Prepared for Take Off

While the expansion of the Panama Canal has been completed, construction works on another important infrastructure asset are still ongoing as Tocumen International Airport seeks to strengthen its position in the premier league of global hub airports.

Dubbing itself the ‘Hub of the Americas’, Tocumen International Airport (TIA) intends to fully cash in on the region’s projected growth in trade and transit passengers. TIA is already Central America’s busiest and fastest-growing airport, registering a record of 13.4 million passengers in 2015. The construction of a new terminal is currently under way to allow the airport to handle more than 18 million passengers per year. Once completed at the end of 2017, the modern building aims to rival the iconic terminals of airports in Asia, the US and the Middle East. To boost its status as a top cargo hub, TIA is also investing in new logistics facilities, while the development of an entire airport city is also on the drawing board. “We want to be a big player on the world stage and the most important player in Latin America,” says Joseph Fidanque III, CEO of Tocumen International Airport, underscoring the airport’s ambitions.

Gateway Position

TIA is Panama’s main airport, located 24 kilometres east of Panama City. Panama’s geographic position in the heart of Central America makes it an ideal hub connecting South and Central America with markets in the US, Canada, the Caribbean Islands and beyond. Today, passengers and cargo can benefit from connections to some 92 destinations. For the past six consecutive While the expansion of the Panama Canal has been completed, construction works on another important infrastructure asset are still ongoing as Tocumen International Airport seeks to strengthen its position in the premier league of global hub airports. years, TIA has topped the rankings in Skytrax’s Airport Awards, a global benchmark of airport excellence, in the categories “Best Airport in Central America” and “Best Airport Staff in Central America”. Tocumen SA, a private company whose shares are owned by the Panamanian government, took over the airport’s operations in 2003. Since then, an extensive programme of expansion and modernisation has been under way, which has supported continuous growth in air traffic.

A Series of Makeovers

“Passenger numbers have grown on average 10% annually over the past six years,” says Fidanque III. The first in TIA’s series of makeovers, which finished in 2006, involved expanding the main passenger terminal, as well as the redesign and renovation of the original cargo terminal in addition to the construction of new cargo buildings. The second phase, which started in 2008, saw the construction of a new north passenger terminal and related infrastructure, while the third phase, the construction of Terminal 2, is scheduled for completion at the end of 2017.

A Spacious Terminal

The new 116,000 square metres terminal will be located 200 metres south of the existing passenger complex and will provide 20 additional gates. More than 50% of the construction works have already been completed, and the plan is to open the terminal progressively. It will become fully operational during the first six months of 2018. Designed by architects Foster and Partners, the new terminal is set to improve the airport’s operational efficiency. Two symmetrical wings of piers extend to the east and west from a central concourse, and the entire building is unified beneath an aerodynamic bronze-coloured roof. “This design has allowed us to minimise walking distances for passengers, while accommodating a large number of aircraft,” says Fidanque III.

Maximising Cargo Potential

The US$1.3 billion project also includes the construction of new cargo facilities. “Our new logistics centre offers companies warehousing space right next to the terminal. This is especially interesting for containers that arrive via the Panama Canal. We have frequent connections to many Latin American and US cities, and we are an excellent airport for so-called belly cargo, freight that is stored under the main deck of a passenger plane.” Global logistics and express delivery provider DHL is one company that has long recognised TIA’s potential as a Central American cargo hub and established extensive operations in the country. Fidanque III hopes that TIA will be able to grow its importance in the cargo market, in particular when it comes to the transport of pharmaceuticals and other high-value, time-sensitive goods.

Expanding Further

Fidanque III is aware that the current expansion will not be enough to keep up with demand. “We are predicting annual growth in the region of 6 to 7% for the next 20 years, and we need to future-proof the airport.” There are already plans for a new runway by 2022 to complement Tocumen’s two runways and to ensure that its airfield is able to cater for the projected growth. “To remain competitive, we need to bring planes in and out as quickly as possible. This means we need a new runway to avoid congestion.” Special attention is also being paid towards developing an airport city, complete with hotels and conference facilities, as well as a monorail link that would connect the airport to the closest metro station.

A Global Hub Airport

Plans such as these are proof of the confidence that is being placed in the future of TIA. While, thus far, the airport is mainly acting as regional transit hub, the arrival of new airlines and better connectivity with Europe and Asia are quickly turning it into a centre for intercontinental traffic. “We are very happy about Lufthansa’s decision to commence direct flights between Germany and Panama,” Fidanque III says. Looking to the future, he adds: “By 2022, I hope that our airport will be moving 40% more passengers than today and that at least a dozen more companies will be based in our logistics centre.”

Maximising Cargo Potential

The US$1.3 billion project also includes the construction of new cargo facilities. “Our new logistics centre offers companies warehousing space right next to the terminal. This is especially interesting for containers that arrive via the Panama Canal. We have frequent connections to many Latin American and US cities, and we are an excellent airport for so-called belly cargo, freight that is stored under the main deck of a passenger plane.” Global logistics and express delivery provider DHL is one company that has long recognised TIA’s potential as a Central American cargo hub and established extensive operations in the country. Fidanque III hopes that TIA will be able to grow its importance in the cargo market, in particular when it comes to the transport of pharmaceuticals and other high-value, time-sensitive goods.