dorado handles all international and domestic arrivals, except Avianca
's domestic flights. Check-in counters, ticket counters, immigration office and customs are located on the lower level while information boards, information office, waiting rooms and emigration are located on the upper level.
The main building has two concourses; the domestic concourse and the international concourse. The domestic concourse contains 11 gates and 5 additional for regional flights. The international concourse contains 9 gates. This main building has a passenger area of 54000 ft2 and provides different services such as travel agencies, restaurants, book stores and craft shops, automated teller machine
s (ATMs), duty free shops, communication services and complimentary Wi-fi throughout the terminal. At the domestic and international arrivals level, passengers can find tourist information offices and ground transportation services within the city.
The second terminal, known as Puente Aéreo (air bridge) is a privately owned terminal that exclusively serves Avianca
's and its subsidiary SAM
's domestic and regional flights. Initially, the terminal exclusively served passengers on the Miami
, New York-JFK
, Cali
, Medellín
, Pasto
, and Montería
routes. It was renovated in October 2006, after an investment of US$7.5 million and handles a total of more than 120 daily flights with capacity to handle 4.4 million passengers annually. The terminal has a passenger area of 4416 ft2 and 14 domestic gates and helps reducing connection times between domestic flights. The terminal also provides additional services for travelers and visitors, such as access to shopping facilities, domestic and international calls, taxi services, ATMs, restaurants and fast food restaurants and numerous book and gift shops.
The Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics
(Aerocivil) is located in the new Aerocivil Building, located on the airport property. Previously it was located on the fourth floor of the main terminal building.
Due to the high demand of passengers, it has now become apparent to build a new airport much more modern and more capable for both commercial and cargo flights. Although the original master plan called for a massive overhaul and expansion of existing terminal, the Colombian government has now realized the need to build a new airport.
The process began with the creation of the new terminal. On February 7, 2007, the airport was given a concession to the consortium Opain. The national government accepted the proposal with Opain (airport operating company), in demolishing the airport on March 14, 2008, after having given its concession. Initially the grant provided for the modernization of existing buildings and the construction of some additional buildings connected to the main terminal, but during the upgrading works (see below, Milestone 1), structural defects were discovered, which were not compromising the integrity of the building today. Opain from the beginning had proposed the demolish the aging terminal and had even submitted a new design to replace it, but the government had strongly opposed due to pressing budget and legal issues (because it would be a big change to the terms of the concession, which could make Opain as well as other competitors who participated in the tender submitted claims), although many sectors of public opinion agreed with Opain. After the structural problems are discovered, the government agreed to the demolition of the airport and compensation for the renovations that Opain had already been reached to perform (Milestone 1). For the airport to handle 16 million passengers annually and 1.5 million tons of cargo, Opain plans to move the cargo terminal to allow the expansion of the passenger terminal, and ensure access for at least an additional avenue to 26th Street.
On September 19, 2007 began the implementation of Milestone 1 of the plan for modernization and expansion of the airport. This consists of expanding the current Central Arrivals Hall of the terminal and installation of CUTE system at the terminal. This was completed in March 2008. Additionally, the construction of the new cargo terminal, a new building for the office of civil aviation, a new fire station, an administrative center and quarantine. All of the above was completed in September 2009.
The third milestone of the project began in late November 2009. This is Terminal 2, on the north side of the current terminal. This will require the demolition of the domestic cargo terminal, which will start in the new cargo buildings. Is expected to be completed in 2012, when the old terminal will be demolished to build a larger terminal.
The new El Dorado International Airport will undoubtedly be the largest infrastructure project in the city, when completed in the Summer of 2014, will be the largest and most modern airport in Latin America.
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
located in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. It is the largest Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in terms of cargo movements with 593,946 tons (2010) and the third in terms of passenger traffic, only behind São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport and Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
's Benito Juárez International Airport, transporting 18,934,203 passengers in 2010; as well as the largest airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and the main international and domestic air gateway in the country, serving as an important hub for Avianca
Avianca
Avianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub at the El Dorado International Airport...
(the national flag carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
of Colombia), Copa Airlines Colombia
Copa Airlines Colombia
AeroRepública S.A., operating as Copa Airlines Colombia, is an airline based in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the third largest air carrier in Colombia . It operates scheduled services from Bogotá to 11 domestic destinations, Panama, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador as well as charter...
, Aires
AIRES
Aerovías de Integración Regional S.A. is a low-cost airline headquartered in the AIRES Hangar in Bogotá, Colombia. It operates scheduled regional domestic and international services, as well as a domestic cargo service...
, Satena
SATENA
SATENA is an Colombian military airline based in Fontibón, Bogotá, Colombia. It operates regional, domestic and international routes...
, EasyFly
EasyFly
Easyfly S.A. is a regional low-cost carrier that operates in Colombia. Its main focus is to serve intermediate cities and those not served by other carriers. Operations started in October 2007, with one British Aerospace Jetstream 41 aircraft. Its main base is El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá...
and other cargo companies. It is managed by Operadora Aeroportuaria Internacional (OPAIN), a consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
composed of Colombian construction and engineering firms and the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
Flughafen Zürich AG
Zürich International Airport
Zurich Airport also called Kloten Airport, is located in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland, and managed by Flughafen Zürich AG. It is Switzerland's largest international flight gateway and hub to Swiss International Air Lines. It is partially in Kloten, Rümlang, Oberglatt, Winkel and Opfikon...
.
El Dorado is, politically and economically, the most important airport in Colombia and serves as the nation's primary international gateway, accounting for 49% of the total air traffic in the country. It handles all domestic and international flights into Bogotá and boasts the world's third largest landing field
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
6.9 square kilometres (1,705 acre) of land. El Dorado is located about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) west of the city center; Avenida El Dorado (26 street), one of the fastest highways in Bogotá, provides passengers access to downtown. At the end of the year 2008 construction of a new TransMilenio
TransMilenio
TransMilenio is a bus rapid transit system that serves Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. The system opened to the public in December 2000, covering Av. Caracas and Calle 80...
line started, which will connect the airport with the mass transportation system of the city.
History
El Dorado Passenger Terminal was designed during the government of General Gustavo Rojas PinillaGustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was a Colombian politician, military officer, General of the Army and President of Colombia between 1953 and 1957.- Biographic data :...
. Its construction began in 1955 and entered in service at the end of 1959, replacing the interim terminal and joining other portions of the then brand new airport. The new terminal consisted of several taxiways, maintenance platforms, parking areas, a cellar, passenger halls, Mezzanine areas and other amenities. Its second floor consisted of the departures area with executive waiting rooms and restaurants. The third floor consisted mainly of offices for the airlines and of other airport related services.
The fourth floor held the management offices and its dependencies which accounted through to the fifth floor. The sixth floor contained mainly the dependencies of meteorology and power station of air navigation aids of the ECA. The seventh floor held the route control facilities for the runways and taxiways and the eighth floor contained air traffic radar controllers. The ninth floor contained the airport's electrical maintenance and offices, and the tenth floor held the control tower and air traffic controllers.
In 1973, the airport hit a milestone by serving nearly three million passengers and processing nearly 5 million pieces of luggage. That year turned out to be one of most prosperous for the industry of aviation, registering high passenger growth in both domestic and international loads. In that time the necessity for a second runway at El Dorado was expressed under concerns that the explosive growth would lead to over congestion in the future. In 1981, Avianca
Avianca
Avianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub at the El Dorado International Airport...
undertook the construction of the Puente Aéreo Terminal inaugurated by President Julio César Turbay Ayala
Julio César Turbay Ayala
Julio César Turbay Ayala was a Colombian politician, member of the Colombian Liberal Party, elected president of the Senate of Colombia and and, was president of Colombia from 1978 to 1982.- Biographic data :...
, to serve its high density flights from Bogotá to Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
, Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, Miami and New York City. In 1990, the Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics
Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics
The Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics is a government agency of the Colombian Ministry of Transport. It is the agency in charge of regulating civil aviation, the aviation industry, and of managing the Colombian airspace. Aerocivil is also in charge of managing and controlling all of...
(Aerocivil) moved to the third floor in the main building. During this same year, the Centro de Estudios Aeronáuticos and at the east part of the airport the building for the National Center for Aeronavigation were constructed. In 1998, the second runway was officially opened.
Over the past few years, the baggage claim areas has been extended on both the northern and southern portions of the airport, and the departure lounges towards the west have also been greatly expanded, adding more restaurants and shops.
Avianca's main hub
On 10 December 1998, Avianca officially opened its hubAirline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
in Bogotá, offering an estimated 6,000 possible connections per week, including greater numbers of frequencies, schedules and destinations served. Connections between domestic and international destinations are currently operated directly and through codesharing agreements with airlines such as Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
, Lacsa
Lacsa
Lacsa , is the national airline of Costa Rica and is based in San José. It operates international scheduled services to over 35 destinations in Central, North and South America. All international services are now operated by Grupo TACA...
(part of Grupo Taca), Iberia
Iberia Airlines
Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España, S.A., commonly known as Iberia, is the flag carrier airline of Spain. Based in Madrid, it operates an international network of services from its main bases of Madrid-Barajas Airport and Barcelona El Prat Airport....
and Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
.
Operations out of the Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
hub allow travelers to easily connect between domestic destinations (such as Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
to San Andrés), from a domestic destination to an international destination (Such as Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
to Los Angeles), from an international destination to a domestic city (Such as Ft. Lauderdale to Baranquilla), between two international destinations (Such as Paris to Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
) and allows for simpler codeshare connections (such as Atlanta to Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
and Avianca).
The hub also features facilities for easier transits, such as exclusive check-in counters for travelers in transit, buses for internal transportation between Puente Aéreo and El Dorado terminals, and a special lounge for international transit passengers to avoid having to go through Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n customs and immigration between transits.
Puente Aéreo
In 1981, Avianca undertook the construction of a new exclusive terminal to be called the Puente Aéreo (Air Bridge), which was eventually inaugurated by President Julio Cesar Turbay AyalaJulio César Turbay Ayala
Julio César Turbay Ayala was a Colombian politician, member of the Colombian Liberal Party, elected president of the Senate of Colombia and and, was president of Colombia from 1978 to 1982.- Biographic data :...
Avianca's original purpose for the terminal was to attend flights to Cali, Medellín, Miami and New York. During the first years of operation and until 2005 Avianca gradually moved all of its domestic operations to the Puente Aéreo and shifted the Miami and New York operations to the main terminal.
This allowed them to streamline their operations by using space previously assigned to customs and immigration for passenger gates and lounges. The culmination of this process came in 2006 when the airline undertook extensive renovations on the building. However, the airline was mindful of the then impending and current reconstruction of El Dorado International Airport which contemplates demolishing the Puente Aéreo along with the main terminal and old cargo buildings to be replaced with a new mega terminal. Many of the reforms made to the terminal in 2006 were obviously temporary and designed to be cheap but effective. For example, the walkways for the new gates are simply floor tiles placed over the old tarmac and the structure is made of aluminum with plastic sheets instead of glass windows. Passengers must cross the lanes used by buses, baggage carts and other vehicles in order to reach the aircraft. Once at the gate travellers must climb stairs to access the plane, much as was the norm in the 1950s and 1960s but has for many years been surpassed by enclosed, level boarding ramps.
In February 2008 Avianca
Avianca
Avianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub at the El Dorado International Airport...
opened a pioneer store called Aviancastore which sells different products including: toy airplanes, hats, umbrellas, clothing, stuffed toys, pens, mugs and other such products, all embossed with the company logo. The store was an instant success and the airline extended the concept to various other cities in Colombia.
CATAM Military Airport
On 3 September 1932 it was launched the first Military Transport Service in Colombia, when a Junkers F-13 carried Colonel Luis Acevedo and his party to Leticia. Colonel Acevedo also served as Colombia's General Director of aviation. Although the military air transport infrastructure was not formed yet, that mission was accomplished during the conflict with Peru in a rudimentary but effective way, with aircraft like the Junkers W-34, Ju-52 and BT-32 Condor.In 1954 he created a "Liaison Squadron" operating under direct orders of the President of the Republic, at the time, Gen. Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was a Colombian politician, military officer, General of the Army and President of Colombia between 1953 and 1957.- Biographic data :...
. The Squadron was located in the Airport of Techo, the first airport of Bogotá. Its success led to the creation of a Military Airlift Group, which reached the category of Transportation Base in 1959. By then El Dorado International Airport was finished, so the Colombian Air Force
Colombian Air Force
The Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...
ordered the transfer of the Unit to an area adjacent to the new Airport of El Dorado, using the civil airport facilities, while finishing the construction of a new base. The base was baptized as Comando Aéreo de Transporte Militar (Military Transportation Air Command) or CATAM. The base was inaugurated on May 28, 1963.
The base acquired the status of Operations and Logistics Support Center by FAC Directive No. 4429 of 8 July, 1963, starting operations on 25 October. In 1968 the first two Hercules C-130B, with Colombian airplane military numbers FAC-1001 and FAC-1002, were delivered to this base. These aircraft, clearly designed for war missions and troop and materials transport, were able to use short and unpaved runways used in military operations through the country, fulfilling the needs of Colombian Air Force.
In 1977, the Military Transport Aviation Command was named after the Colombian aviation pioneer, Honorary Brigadier General Camilo Daza Alvarez. In order to expand its capacity for troop and cargo transportation in support of surface forces, in their fight against subversion and drug trafficking, the Air Force acquired new C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
aircraft that been used for security purposes but also for humanitarian assistance. Between 1990 and 1991 the base received from the U.S. government six C-130B aircraft to support operations to combat drug trafficking and guerrillas.
In 1996 the base opened new ground accesses through an area devoted to the Military Transport Aviation Command. The narrow street that impeded the entrance and exit of vehicles was replaced by a dual carriageway and a tunnel that allows access to vehicular traffic passing below the airplane access ramp to runway number 2 of El Dorado International Airport. The parking lot was also enlarged to serve up to 260 vehicles. The base hosts the Colombian Air Force Museum, which has planes in display that represent the various types used in service during the 85 years history of the force.https://www.fac.mil.co/index.php?idcategoria=130&pag=3
In 2003 NVG equipment for night vision air operations was installed in Hercules C-130 and CN-235 Nurtanio airplanes. This increased the operational and support capacity of the base given to ground Army force, by allowing transportation, parachuting and aeromedical evacuation on combat runways lacking illumination. In this way Colombian Air Force almost doubled its operating capacity at this base, since it works 24 hours a day. https://www.fac.mil.co/index.php?idcategoria=115
Terminals, airlines and destinations
The airportAirport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
has two passenger terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
s, the main terminal, El Dorado, named after the famed legend of El Dorado handles all international and domestic arrivals, except Avianca
Avianca
Avianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub at the El Dorado International Airport...
's domestic flights. Check-in counters, ticket counters, immigration office and customs are located on the lower level while information boards, information office, waiting rooms and emigration are located on the upper level.
The main building has two concourses; the domestic concourse and the international concourse. The domestic concourse contains 11 gates and 5 additional for regional flights. The international concourse contains 9 gates. This main building has a passenger area of 54000 ft2 and provides different services such as travel agencies, restaurants, book stores and craft shops, automated teller machine
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
s (ATMs), duty free shops, communication services and complimentary Wi-fi throughout the terminal. At the domestic and international arrivals level, passengers can find tourist information offices and ground transportation services within the city.
The second terminal, known as Puente Aéreo (air bridge) is a privately owned terminal that exclusively serves Avianca
Avianca
Avianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub at the El Dorado International Airport...
's and its subsidiary SAM
SAM Colombia
SAM was a Colombian airline. The airline, with its main hub at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, is operating domestic and international routes and is a subsidiary airline of Avianca...
's domestic and regional flights. Initially, the terminal exclusively served passengers on the Miami
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
, New York-JFK
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
, Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
, Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, Pasto
Pasto
Pasto, officially San Juan de Pasto, is the capital of the department of Nariño, located in southwest Colombia. The city is located in the "Atriz Valley", on the Andes cordillera, at the foot of the Galeras volcano, at an altitude of 8,290 feet above sea level...
, and Montería
Montería
Montería is a municipality and city located in Northern Colombia and is the capital of the Department of Córdoba. The city is located away from the Caribbean, by the Sinú River. The city and region are famous for their distinct cultural heritages, which include a blend of indigenous Zenú Indians,...
routes. It was renovated in October 2006, after an investment of US$7.5 million and handles a total of more than 120 daily flights with capacity to handle 4.4 million passengers annually. The terminal has a passenger area of 4416 ft2 and 14 domestic gates and helps reducing connection times between domestic flights. The terminal also provides additional services for travelers and visitors, such as access to shopping facilities, domestic and international calls, taxi services, ATMs, restaurants and fast food restaurants and numerous book and gift shops.
The Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics
Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics
The Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics is a government agency of the Colombian Ministry of Transport. It is the agency in charge of regulating civil aviation, the aviation industry, and of managing the Colombian airspace. Aerocivil is also in charge of managing and controlling all of...
(Aerocivil) is located in the new Aerocivil Building, located on the airport property. Previously it was located on the fourth floor of the main terminal building.
New cargo terminal
Cargo operations recently started within its respective new terminal; this includes an additional operational area of 5,586 square meters, plus 36,000 square meters for cargo processing, making El Dorado the airport with the highest load capacity in Latin America. The area of the warehouse is 19,757 square meters in total, the number of loading dock levelers were increased by 45 units to improve the loading and unloading of trucks directly to the processing area of the new cargo terminal. The Mezzanine level has an area of 4,471 square meters, its interior space is used for the convenience of operators as well as users.Cargo airlines
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Cargolux Cargolux Airlines International S.A., trading as Cargolux, is a cargo airline with its head office on the grounds of Luxembourg – Findel Airport in Sandweiler, Luxembourg. It is one of the largest scheduled all-cargo airlines in Europe with a global network... Centurion Air Cargo Centurion Air Cargo is a cargo airline with its headquarters in Building 706 on the grounds of Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA. It operates all-cargo services to Central America and South America, serving 16 scheduled destinations. It specializes in... Colombian Air Cargo Colombian Air Cargo is a cargo airline based at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia.- Fleet :The Colombian Air Cargo fleet consists of the following aircraft :* 1 Boeing B727-200* 1 Boeing B727-100* 1 Boeing B737-100... DHL Express DHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail.... |
Florida West International Airways Florida West International Airways is an American cargo airline based on the grounds of Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA. It operates scheduled and charter services worldwide, with its main markets in Latin America, the Caribbean and the USA... Lufthansa Cargo Lufthansa Cargo AG is a cargo airline from Germany, operating worldwide air freight and logistics services on behalf of Lufthansa, of which it is a wholly owned subsidiary. The company is headquartered in Building 451 of the Frankfurt Airport area in Frankfurt, the major hub of Lufthansa... Líneas Aéreas Suramericanas Líneas Aéreas Suramericanas is a cargo airline based in Bogotá, Colombia. It operates domestic cargo charters and international services to North and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Its main base is El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá.- History :... Martinair For the American cargo airline, see Martinaire.Martinair Holland N.V., operating as Martinair, is an airline headquartered in the TransPort Building on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands. It operates cargo services to over 50 destinations worldwide. Services... |
MasAir Aerotransportes Mas de Carga, S.A. de C.V., operating as MasAir, is a cargo airline based in Mexico City, Mexico. It operates scheduled cargo services in Mexico and to the USA, Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia... Tampa Cargo Transportes Aéreos Mercantiles Panamericanos S.A., operating as Tampa Cargo, is a cargo airline based at José María Córdova International Airport in Medellín, Colombia. It is a specialized all-cargo airline transporting flowers from Latin America to Miami, as well as general cargo throughout the... UPS Airlines UPS Airlines is an American cargo airline owned by United Parcel Service Inc. . The company is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Its home airport is located at Louisville International Airport... World Airways World Airways, Inc. is an American airline headquartered at the HLH Building in Peachtree City, Georgia. For the most part, the company operates non-scheduled services. Its main aircraft and maintenance base is Tampa International Airport.-History:... |
Statistics
| Movements | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| passengers | 18.934.203 | 14.899.199 | 13.548.420 | 12.763.979 | 11.771.284 | 10.711.108 | 10.003.434 | 7.281.664 | 7.533.000 | 7.380.052 | 7.212.583 |
| Cargo (TM) | 594.946 | 512.844 | 578.812 | 585.598 | 590.931 | 561.318 | 531.474 | 482.152 | 420.605 | 374.608 | 378.035 |
| Rank | City | Passengers | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Miami, United StatesMiami International Airport Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area... |
494,257 | 2.3% |
| 2 |  Lima, PeruJorge Chávez International Airport Jorge Chávez International Airport , known as Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez in Spanish, is Peru's main international and domestic airport. It is located in Callao, 11 kilometers from the Historic Centre of Lima and 17 km from Miraflores. Callao is the port city now fully... |
465,224 | 5.8% |
| 3 |  Panama City, PanamaTocumen International Airport Tocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities... |
459,236 | 10.2% |
| 4 |  Madrid, Spain |
428,152 | 5.2% |
| 5 | New York, United States John F. Kennedy International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North... |
332,581 | 9.0% |
| 6 |  Quito, EcuadorMariscal Sucre International Airport Mariscal Sucre International Airport is the international airport serving Quito, the capital city of Ecuador. It is named after Venezuelan born Antonio José de Sucre, known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" , a hero of Ecuadorian and Latin American independence... |
284,376 | 22.0% |
| 7 |  Mexico City, MexicoMexico City International Airport Benito Juárez International Airport , in Venustiano Carranza, one of the sixteen boroughs into which Mexico's Federal District is divided, is a commercial airport that serves Mexico City, the capital of Mexico... |
272,009 | 46.0% |
| 8 | Ft. Lauderdale, USA |
266,674 | 47.2% |
| 9 |  Caracas, VenezuelaSimón Bolívar International Airport (Venezuela) Simón Bolívar International Airport of Maiquetia is an international airport located in Maiquetía, Venezuela, about 13 miles from downtown Caracas.... |
241,135 | 37.2% |
| 10 |  São Paulo, BrazilGuarulhos International Airport São Paulo/Guarulhos – Governador André Franco Montoro International Airport , formerly called Cumbica Airport after the district where it is located and the Air Force Base that still exists at the airport complex, is the main airport serving São Paulo, Brazil. It is located in the adjoining... |
216,161 | 48.2% |
| 11 |  Paris, France |
162,737 | 1.6% |
| 12 | Houston, USA George Bush Intercontinental Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59... |
142,901 | 3.0% |
| 13 |  Santiago de ChileComodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport , also known as Pudahuel Airport and Santiago International Airport, located in Pudahuel, north-west of downtown Santiago, is Chile's largest aviation facility and the busiest international air passenger gateway to the country... |
141,527 | 25.5% |
| 14 |  Buenos Aires, ArgentinaMinistro Pistarini International Airport Ministro Pistarini International Airport , more commonly known as Ezeiza International Airport owing to its location within the Ezeiza Partido in the Greater Buenos Aires, is an international airport located south-southwest of Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina... |
138,207 | 41.5% |
| 15 | Guayaquil, Ecuador José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport is an airport serving Guayaquil, a city in the province of Guayas in Ecuador. The airport was named after José Joaquín de Olmedo, a notable Ecuadorian poet, first mayor of the city of Guayaquil and former president of Ecuador. It was formerly known as... |
122,084 | 17.2% |
| 16 | Atlanta, USA |
100,943 | 1.3% |
| 17 | Orlando, USA Orlando International Airport Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport... |
86,314 | 7.3% |
| 18 |  San José de Costa RicaJuan Santamaría International Airport Juan Santamaría International Airport is located in Alajuela Province, about from downtown San José, Costa Rica. It is a hub airport for TACA/Lacsa, and focus city airport for Copa Airlines. It is named after Costa Rica's national hero Juan Santamaría, a courageous drummer boy who died in 1856... |
83,159 | 1.0% |
| 19 | Barcelona, Spain |
81,341 | 32.3% |
| 20 | Los Angeles, USA Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually... |
73,427 | 20.6% |
| Rank | City | Passengers | Top Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medellin, Antioquia José María Córdova International Airport José María Córdova International Airport is the main airport serving the Colombian city of Medellín and its surrounding metropolitan area. The airport is located about 30 minutes from the urban area by the new Las Palmas express way, in the municipality of Rionegro... |
2,284,893 | Avianca, Copa Airlines Colombia, Aires, Satena |
| 2 | Cali, Colombia Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport -Cargo airlines:-Accidents and incidents :*On 3 May, Douglas C-47B FAC-1126 of SATENA was damaged beyond repair in an accident at Palmaseca Airport.*On 21 January 1974, a Vickers Viscount of Aeropesca Colombia was hijacked and diverted to Cali.... |
2,278.299 | Avianca, Copa Airlines Colombia, Aires |
| 3 | Cartagena, Bolivar Rafael Núñez International Airport Rafael Núñez International Airport is an airport located in the city of Cartagena, Colombia. It is the second largest airport on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, and the largest in the region in terms of passenger movement.... |
1,506,984 | Avianca, Copa Airlines Colombia, Aires |
| 4 | Barranquilla, Atlantico Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport is located in the municipality of Soledad from Barranquilla, the capital of the Atlántico department in Colombia. The airport owes its name to one of the pioneers of Colombian aviation, Ernesto Cortissoz.... |
1,281,655 | Avianca, Copa Airlines Colombia, Aires |
| 5 | Bucaramanga, Santander | 968,899 | Avianca, Copa Airlines Colombia, Aires |
| 6 | Santa Marta, Magdalena | 776,696 | Avianca, Copa Airlines Colombia, Aires |
| 7 | Cucuta, Norte de Santander Camilo Daza International Airport Camilo Daza International Airport is a civil airport located in Cúcuta, Colombia. The airport serves the Norte de Santander Department . The airport contains international facilities and is able to operate general aviation flights to international destinations.This air terminal is located 5 km... |
673,745 | Avianca, Copa Airlines Colombia, Aires |
| 8 | Pereira, Risaralda Matecaña International Airport Matecaña International Airport is an airport located in the city of Pereira, Colombia. It connects the Risaralda department of Colombia. It also serves the cities of Armenia, Cartago, and Manizales in emergency situations.... |
627,838 | Avianca, Aires, Satena |
| 9 | San Andrés Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport is the leading airport in the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, which has enough capacity to receive large aircraft, due to a number of charter flights and seasonal in different parts of America and Europe.- Description :The... |
458,444 | Avianca, Copa Airlines Colombia, Aires, Satena |
| 10 | Monteria, Cordoba Los Garzones Airport Los Garzones Airport is an airport in Montería, Córdoba, Colombia.- Airlines and destinations :- External links :*... |
428,750 | Avianca, Copa Airlines Colombia, Aires |
Accidents and incidents
- On 7 June 1973, Vickers ViscountVickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
HK-1061 of Aerolíneas TAO was damaged beyond economic repair in an accident on landing. - On 24 January 1980, Douglas C-53D HK-2214 of Aerotal Colombia crashed after an inflight engine failure following which the propellor on the good engine was feathered. The aircraft was on a test flight. All four on board were killed.
- On 8 February 1986, Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
HK-3031 of SAEP Colombia crashed on approach. The port engine had lost power shortly after take-off on a cargo flight to Rondon Airport and the decision was made to return to Bogotá. Although the aircraft was destroyed in the post-impact fire, all five people on board survived. - On January 25, 1990, Avianca Flight 52Avianca Flight 52Avianca Flight 52 was a regularly scheduled flight from Bogotá to New York via Medellín, Colombia. On Thursday, January 25, 1990, the aircraft performing this flight, a Boeing 707-321B registered as , crashed into the village of Cove Neck, Long Island, New York after running out of fuel...
, flying on a Bogotá-Medellín-New York JFK route, crashed on Long IslandLong IslandLong Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
after running out of fuel. - On April 20, 1998, Air France Flight 422Air France Flight 422Air France Flight 422 was a scheduled flight on 20 April 1998 by Air France from Bogotá, Colombia, to Quito, Ecuador. The Boeing 727 was destroyed, killing all 53 people on board, when it crashed into the mountains east of Bogotá because of foggy weather and low visibility after taking off from...
from Eldorado Airport to QuitoQuitoSan Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
, EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, using an aircraft leased from TAMETameTame may refer to:*Taming, the act of domesticating wild animals*River Tame, Greater Manchester*River Tame, West Midlands and the Tame Valley*Tame, Arauca, a Colombian town and municipality...
and flown with EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
ian crew, crashed into a mountain near Bogotá. All 43 passengers and 10 crew died. - On July 7, 2008, a Kalitta AirKalitta AirKalitta Air is an American cargo airline headquartered in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, United States. It operates international scheduled and ad-hoc cargo charter services. Its main base is Willow Run Airport near Ypsilanti.-History:...
Boeing 747Boeing 747The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
-209B crashed shortly after departing from El Dorado International Airport in BogotáBogotáBogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
at 3:55 am. The plane was en route to Miami, FloridaMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, with a shipment of flowers. After reporting a fire in one of the engines, the plane attempted returning to the airport but crashed near the village of Madrid, Colombia. One of the plane's engines hit a farm house, killing an adult and two children who lived there. The crew of eight survived.
Future developments
The process began with the creation of the new terminal. On February 7, 2007, the airport was given a concession to the consortium Opain. The national government accepted the proposal with Opain (airport operating company), in demolishing the airport on March 14, 2008, after having given its concession. Initially the grant provided for the modernization of existing buildings and the construction of some additional buildings connected to the main terminal, but during the upgrading works (see below, Milestone 1), structural defects were discovered, which were not compromising the integrity of the building today. Opain from the beginning had proposed the demolish the aging terminal and had even submitted a new design to replace it, but the government had strongly opposed due to pressing budget and legal issues (because it would be a big change to the terms of the concession, which could make Opain as well as other competitors who participated in the tender submitted claims), although many sectors of public opinion agreed with Opain. After the structural problems are discovered, the government agreed to the demolition of the airport and compensation for the renovations that Opain had already been reached to perform (Milestone 1). For the airport to handle 16 million passengers annually and 1.5 million tons of cargo, Opain plans to move the cargo terminal to allow the expansion of the passenger terminal, and ensure access for at least an additional avenue to 26th Street.
On September 19, 2007 began the implementation of Milestone 1 of the plan for modernization and expansion of the airport. This consists of expanding the current Central Arrivals Hall of the terminal and installation of CUTE system at the terminal. This was completed in March 2008. Additionally, the construction of the new cargo terminal, a new building for the office of civil aviation, a new fire station, an administrative center and quarantine. All of the above was completed in September 2009.
The third milestone of the project began in late November 2009. This is Terminal 2, on the north side of the current terminal. This will require the demolition of the domestic cargo terminal, which will start in the new cargo buildings. Is expected to be completed in 2012, when the old terminal will be demolished to build a larger terminal.
The new El Dorado International Airport will undoubtedly be the largest infrastructure project in the city, when completed in the Summer of 2014, will be the largest and most modern airport in Latin America.