The Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía is preparing to gradually recover its air connectivity after the double earthquake of June 24, with a provisional scheme that contemplates, in its initial phase, eight daily flights: four national and four international.
The reactivation will be supported by at least six airlines, including Laser, Estelar, Conviasa, Venezolana, Turkish Airlines and American Airlines, who are participating in the preparations for the operation of the temporary terminals enabled after the damage caused by the earthquake of June 24.
During the last two weeks, at least four operational simulations have been carried out with satisfactory results, aimed at evaluating the procedures for passenger care, circulation and boarding before the formal activation of the new scheme.
Four areas to separate arrivals and departures
The temporary terminals were installed in the external areas of the airport and will be distributed in four independent spaces: two for departures and two for arrivals, with a differentiation between national and international operations.
The domestic departures area has approximately 3.300 square meters, three boarding gates, and the capacity to serve approximately 480 passengers simultaneously.
In the case of international departures, the space exceeds 4.300 square meters, has four boarding gates and can accommodate up to 780 passengers in the waiting rooms.
In this way, the spaces designated for departures have the capacity to receive approximately 1.260 travelers simultaneously.
For arrivals, a module of approximately 2.550 square meters was set up, subdivided to handle national and international flows, in addition to an additional area of about 1.000 square meters intended for passenger waiting.
Services for travelers
Although it is a contingency infrastructure, the terminals were equipped to guarantee basic service conditions during the airport's recovery process.
The facilities include air conditioning, waiting areas, restrooms, Wi-Fi connection, device charging points, medical service and facilities for people with reduced mobility.
The design also includes the differentiated management of passenger flows to avoid crossings between those arriving and those preparing to board their flights.
Boarding will be conducted via a remote gate system. Once the procedures within the temporary facilities are completed, passengers will be transferred by bus to the aircraft on the apron.
Laser resumes operations in Madrid, Miami, and Santo Domingo
Among the airlines that have already announced their schedules from Maiquetía is Laser Airlines, which reported that starting September 1st, its routes to Madrid, Miami and Santo Domingo will resume operating from the new temporary terminals.
The connection to Madrid will have flights from Monday to Saturday, while Miami will have daily operations. Santo Domingo will be served on Wednesdays and Sundays.
The airline will also maintain the Barcelona-Bogotá route, which will continue to operate from the General José Antonio Anzoátegui International Airport in Barcelona, Anzoátegui state, with flights on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Laser Airlines recommends that its passengers arrive three hours before the flight departure to complete the necessary procedures.
The reactivation of these routes represents one of the first steps to recover international connections from Maiquetía that were transferred to other airports in the country during the contingency.
Progressive recovery of capacity
The Maiquetía International Airport Institute (IAIM) reported that the temporary terminals will formally begin operations on Tuesday, September 1st.
The temporary infrastructure will operate while rehabilitation work continues on the main National and International terminals, so the tent system and remote gates will remain the operational core for several months.
Authorities and spokespeople for the aviation sector project that the recovery of capacity will be gradual and estimate reaching approximately 85% of operational capacity by October, within a four-month window after the provisional opening.
Aeronautical sources predict that the gradual return of operations to the main terminals currently under rehabilitation could take place towards the end of 2026, subject to the completion of the works and the technical and operational conditions.
Recommendations for passengers
In light of the transition to the temporary scheme, IAIM urged travelers to contact their respective airlines directly to verify the rescheduling of their flights, times, and assigned terminals.
He also recommended staying tuned to the airport's official channels for updates on facility operations and flight schedules.
The new scheme will allow national and international connectivity to remain active at Maiquetía while the comprehensive recovery of the country's main airport progresses.
It would be very helpful if airlines published their specific departure and arrival schedules here, along with explanatory notes. Thank you.
All of Venezuela's international airports need to be expanded. Valencia Airport has incredible potential, with many hectares of vacant land surrounding it that could easily be expanded, as could Maracay Airport. It should be granted to an international airline under a concession agreement to expand its infrastructure. Maiquetía International Airport has no available space for expansion. Another alternative would be Charallave, where large tracts of land exist.