Carrasco International Airport

Carrasco International Airport Aeropuerto Internacional de Carrasco/General Cesáreo L. Berisso
IATA: MVD – ICAO: SUMU
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Puerta Del Sur
Serves	Montevideo
Location	Ciudad de la Costa, Canelones, Uruguay
Hub for	Alas Uruguay
Elevation AMSL	32 m / 105 ft
Coordinates	34°50′18″S 056°01′51″W / 34.83833°S 56.03083°W / -34.83833; -56.03083Coordinates: 34°50′18″S 056°01′51″W / 34.83833°S 56.03083°W / -34.83833; -56.03083
Website	aeropuertodecarrasco.com.uy
Map
MVD Location in the city of Montevideo
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 01/19 2,250 7,382 Asphalt 06/24 3,200 10,500 Asphalt 10/28 (Closed) 1,700 5,577 Asphalt
Statistics (2015, 2010 (cargo))
Passengers 1,671,234 Metric tonnes of cargo 27,395
Sources: Airport Website [1]

Carrasco/General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport (IATA: MVD, ICAO: SUMU) is the international airport of Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay. It also is the country's largest airport and is located in the namegiving Carrasco neighborhood located in the adjoining department of Canelones. It has been cited as one of the most efficient and traveler-friendly airports in Latin America and the world.^[2]

History

The original passenger terminal, which is now the cargo terminal, was inaugurated in 1947.

In 2003 the Uruguayan government transferred the administration, operation and maintenance of the airport to the private investment group Puerta del Sur S.A, which since then invested in several upgrades of the airport.

On 3 February 2007, construction began on a new and modern terminal that is located parallel to Runway 06/24. The new terminal, designed by Uruguayan born architect Rafael Viñoly, has the capacity to handle 3 million passengers a year, including a much larger parking area built for over 1200 vehicles. This new terminal building has four jetways, separate floors for arrivals and departures and a large viewing area on the top floor. The terminal has room for expansion for two additional jetways and a maximum capacity of 6 million passengers per year before the building would need actual enlargement. The new terminal was inaugurated on 5 October 2009 with official operations beginning on 29 December 2009. A new US$15 million cargo terminal was also constructed.

Runway 06/24 has been strengthened and lengthened to 3,200 metres (10,499 ft), which allows airlines to operate non-stop flights to the U.S.A. and Europe. Runway 01/19 was lengthened to 2,250 metres (7,382 ft) and the former Runway 10/28 (rarely ever used) is permanently closed because the new terminal cuts across it.

Airlines and destinations

Check-in hall

Passenger

Cargo

Statistics

Ground transportation

The airport is located 19 km (12 mi) from downtown Montevideo. There are three bus companies and several private taxi and remise services connecting the airport with Montevideo as well as with Punta del Este.^[3] The trip time to Montevideo by car is approximately 20 minutes, while by bus it is 1 hour and 15 minutes. The cost of the trip depends on the destination point and is arranged in the airport or booked online.

Other facilities

The Oficina de Investigación y Prevención de Accidentes e Incidentes de Aviación (OIPAIA) of the National Civil Aviation and Aviation Infrastructure Direction (DINACIA) has its head office on the airport property.^[4]

Accidents and incidents

• 18 September 1957: a Real Transportes Aéreos Convair 440-62 registration PP-AQE belonging to Transportes Aéreos Nacional, flying from Porto Alegre to Montevideo had an accident during touch down operations in Montevideo. While on a night landing procedure under fog, the aircraft undershot the runway by 1,030m, causing the left and middle gear to hit an earth bank bordering a highway. The right wing touched the ground and further on the aircraft lost both propellers. The right wing then broke off. One crew member died.^[5]
• 20 July 1972: a cargo Aerotransportes Entre Rios Canadair CC-106 Yukon registration LV-JYR flying from Montevideo to Santiago de Chile went missing during the flight. The crew of 5 perished.^[6]
• 6 June 2012: an Air Class Líneas Aéreas Fairchild SA227AC Metro III, registered CX-LAS, performing a freight flight on behalf of DHL from Montevideo to Buenos Aires disappeared south of Isla de Flores.^[7] Parts of the aircraft were located by a scuba diver approximately 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) south of Isla de Flores on 20 July 2012.

References

External links

Media related to Carrasco International Airport at Wikimedia Commons

• Airport information for SUMU at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.Source: DAFIF.
• Airport information for SUMU at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
• Current weather for SUMU at NOAA/NWS
• Accident history for MVD at Aviation Safety Network
• Carrasco International Airport Photo Archive at airliners.net
• Tour Virtual 360 Aeropuerto de Carrasco.
• INE map of Colonia Nicolich, Paso Carrasco, Carrasco International Airport, and parts of the municipality of Ciudad de la Costa
• The Best and Worst airlines flying to Montevideo April 2015

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.