By David Gold
February 7 - Brazil has auctioned off the rights to overhaul three key airports which are being renovated for the 2014 World Cup.Invepar, OAS and ACSA won the right to carry out work on São Paulo's Guarulhos airport (pictured) for R16.2 billion ($9.4 billion/€7.2 billion), while Triunfo Participações and Egis Airport Operation will renovate the Viracopos–Campinas airport just outside the city for R3.8 billion ($2.2 billion / €1.7 billion).
Finally, Engevix and Corporación América will construct a new terminal at the airport in Brasília for R4.5 billion ($2.6 billion/€2 billion).
Last year a report said that 10 of 13 airports being upgraded would not be ready for the World Cup, and yesterday's auction was a key part of the drive to bring in private investment to speed up the renovation process.
Passenger traffic has increased by 118 per cent between 2003 and 2011 according to National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) of Brazil compared to 40 per cent globally, and FIFA has expressed concern about their ability to handle the half a million visitors expected for the World Cup.
Last year the company which manages Brazil's airports, Infraero, said that 12 per cent of flights were delayed and one in twenty cancelled.
In particular, São Paulo's Guarulhos airport was voted the worst in South America last year by Latin Trade magazine, and is the busiest on the continent.
All of this makes the airport renovations and an increase in air capacity vital for Brazil, which has experienced rapid economic growth in recent years and is also hosting the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
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