Corporación Quiport - Quito International Airport logo

Corporación Quiport - Quito International Airport

  • PAX: 5,309,000
  • IATA: UIO
  • ICAO: SEQU

Quito´s Airport celebrates three years of successful operations

In February, the new Mariscal Sucre International Airport of Quito reaches three years of operations and within a short period of time has managed to position itself among the leaders of the airport industry in Latin America and the Caribbean thanks to efficient management with a focus on customer service.

“After an initial period of adjustments to airport operations, the levels of service at the airport have continuously increased along with growth in passenger traffic and connectivity”, states Andrew O’Brian, CEO of Corporación Quiport—the company in charge of the administration, operation and maintenance of the Quito terminal area.

Throughout these initial three years of operations, the airport has undergone considerable development with regards to connectivity, operational efficiency and services to its passengers and users within the highest security standards of the industry.  “These first three years of operations drive us to the future and confirm our clear vocation to service. We continue to work as we have done since day one, with the same enthusiasm, to grow all areas of activity at the airport, conscious of the importance of our role as strategic partners in the development of the city and country,” concludes Andrew O’Brian.

Increasing connectivity

Nine additional routes, three new airlines and nine additional flights and frequencies on already established routes is the result of intense management of route development carried out by Corporación Quiport. The main beneficiaries of increased connectivity are the passengers who have more options to directly reach their destinations. Furthermore, it also facilitates the arrival of foreign visitors to the country, thus encouraging tourism.

Cargo operations have also grown significantly, transporting a total of 500K in three years of operations.

Committed to service

“The development of connectivity is accompanied by a culture of constant improvement in the variety and quality of the services that the airport delivers to its passengers and users. This commitment motivated the expansion of the passenger terminal which includes 8,000m2, 870 additional seats, two new passenger boarding bridges and services such as a specific children’s play area with games”, explains Andrew O’Brian.

Under the criteria to provide passengers with commercial offerings according to their interests and needs, the commercial area of Quito Airport constantly seeks opportunities to attract new shops and services. Currently the commercial offering at the airport terminal comprises 30 retail and service stores and 13 restaurants and cafes.

Wide parking spaces, self-check-in kiosks, free high speed Wi-Fi at departure lounges, mobile devices charging points and a varied commercial, food and drink offering are some of the services that passengers will find at Quito Airport. These features combined with the unique landscapes of the Ecuadorian highlands and the warm service of all airport employees provide the best experience to the traveler.

The airport city consolidates its growth

Conceived from the start to become a true airport city, Quito Airport has experienced a significant growth in infrastructure. With investments in excess of US$ 100 million contributed by the shareholders of Corporación Quiport and by private companies who believe in the project, new complementary projects have been incorporated to the airport facilities, such as the Tabacarcen logistics cargo center, the Quito Airport Center and the Wyndham Hotel.

According to Andrew O´Brian, the development of activities at the Quito airport is accompanied by growth in the airport population. When operations started, the airport and all the companies and institutions that provided services there had 5,800 employees and now there are currently more than 7,500 employees, making the airport an important creator of employment for Quito and the areas near the airport’s operations.

Safety and efficiency

The development of an airport is based on the efficiency and safety of its operations. Since it opened, the Mariscal Sucre Airport upholds the highest levels of safety in the industry and has increased its operational efficiency with the implementation of procedures and new equipment allowing the airport to maintain a operating time of 99.5%.

“In 2014, Quito Airport became the first airport in the country and one of the few in Latin America to obtain Aerodrome Certification”, recalls the principal executive of Quiport. This certification guarantees that the airport and Corporación Quiport meet the specifications issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) relating to the facilities and how they are operated.

Pole of economic and social development

The Mariscal Sucre Airport has without a doubt become a strategic partner for the city of Quito and Ecuador. The airport is a natural pole of economic development and is the center of an important road network that connects the city with the populations and centers of production located in the north-eastern parishes of Quito, strengthening flower exports and generating new jobs and productive activities in the zone. There are about 75000 people working at the airport city.

Additionally, Quiport has developed several social programs to benefits the communities surrounding the airport from health and English classes to job database and assistance in creating small enterprises.  “Our management is also characterized by a policy of Corporate Social Responsibility which involves all areas of the company, thus we have incorporated this at the core of all levels of management”, states Andrew O’Brian.

Quito Airport’s leadership is recognized by the industry

The important results obtained in the management of the airport are evidenced by the 11 awards and recognitions given by the main organizations that work in the air transport and tourism industries. Among these are the World Travel Awards won for two consecutive years in the category of South America's Leading Airport, and second place in the Award for Best Airport in Latin America-Caribbean given by the Airports Council International.

At the same time, the success achieved by Corporación Quiport in the opening and operation of the new Mariscal Sucre Airport has attracted the interest of companies and entities involved in the air transport industry. This leadership has resulted in a significant presence of organizations such as the Airports Council International and the American Association of Airport Executives, in which executives of Quiport participate in conferences, workshops and forums to share their experiences.

Beyond these largely positive results, Andrew O’Brian explains that motivation is even greater than it was during the first day of operations at the airport. “At that time we were very focused on adjusting operations at the airport, whereas now the challenge is to exceed our own standards and seek opportunities for constant improvement. We have come very far and it has not been an easy task, but we understood that there are no limits on the path to excellence”.