Editing Viracopos International Airport (section)

==History==
[[File:Vista_a%C3%A9rea_do_Aeroporto_de_Viracopos.tif|thumb|left|View of the airport in the 1960s]]

The [[International Air Transport Association airport code|IATA airport code]] of Viracopos is VCP and the specific city code of [[Campinas]] is CPQ. Sometimes both codes are used as one although there is a distinction between them in airline reservation systems: VCP, together with [[Congonhas-São Paulo Airport|CGH (Congonhas)]] and [[São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport|GRU (Guarulhos)]], is part of the multiple airport system set around the city of [[São Paulo]] (code SAO). An airline that files services with the code VCP has flights displayed when passengers or travel agents request service from São Paulo, whereas flights filed with the code CPQ are displayed as service from Campinas, not São Paulo. A similar example is New York City (NYC), in which the airport codes LGA ([[LaGuardia Airport]]), JFK ([[John F. Kennedy International Airport]]), and EWR ([[Newark Liberty International Airport]]) are used for the same city, although Newark is located in a different city and state.

There are two versions of the origin of the name ''Viracopos'', which means "turn (or overturn) glasses" in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] and can be [[metaphor]]ically understood as drinking a large amount of an [[alcoholic drink|alcoholic beverage]] at once. According to the first version, in the beginning of the 20th century, during an annual fair, there was a misunderstanding between the parish priest and the residents of the neighborhood. This resulted in excessive drinking and quarrels, in which the festival booths were torn down, or overturned, during the confusion. The name "Viracopos" was later used by the priest in sermons to refer to the event. Another version says that, on the site of the present airport, previously there had been a bar where herders had regularly met to exchange views and drink ("turn glasses"). So "Viracopos" was first the name of the district and later of the airport.

The origin of the Viracopos Airport can be traced to a simple airfield near Campinas built during the 1932 [[Constitutionalist Revolution]] in São Paulo. In 1946, shortly after [[World War II]], the first runway was paved. In the following years, the airport began to take shape, with the construction of the first hangar in 1948 and the terminal in 1950.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Basseto |first=Murilo |date=2020-10-19 |title=Aeroporto de Viracopos completa 60 anos de história comercial |url=https://aeroin.net/aeroporto-viracopos-60-anos-historia-comercial/ |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=AEROIN |language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-05-18 |title=O início do aeroporto internacional de Viracopos |url=https://www.arghi.com.br/aeroporto-de-internacional-de-viracopos-sbkp |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=www.arghi.com.br |language=pt}}</ref> During the 1950s, it started being used by cargo companies. In 1960, it was improved with a 3,240&nbsp;m runway, long enough to accommodate the first generation of intercontinental jet planes such as the [[Boeing 707]], [[de Havilland Comet]], [[Vickers VC10]], [[Convair 990]], and [[Douglas DC-8]], and the airport was officially inaugurated on 19 October 1960, same day where it also received its first international flight.<ref name="Azul">{{cite journal | editor=Azul Brazilian Airlines | year=2011 | title=Viracopos, o nosso escolhido | journal=Bem-vindo à bordo | issue=8 | pages=23–25 | location=Campinas | publisher=Azul Brazilian Airlines | language=pt}}</ref> Furthermore, Viracopos Airport served (and still serves) as an [[Flight plan|alternate airport]] for [[Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport]] and São Paulo airports particularly because it rarely closes due to bad weather conditions (an average of only 5 days per year).<ref name="Torres">{{cite journal | first=Carmen Lígia | last=Torres | year=2011 | title=Capital privado dá novo impulso: Plano do governo federal é criar o maior centro aeroportuário do país | journal=Polo de inovação: Centros de pesquisa são a base do desenvolvimento | page=36 | location=São Paulo | publisher=Valor Econômico | language=pt}}</ref>

After 1960, Viracopos became the primary international airport for [[São Paulo]], because the runway of [[Congonhas-São Paulo Airport|São Paulo-Congonhas Airport]] was too short to accommodate intercontinental jet planes. In practice, however, the distance of nearly 100&nbsp;km from Viracopos to São Paulo made it very inconvenient for passengers and airlines. As a result, direct international passenger service was limited, because most international passengers simply opted to fly instead to [[Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport]] and then connect to [[Congonhas-São Paulo Airport|Congonhas Airport]], which is located very close to downtown. At that time, Viracopos even appeared on the [[Guinness World Records|Guinness Book of Records]] as the furthest airport from the city it allegedly served.

The airport's title as the main international airport of São Paulo ended in 1985 with the opening of [[São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport]], and Viracopos entered into a decade of stagnation, with all international and most domestic flights transferred to Guarulhos and Congonhas.<ref name="Azul"/>

However, recognizing the strategic importance of Viracopos for the economy, Infraero, the airport administrator in 1995, started to implement a master plan of renovations aiming at the building of a new airport, focusing its efforts on the segment of cargo transportation. The first phase was completed in the first half of 2004, when the airport received new passenger departure and arrival lounges, public areas, commercial concessions and a new cargo terminal. The second phase of the passenger terminal expansion project was completed in 2005 and a new control tower was built, storage and processing facilities for the cargo terminal expanded, and the passenger terminal was entirely revamped. A third phase of expansion, which would build a second runway by 2013, was projected. However, since the airport was conceded in 2012, the deadline for the new runway was postponed until 2018.

Being the [[List of the busiest airports in Brazil|second busiest cargo airport]] in Brazil, Viracopos has 77,000 square meters (646,000 square feet) of cargo terminals, 1,700 square meters (18,300 square feet) for animal cargo, and 1,480 cubic meters (52,200 square feet) of refrigerated space. As a major import/export hub, Viracopos enjoys 'express lanes' for courier traffic which are exceptionally quick and unbureaucratic by Brazilian standards.

Between 2008 and 2010, passenger traffic grew from 1.02 million in 2008 to 7.5 million in 2011. The airport can handle 7 million passengers/year.<ref name="Torres"/> The number of flights offered has increased dramatically since [[Azul Brazilian Airlines]] made Viracopos its main [[Airline hub|hub]].

In August 2009, the previous operator Infraero unveiled a R$2,814 million (US$1,482.6 million; €1,038.8 million) investment plan to upgrade Viracopos International Airport, focusing on the preparations for the [[2014 FIFA World Cup]] and the [[2016 Summer Olympics]]. The investment intended to provide a new runway, a new passenger terminal, and a new train route, with its main goal being to alleviate the air-traffic concentrated at Guarulhos International Airport.<ref>{{Cite news | last1=Rittner | first1=Daniel | last2=Braga | first2=Paulo Victor | title=Infraero vai gastar R$5 bi em reforma de aeroportos | newspaper=Valor Econômico | pages=A4 | date=31 August 2009 | url=http://www.valoronline.com.br | language=pt | access-date=8 July 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706155020/http://www.valoronline.com.br/ | archive-date=6 July 2011 | url-status=live }}</ref>

However, due to legal and bureaucratic issues, the Infraero original plan never occurred. Since the concession to Consortium Aeroportos Brasil, a new investment program focusing particularly on the construction of a new terminal was announced. The phase 1 of the new passenger terminal opened in May 2015.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.viracopos.com/terminal.html | publisher=Viracopos | title=Home | language=pt | access-date=13 April 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424004442/http://www.viracopos.com/terminal.html | archive-date=24 April 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Responding to critiques to the situation of its airports, on May 18, 2011, Infraero released a list evaluating some of its most important airports according to its saturation levels. According to the list, Viracopos was considered to be requiring attention, operating between 70% and 85% of its capacity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://economia.estadao.com.br/noticias/economia+brasil,governo-muda-criterio-de-avaliacao-e-'melhora-desempenho-de-aeroportos,not_67673,0.htm|title=Governo muda critério de avaliação e 'melhora' desempenho de aeroportos|publisher=O Estado de S. Paulo|date=19 May 2011|access-date=20 May 2011|language=pt}}</ref>

Following a decision made on 26 April 2011 by the Federal Government for private companies being granted concessions to operate some [[Infraero]] airports,<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.valoronline.com.br/online/transportes/15/417433/governo-define-concessao-de-obras-em-3-aeroportos-diz-palocci | title=Governo define concessão de obras em 3 aeroportos, diz Palocci | publisher=Valor Online | date=26 April 2011| access-date=16 May 2011| language=pt | first=Rafael | last=Bitencourt}}</ref> on 6 February 2012, the administration of the airport was conceded, for 30 years, to the Consortium Aeroportos Brasil composed of the Brazilian Triunfo,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.triunfo.com/ | title=Home | publisher=Triunfo | language=pt | access-date=30 August 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806013211/http://www.triunfo.com/ | archive-date=6 August 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref> an Investments and Funds Society (45%), UTC Engenharia e Participações,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.utc.com.br/index.php | title=Home | publisher=UTC Engenharia e Participações | language=pt | access-date=30 August 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618224949/http://www.utc.com.br/index.php | archive-date=18 June 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref> an Engineering and Investments Society (45%), and the French Aeroports [[Egis Group|Egis Avia]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.egis-avia.com/domains/Aeroports | title=Home | publisher=Egis Avia | access-date=30 August 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216072916/http://www.egis-avia.com/domains/Aeroports | archive-date=16 February 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref> (10%).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.valor.com.br/impresso/empresas/cumbica-viracopos-e-brasilia-sao-privatizados | title=Cumbica, Viracopos e Brasília são privatizados | publisher=Valor Econômico | date=7 February 2012 | access-date=22 March 2012 | language=pt | first=Daniel | last=Rittner | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210020723/http://www.valor.com.br/impresso/empresas/cumbica-viracopos-e-brasilia-sao-privatizados | archive-date=10 February 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref> Infraero, the state-run organization, remains with 49% of the shares of the company incorporated for the administration.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.estadao.com.br/estadaodehoje/20110601/not_imp726552,0.php | title=Governo pretende privatizar três aeroportos e abrir o capital da Infraero | publisher=O Estado de S. Paulo: Economia | date=1 June 2011| access-date=22 March 2012| language=pt | first1=Marta | last1=Salomon | first2=Tânia | last2=Monteiro}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | publisher=CAPA | title=Brazil moves swiftly (at last) to award airport concessions | url=http://www.centreforaviation.com/analysis/brazil-moves-swiftly-at-last-to-award-airport-concessions-67568 | access-date=5 March 2012 | date=9 February 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140315134601/http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/brazil-moves-swiftly-at-last-to-award-airport-concessions-67568 | archive-date=15 March 2014 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://exame.abril.com.br/negocios/noticias/conheca-o-consorcio-aeroportos-brasil-que-ira-operar-em-viracopos| title=Conheça o Consórcio Aeroportos Brasil que irá operar em Viracopos| magazine=Exame| language=pt| date=6 February 2012| access-date=13 April 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522130922/http://exame.abril.com.br/negocios/noticias/conheca-o-consorcio-aeroportos-brasil-que-ira-operar-em-viracopos| archive-date=22 May 2014| url-status=live}}</ref>

The facility encompasses 1,766 [[hectares]] (4,364 [[acres]]) of airport property and contains one 3,240m runway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aeroportoviracopos.net/en/campinas-viracopos-airport-information|title=Facts about Campinas/Viracopos Int'l Airport|website=aeroportoviracopos.net|accessdate= October 26, 2023}}</ref>