Four consortia have qualified to bid in the privatisation of Montevideo's Carrasco airport in Uruguay, but the airlines which use the airport already fear a repetition of events in neighbouring Argentina, where they say fees increased following the sell-off in 1998.
The Uruguay Chamber of Aeronautics, which represents the 12 airlines using the country's main airport, says it is still not clear how the eventual winners will be regulated, if at all. Vice president Diego Gil says the airlines are worried that fees could rise that they did in Argentina, following the privatisation of 33 of the country's major airports.
A Defence Ministry source named the four consortia as MVD Servicios Aeroportuarios, including YVR Airport Services and Acodike Supergas; Consorcio Aeropuertos del Mercosur, including Aéroports de Paris, and Campenon Bernard; Consorcio Aeropuertos Uruguayos led by Advent International and Novelmar; and Consorcio Uruguayo Espanol Carrasco including Aena Servicios Aeronauticos, Grupo Ferrovial and Compania Espanola de Financiacion del Desarrollo.
The date for the auction has not been set. The eventual winners will probably have to invest between $160 million and $180 million to upgrade the terminal and runway.
Privatisation in Argentina finally went through last year after a long battle between the government and Congress. A 30-year concession to run 33 of the country's airports was awarded to the Aeropuertos Argentinos 2000 (AA 2000) consortium, which is led by Milan airport operator SEA and Odgen of the USA.
IATA is already concerned over rising charges as the consortium searches for revenue to cover the annual $171 million concession fee and a compulsory $1.3 billion investment programme.
Source: Airline Business