BH Airport celebrates 40 years of Confins Airport

When of the Department of Roads and Highways (DER) and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) flew over farms and plantations in the North Vetor of Belo Horizonte, on a secret mission to find the best area for the construction of a new airport, at the end of 70s, the miners still didn't know, but One of the most important connection hubs in Brazil would be built there: BH Airport.

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The area of 15 million square meters in the municipality of Lagoa Santa chosen because of its good topography, for offering safer climatic and terrain conditions, its easy access to an expressway and for its safe distance from inhabited areas, would receive years later, the largest landing and take-off runway built so far in Brazil, in addition to a modern terminal, through which 90 thousand engers would travel in the first year of operation.

Today, upon completing 40 years, Confins Airport (BH Airport) consolidates itself as a national and international reference in the quality of airport service provision, having received 10,5 million engers and busy 28 thousand tons of cargo in 2023. Through almost 70 national and international destinations, BH Airport connects Minas Gerais to the world and contributes to the State's connectivity and economic growth, employing around 6 thousand people.

Sustainability on the agenda

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In recent years, BH Airport has also stood out in Brazil and the world for its practices in favor of the environment and was recognized by the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) as the most sustainable airport in Brazil. In 2023, BH Airport became the first carbon neutral airport in Brazil, through level 3+ certification from the Airport Carbon Accreditation. Furthermore, he received the recognition of green airport, by Green Airport, from the Airports Council International (ACI).

The best airport in Brazil

All these advances made BH Airport a reference in service and gave the terminal the best result in quality of services provided by concession airports. The measurement is carried out annually by Anac, based on service indicators such as thermal comfort, time in the inspection queue, baggage refund, cleanliness, among others. BH Airport achieved an index of 2%, the best result of the Q Factor, a service quality instrument that evaluates performance from -7,5% to 2%.

Furthermore, BH Airport reached first position in the ranking of the best airports in Brazil serving between 5 and 10 million engers. The classification is from the National enger Satisfaction Survey, referring to the fourth quarter of 2023, conducted by the National Civil Aviation Secretariat of the Ministry of Ports and Airports. The airport achieved a score of 4,56, on a scale of 1 to 5, considering several aspects, such as service, infrastructure, cleanliness, security and convenience.

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History: 4 decades of transformation

Over the last 40 years, BH Airport has undergone significant transformations, evolving from an initially empty lobby and considered just a “tourist spot” by the curious population, to becoming one of the most important airports in the country, being the third largest in Brazil in number of destinations. In this trajectory, the last decade under the BH Airport concession stands out, when the airport gained a more modern, beautiful and functional infrastructure. Investments in modernizing facilities were more than R$1 billion.

Discover the main milestones:

1st decade: 1984 – 1994

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Period marked by choice of installation location in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, an area that was later divided into two municipalities, giving the airport the unusual characteristic of being located in two cities: 63% in Confins and 37% in Lagoa Santa.

The region was chosen because it has a strategic location close to an expressway and offers safer climatic and terrain conditions. The 80s were also the period of construction of the terminal, which involved 1700 workers.

2st decade: 1994 – 2004

The airport is now seen as a tourist spot by the population, who frequented the panoramic terrace and walked around the terminal to try out equipment that was new at the time, such as escalators and elevators.

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It was also in the 90s that the airport began to offer international destinations, with the first recurring route offered by the company LAB: Belo Horizonte – Santa Cruz De La Sierra (Bolivia). This was a period of economic growth in Brazil, which contributed to increased demand for air travel.

3st decade: 2004 – 2014

Period with important milestones, such as the arrival of GOL maintenance center with more than 145 thousand square meters divided into three hangars. In 2005, the terminal began to receive 120 daily flights, which represented an increase of 85% compared to the beginning of operations.

At this time, the Green Line, the expressway that connects the center of BH to the airport. In 2012, Infraero, which managed 100% of the airport, began renovations in terminal 1 to meet the demand of the World Cup.

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4st decade: 2014 – 2024

In 2014, the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) signed the airport concession contract to concessionaire BH Airport, formed by the CCR Group, one of the main infrastructure concession companies in Latin America, and Zurich Airport, operator of Zurich Airport. Today, the concessionaire has a 51% stake in the airport, with the other 49% owned by Infraero.

During this period, the construction of enger Terminal 2, which was integrated into the main terminal and expanded the airport's capacity to 32 million engers per year, in addition to expansion of the landing and take-off runway. There was also delivery of the first phase of the renovation of enger Terminal 1, which was taken over by the new istration, upon reimbursement from Infraero. This infrastructure increased the quality of enger service.

The last decade was also marked by Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected the global aviation industry, with significant reductions in operations and a series of financial challenges for the airline sector. Since 2022, the sector has experienced a gradual recovery in enger movement.

Overcoming challenges, in 2023, BH Airport increased the number of destinations by 30%, reaching 66 in total. Considering international flights, the growth was four times, going from 2 to 8 destinations served.

other curiosities

The first flights from BH Airport were freighters and the first aircraft to land at the terminal was a Vasp Boeing, on November 10, 1982, even before the official inauguration;

In March 1983, the first international plane landed in Confins: a Boeing Varig, which came from Rome. It brought 35 tons of equipment that would be installed at the airport;

In 1984, the first regular flights began, a year that ended with the milestone of 90 thousand engers in 946 planes that landed and 943 that took off;

The first airlines to operate at the terminal were: Vasp, Varig, Cruzeiro do Sul and Transbrasil;

In January 1984, a flight caught attention at BH Airport: it carried João da Mata Ataíde, winner of the São Silvestre in 1983. It was the 4th time that a Brazilian had won the race;

The first international flight leaving Belo Horizonte International Airport was in July 1984. It was a Boeing chartered from Vasp bound for Orlando, in the United States.

In 2023, BH Airport was recognized by Anac as the most sustainable airport in Brazil and by Airport Carbon Accreditation as the first carbon neutral airport in Brazil.