Guatemala eyeing improvements at La Aurora international airport

Guatemala’s government is assessing operations at La Aurora international airport, which serves capital Guatemala City, with a view to making improvements. 

The airport is managed by civil aviation authority DGAC, which was headed by Francis Argueta until February 5.

The work was commissioned by new President Bernardo Arévalo’s envoy for competitiveness and investment, Fernando Suriano Buezo, who said the facilities were left in an “intentional [state of] abandonment” by the previous government that left office in January, according to newspaper Prensa Libre. 

Suriano said the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and the Central American corporation for aerial navigation services (Cocensa) are helping with the work. The last Cocensa evaluation of the airport was carried out in 2018. 

The results will be published in May and will be used to decide on projects at the airport.  

“There are serious weaknesses and I’m not talking about losing certifications, but that those same organizations [ICAO and Cocensa] know the challenges facing the country and have offered their support to the State with this recovery process which will take its time,” Suriano was quoted as saying. 

According to Prensa Libre, the airport has insufficient capacity, deficient water and energy supplies and inoperable equipment, while it also has operating safety problems and poor internet service.