Mariscal Sucre International Airport Explained

Mariscal Sucre International Airport
Iata:UIO
Icao:SEQM
Pushpin Map:Ecuador
Pushpin Label:UIO/SEQM
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of airport in Ecuador
Type:Public
Operator:Quiport,[1] CORPAQ[2]
City-Served:Quito
Location:Tababela, Quito Canton, Pichincha, Ecuador
Metric-Elev:Yes
Elevation-M:2,400
Coordinates:-0.1133°N -78.3586°W
Website:
Metric-Rwy:Yes
R1-Number:18/36
R1-Length-M:4,100
R1-Surface:Pavement
Stat-Year:2022
Stat1-Header:Passenger movements
Stat1-Data:4,300,000

Mariscal Sucre International Airport[3] is an international airport serving Quito, Ecuador. It is the busiest airport in Ecuador. It is located in the Tababela parish, about 18km (11miles) east of Quito, and because of its location it is also colloquially known as Tababela Airport. The airport currently serves as the main hub for Avianca Ecuador and the largest hub for LATAM Ecuador. It also served as the main hub for TAME, Ecuador's flag-carrier, before the airline was liquidated by the Ecuadorian government in 2020.[4] The airport opened in February 2013 and replaced the 53-year old airport of the same name. The airport is named after independence leader Antonio José de Sucre. It was the first 5-star airport in the Western Hemisphere as rated by Skytrax.[5] [6] [7]

The new Mariscal Sucre Int'l Airport covers 1,500 hectares (3,707 acres) which is ten times larger than the airport it replaced.[8]

Location

The new Quito International Airport is located on the Oyambaro plain near the town of Tababela, about 18km (11miles) east of Quito, Ecuador. The location was chosen in order to expand the capacity of the city's airport.

The old airport posed enormous risks because it was located in the middle of a mountainous city with high wind currents. It could no longer be expanded to accommodate larger aircraft or increased air traffic, and had been the scene of numerous incidents and crashes during the latter years of its operation.[9] [10]

History

Construction began in 2006. A re-negotiation of the financing contract for the airport was signed on 9 August 2010.[11]

As part of final certification steps for the airport, Quito's mayor Augusto Barrera and around 100 other passengers left an early morning flight from nearby Mariscal Sucre International Airport on an American Airlines Boeing 757 on July 2, 2012.

The inaugural flight allowed officials to test the performance of check-in counters and other systems. The flight lasted nine minutes and the plane was met by a water cannon salute at the new airport.

The official inauguration was postponed from October 2012, citing the progress of improvements to various access routes, the holiday season, and other factors. The new airport commenced operations on 20 February 2013 following the closure of the old airport the night before. The first flights scheduled to arrive at the new airport were TAME flight 302 from Guayaquil (domestic), and LAN flight 2590 from Lima, Peru (international). Arrival times were scheduled for 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. respectively.[12]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Notes:

Air Europa's flight from Quito to Madrid makes a stop in Guayaquil.

KLM's flight from Quito to Amsterdam makes a stop in Guayaquil.

Cargo

Statistics

Annual traffic

Passenger statistics! Year !! Total passengers !! Cargo (TM)
2001 400,900
2002 577,800 9,990.10
2003 609,900 10,000.80
2004 795,600 21,590.55
2005 825,300 26,556.20
2006 955,500 30,010.50
2007 1,771,859 35,256.40
2008 2,569,800 40,123.65
2009 3,000,560 40,996.60
2010 4,026,521 50,023.65
2011 5,000,500 70,785.09
2012 5,120,000 164,412.03
2013 5,421,106 215,036.88
2014 5,574,019 300,090.90
2015 5,376,544 301,400.10
2016 4,852,530 303,460.90
2017 4,875,166 312,112.90
2018 5,158,103 -
2019 5,037,650 -
2020 683,629 -
2021 1,198,780 -
2022 4,300,000 -

Top destinations

Busiest international routes (roundtrip) out of Mariscal Sucre International Airport (2020)[13]
RankChangeCityPassengers% ChangeTop carriers
1Panama City, Panama103.710 -74,73%Copa Airlines
2Bogotá, Colombia92.107 -76,28%Avianca, Avianca Ecuador, Wingo
3 1Madrid, Spain85.815 -66,32%Air Europa, Iberia, Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas
4 1 Miami, United States81.952 -61,61%American Airlines
5 2Lima, Peru53.609 -79,45%Avianca Ecuador, LATAM Ecuador
6Mexico City, Mexico53.410 -64,39%Aeroméxico, Interjet
7 3Houston, United States42.897 -49,39%United Airlines
8 1Amsterdam, Netherlands33.243 -67,22%KLM
9 1Fort Lauderdale, United States32.166 -72,85%JetBlue Airways
10 3Atlanta, United States28.250 -77,99%Delta Air Lines
Busiest domestic routes from Mariscal Sucre International Airport (2020)
RankChangeCityPassengers% ChangeTop carriers
1Guayaquil, Guayas411.923 -69,72%Aeroregional, Avianca Ecuador, LATAM Ecuador, TAME
2Cuenca, Azuay113.817 -69,04%Aeroregional, LATAM Ecuador, TAME
3Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands74.295 -73,07%Avianca Ecuador, LATAM Ecuador, TAME
4Manta, Manabí42.532 -72,39%Avianca Ecuador, LATAM Ecuador, TAME
5Loja, Loja41.188 -62,47%Aeroregional, TAME
6El Coca, Orellana33.703 -68,03%Avianca Ecuador, LATAM Ecuador, TAME
7San Cristóbal, Galápagos Islands22.219 -72,04%Avianca Ecuador, LATAM Ecuador, TAME
8 1Machala, El Oro9.143 -78,75%TAME
9 1Lago Agrio, Sucumbíos6.502 -85,41%TAME
10Esmeraldas, Esmeraldas4.527 -88,44%TAME

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre - Home. June 6, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150607035904/http://www.aeropuertoquito.aero/index.php?lang=es. June 7, 2015. live.
  2. http://www.corpaq.com Empresa Publica Metropolitana de Servicios Aeroportuarios
  3. Web site: Se develó la placa con el nombre del aeropuerto de Quito. June 6, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20131216103013/http://www.elcomercio.com/quito/aeropuerto-Quito-inauguracion-Tababela-ecuador-aereo_0_790120990.html. December 16, 2013. live.
  4. Web site: Communication to our suppliers. TAME. 17 February 2021. 2021-02-17.
  5. Web site: Quito Mariscal Sucre International Airport is Certified with the 5-Star Regional Airport Rating. Skytrax. 11 May 2020. 2020-05-11.
  6. Web site: Quito International Airport reaches the premier category in the world. Skytrax. 11 May 2020. 2020-05-11.
  7. Web site: Plaisted . James . 2022-01-07 . Houston William P. Hobby Airport is the first 5-Star Airport in North America . 2023-06-30 . Skytrax . en-GB.
  8. Web site: Facts About Mariscal Sucre Int'l Airport. airport-technology.com. October 25, 2023.
  9. http://www.iadb.org/exr/doc98/pro/aecl1005.pdf Report
  10. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Tupolev 154M CU-T1264 Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport (UIO). 13 November 2005. Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. 8 April 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090220194951/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19980829-0&lang=en. February 20, 2009. live.
  11. News: Ecuador Officially Signs New Quito Airport Finance Deal . . August 10, 2010 . August 11, 2010.
  12. Web site: Tababela se inaugurará con 129 vuelos . February 19, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130222013610/http://www.elcomercio.com/quito/Tababela-inaugurara-vuelos_0_868713147.html . February 22, 2013 . live .
  13. "https://www.ecuadorencifras.gob.ec/transporte/"