Salgado Filho was originally called São João Federal Airport, after the neighborhood where it is located. In the beginning it was an air club, where the first flights landed on May 31, 1923.[citation needed]
In 1932, needing a facility for the fixed-gear aircraft which were replacing its seaplanes, Varig started using São João Airport as an operational base. However, it was only in 1940 that the first passenger terminal was commissioned.[6]
On October 12, 1951, São João Federal Airport was renamed Salgado Filho Airport, after the Senator and Minister who died the year before in a crash involving a SAVAG aircraft that departed from Porto Alegre.[5] On July 21, 1953, within a law prescribing rules for the naming of airports, the name of the facility was officially and exceptionally maintained as Salgado Filho Airport.[7]
In 1953, the old terminal was incorporated into the maintenance facilities of Varig, a new passenger terminal was opened, and runways were paved.[6] Until that year, larger aircraft such as Lockheed L-049 Constellations had to land at Canoas Air Force Base.[8] This new terminal is known today as Passenger Terminal 2. It underwent major renovations and enlargements between 1969 and 1971; but unable to cope with the increasing traffic, another brand new facility was built. This new facility was named Passenger Terminal 1 and opened on September 11, 2001.[citation needed] Terminal 2 became underused by general aviation and cargo services.
However, in order to cope with the increasing passenger traffic at the airport, on September 8, 2010, a decision was made to renovate Terminal 2 and bring it back into passenger use.[9] It became operational on December 4, 2010.[10] This terminal 2 was again closed for air traffic on September 15, 2019, and it became the administration center of Fraport Brasil S.A.- Aeroporto de Porto Alegre.[11]
Responding to critiques to the situation of its airports, on May 18, 2011, Infraero released a list evaluating some of its most important airports according to its saturation levels. According to the list, Porto Alegre was considered to be in good situation, operating with less than 70% of its capacity.[12]
Previously operated by Infraero, in January 2018, the airport's operations and administration were taken over by the German private airport operator Fraport, which in the previous year had been the winning bidder in an B3 (stock exchange)auction conducted by the Brazilian government for the concession of the airport for 25 years.[13][14] Since the airport concession, Fraport has been expanding the runway from the current 2,280 meters (7,481 ft) to 3,200 meters (10,499 ft), allowing the landing of large aircraft and allowing the landing of flights from North America and Europe. It is expected that the expansion works will be concluded at the end of 2021.[15]
The total area of the Salgado Filho Airport is about 3,805,810 square metres (40,965,400 sq ft) (940 acres) with 14,750 square metres (158,800 sq ft) of ramp area. Terminal 1 has 37,600 square metres (405,000 sq ft) and 16 gates with jetways. Terminal 2 has 15,540 square metres (167,300 sq ft). In front of Terminal 1 there is a carpark with 1,440 places. Terminal 1 is the first facility in Latin America with a shopping mall.
As of May 2022, the airport's expanded 3,200 m (10,499 ft) runway has come into operation. With the runway expansion, larger aircraft such as the Boeing 747-400, Boeing 777-300 and Airbus 330-900 can operate at the airport, allowing direct flights to Europe and the United States.[16]
Closure Due to Flooding
On May 3, 2024 due to catastrophic flooding affecting the State of Rio Grande do Sul and in particular to the flooding of the airport, all operations were suspended indefinitely.[17][18]
Operations to selected destinations resumed exceptionally at Canoas Air Force Base in the city of Canoas using a makeshift check-in facility at ParkShopping Canoas shopping mall. On July 15, 2024, all departure and arrival procedures restarted taking place at the Salgado Filho airport terminal, but with the passengers driven by bus directly to and from the Air Force Base apron.[19][20] On this same day, the makeshift check-in facility was closed.
The full airport resumption of services will be done in two phases: the first using a runway length of 1,730 m (5,676 ft) least affected by the flooding and restricted to 128 flights a day between 08:00 and 22:00. This first phase happened on October 21, 2024. The second phase, with full resumption of operations will take place on December 16, 2024.[21][22][23][24]
Following is the number of passenger, aircraft and cargo movements at the airport, according to Infraero (2007-2017) and Fraport Brazil (2018-2023) reports:[27][28][1]
Year
Passenger
Aircraft
Cargo (t)
2023
7,480,641 13%
72,639 9%
38,840 45%
2022
6,600,103 37%
66,402 35%
26,709 5%
2021
4,803,176 38%
49,278 30%
25,447 30%
2020
3,476,011 58%
37,913 51%
19,645 36%
2019
8,314,013
77,709 4%
30,501 18%
2018
8,292,608 4%
80,990 2%
36,973 94%
2017
8,012,114 5%
79,473
19,051 5%
2016
7,648,743 8%
79,738 10%
18,159 13%
2015
8,354,961 1%
88,279 5%
20,886 1%
2014
8,447,380 6%
92,960 2%
21,152 1%
2013
7,993,164 3%
94,409 2%
20,886 7%
2012
8,261,355 5%
96,693 3%
22,394 31%
2011
7,834,312 17%
99,583 10%
32,316 20%
2010
6,676,216 19%
90,625 15%
26,970 11%
2009
5,607,703 14%
79,104 9%
30,420 4%
2008
4,931,464 11%
72,445 5%
31,601 18%
2007
4,444,748
68,827
38,469
Accidents and incidents
February 28, 1942: a VarigJunkers Ju 52/3m registration PP-VAL crashed shortly after take-off from Porto Alegre. Seven of the 23 occupants died, including 2 crew members.[29][30]
August 2, 1949: a VarigCurtiss C-46AD-10-CU Commando registration PP-VBI operating a flight from São Paulo-Congonhas Airport to Porto Alegre made an emergency landing on rough terrain near the location of Jaquirana, approximately 20 minutes before landing in Porto Alegre, following fire on the cargo hold. Of the 36 passenger and crew aboard, 5 died.[33][34]
June 30, 1950: a SAVAGLockheed Model 18 Lodestar registration PP-SAA, flying from Porto Alegre to São Borja in bad weather collided against a hill, caught fire and crashed near the location of São Francisco de Assis. All 10 occupants died, including the founder of SAVAG and pilot, Gustavo Kraemer, and Joaquim Pedro Salgado Filho, senator and first Minister of Air Force in Brazil.[35][36]
October 18, 1957: a VarigDouglas C-47A-80-DL registration PP-VCS operating a cargo flight from Porto Alegre crashed upon take-off. The crew of two died.[39]
May 30, 1972: a VarigLockheed L-188 Electra registration PP-VJL operating a flight between São Paulo-Congonhas to Porto Alegre was hijacked. The hijacker demanded money. The aircraft was stormed and the hijacker shot.[40]
May 5, 2024: 47 aircraft were stuck at airport after the apron and runways were flooded during the 2024 Rio Grande do Sul floods. As the water level normalized, the aircraft were gradually flown away.[41][42][43]
Access
The airport is located 9 km (6 mi) from downtown Porto Alegre.
Since August 10, 2013, the Metro-Airport Connection people mover connects the International Airport to the Porto Alegre Metro Airport Station.[44] From this metro station one can reach most cities of the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre. Bus routes T5, T11, and B09 link Terminal 1 - International Airport to the city of Porto Alegre.
^ abBeting, Gianfranco; Beting, Joelmir (2009). Varig: Eterna Pioneira (in Portuguese). Porto Alegre and São Paulo: EDIPUCRS and Beting Books. p. 35. ISBN978-85-7430-901-9.
^Germano da Silva, Carlos Ari César (2008). "Está faltando um". O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes 1928-1996 (in Portuguese) (2 ed.). Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS. p. 96. ISBN978-85-7430-760-2.
^"Estatísticas". Infraero (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 March 2024.
^Pereira, Aldo (1987). Breve História da Aviação Comercial Brasileira (in Portuguese). Rio de Janeiro: Europa. p. 75.
^Germano da Silva, Carlos Ari César (2008). "Verão de 1942". O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes 1928-1996 (in Portuguese) (2 ed.). Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS. pp. 42–48. ISBN978-85-7430-760-2.
^Pereira, Aldo (1987). Breve História da Aviação Comercial Brasileira (in Portuguese). Rio de Janeiro: Europa. p. 76.
^Germano da Silva, Carlos Ari César (2008). "O Electra e o temporal". O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes 1928-1996 (in Portuguese) (2 ed.). Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS. pp. 61–65. ISBN978-85-7430-760-2.
^Germano da Silva, Carlos Ari César (2008). "Fogo a bordo". O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes 1928-1996 (in Portuguese) (2 ed.). Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS. pp. 83–86. ISBN978-85-7430-760-2.
^Germano da Silva, Carlos Ari César (2008). "Salgado Filho". O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes 1928-1996 (in Portuguese) (2 ed.). Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS. pp. 102–107. ISBN978-85-7430-760-2.
^Germano da Silva, Carlos Ari César (2008). "Erro de navegação". O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes 1928-1996 (in Portuguese) (2 ed.). Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRJ. pp. 112–117. ISBN978-85-7430-760-2.
