JFK Virgin Airlines private terminal in New York: futuristic architecture and sophisticated environment (Credit: document)

Increasingly common abroad, private airports are still a novelty in Brazil. They play an important role in the development of so-called “general” aviation, which is not limited to the transport of passengers in commercial aviation. In addition to generating new business opportunities, such as optimizing the transport of e-commerce products, this aeronautical modality makes life easier for those who own or lease a private aircraft, while benefiting business class and first class. Guarulhos airport, one of the main airports in Latin America, has just received authorization from the National Department of Aviation to build its first VIP terminal, with a Canadian and Arab investment of 80 million dollars. The project is still in the initial phase of environmental clearance.

The future exclusive sector will have a total area of ​​five thousand square meters and will be located between Terminal 3 and the American Airlines hangar. The location will initially serve first class passengers on commercial flights, but could also benefit passengers on business jets. The works should last about three years and the new environment seems to compete with another successful space: São Paulo Catarina, Brazil’s first private international airport, located in the municipality of São Roque, 70 km from the capital. The structure bears no resemblance to a classic terminal, and anyone passing through can believe themselves in a luxury hotel. Instead of fast food outlets and restaurants, the 750m2 lobby houses exclusive environments, as well as a cinema and gym. It is also possible to dine in renowned restaurants, such as Fasano. The project is signed Triptyque Architecture, with furniture designed by architects Murilo Lomas and Sig Bergamin. Passengers share the space with works by artists such as Janaina Melo Landini, Fábio Baroli and Pedro Varela.

For Paul Malicki, CEO of the Flapper platform, a jet rental app, the country has a high demand for exclusive services, with traditional airports barely able to absorb the current flow of planes. “The two models must coexist well, it is not a question of separating rich and poor”, he explains.

In major foreign airports, such as JFK in New York, these exclusive terminals are already a well-structured reality. Along with the conveniences that win over this audience, the fact of not having to face immigration and customs lines also attracts millionaires. A company that already operates in a small space at Guarulhos Airport, Jetex has luxury environments around the world, especially Dubai Private Airport. Among its exclusive services, such as libraries and high-tech relaxation chairs, it also takes passengers on board Rolls-Royce aircraft. Adel Mardini, CEO of Jetex, explains that Dubai’s success is also due to the country’s strategic location. “We treat our customers as guests, not just passengers,” he says.

An example of practicality and commercial opportunities is the future private airport of Aparecida de Goiânia, in Goiás. The Antares Polo Aeronáutico should be ready in 2024 and will take advantage of its strategic location, in the center of Brazil, to become a hub for the sector. “We have no limits in our intentions for the future. We are going to work with all audiences with the aim of being a meeting point in the country,” says Rodrigo Neiva, Commercial Director of the future airport. He explains that the mentality according to which an airplane is only a whim of millionaires no longer exists, giving way to an operating differential for companies and entrepreneurs: “Before luxury, it was a work tool” .