The airport, which was once busy, is practically deserted after Petrobras' decision to transfer its flights to Rio de Janeiro.
Have you ever imagined an airport with the potential to serve up to 100 thousand passengers per year, but which looks more like a desert than a gateway to the development of a city?
This is the scenario of Antonio Ribeiro Nogueira Junior Airport, in Itanhaém, on the coast of São Paulo. Opened with great expectations, the place is now suffering from a abandonment scenario, a direct consequence of a decision that changed the course of its operations and the local economy.
But what led this promising airport to become almost inactive? What happened to the operations that brought companies, workers and tourists together?
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The decision that changed everything
Itanhaem Airport has already lived its glory days. In the 2000s, the track, located on the banks of the Father Manoel da Nobrega Highway, recorded expressive numbers: more than 22 thousand landings and takeoffs per year, boosting the city’s economy and attracting new businesses.
According to data collected by the Coastal Diary, were 1.600 new companies opened and hundreds of jobs created, boosting the region.
However, everything changed with a single strategic decision by Petrobras. In the middle of the last decade, the state-owned company chose to transfer its operational flights, which served the platforms of Santos Basin, For Rio de Janeiro.
This directly affected the flow of passengers and cargo at the airport, which saw its movement drop drastically. In 2023, there were only 1.436 passengers registered, a paltry number compared to the potential of 100 that the location could receive.
Deep economic impacts
Petrobras' departure brought consequences not only for the airport, but for the entire Baixada Santista. According to Secretary General of the National Federation of Oil Workers, Adaedson Costa, the decision affected the hotel network, commerce and local services.
Before this change, the Petrobras had ambitious expansion plans, with the construction of new platforms in Santos Basin. “At the very least, the number of arrivals and departures at Itanhaém airport would have quadrupled,” says Costa.
However, since the leaving Petrobras in 2016The airport operations have dwindled. Employees and outsourced workers who previously used the Itanhaém airfield now have to travel to the Congonhas airport or drive directly to the Rio de Janeiro, which translates into waste of time and money.
The local economy also suffered, as many of the tourists and workers who used to live in the region stopped passing through.
Airport: investments without return
Petrobras' change of route seems even more drastic when considering the investments made in Itanhaém airport.
In the early 2010s, Petrobras invested R $ 14 million to improve security and boarding infrastructure.
The Government of the State of São Paulo also contributed R $ 9 million to modernize the site. These resources were applied with the expectation that the flow of passengers and operations would only increase.
However, with the departure of the state-owned company and the centralization of operations in Rio de Janeiro, all this investment seems to have been in vain.
According to Fly SP Network, company that manages the airport, in 2023 the terminal had only 6,52% of its movement capacity. Between January and August 2024, 1.091 passengers were registered, numbers well below expectations.
Possible resumption?
Petrobras, in turn, maintains an evasive position on the resumption of operations in Itanhaém. In a statement, the company stated that it “permanently evaluates the need for flight bases to guarantee the safety and well-being of its workers.”
However, Nothing concrete has been announced so far. Meanwhile, the airport remains underutilized, even though it could move large aircraft: Activities such as floating on the Boeing 737, with capacity for 100 passengers.
The uncertain future of Itanhaém airport
Currently, flights to Santos Basin are carried out from the airports of Jacarepagua, Maricá e Cabo frio, all in Rio de Janeiro.
Daily, they are carried out until 26 helicopter operations for the platforms, a flow that could be easily absorbed by Itanhaém, if it weren't for the strategic decision to centralize everything in Rio.
The lack of regular operations at the airport generates not only a significant economic loss for the region, but also raises doubts about the effectiveness of keeping a terminal of this size operating with such low demand.
With the infrastructure already in place, the question remains: How long will Itanhaém continue to resist without a greater flow of passengers and operations?
A question of logistics?
In addition to the local impact, the decision to centralize operations in Rio de Janeiro can be seen from a logistical perspective.
A Petrobras justifies the change due to the fact that Rio is closer to its platforms and has greater infrastructure. However, does this decision really optimize the state-owned company's operations?
With the number of employees and contractors who need to travel between states, many question whether this is the most effective solution.
Given this scenario, the question remains: will Petrobras reconsider this decision and resume operations in Itanhaém, or will the airport continue to be a “white elephant” on the coast of São Paulo? What do you think? Leave your opinion in the comments!