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• With 26,466 tons, a growth of 17.3% was registered compared to 2023 Valentine’s Day, the highest since 2013.

• With 1,942 tons of cargo exported, Friday, February 2nd, was the day of the season with the highest volume. 

• The expansion of the export cargo terminal was key to enhancing operational efficiency.

2024 Valentine’s flower export season ended with very positive numbers at Quito Mariscal Sucre International Airport, with a total of 26,466 metric tons of flowers sent to the world, reaching a record in the airport’s 11 years of operation.This figure corresponds to a growth of 17.3% compared to the tonnage exported in 2023, which was 22,568 metric tons.

At the Quito airport, the season began on January 18 and extended until February 9. During this season, 16 airlines operated at the Quito airport cargo with a total of 487 outbound cargo flights, a number that also constitutes a historical record for the Valentine’s season.

The peak day of exports, that is, the day in which the most freighter operations and the highest volume of flowers were registered, was Friday, February 2nd, with 1,942 metric tons sent through 31 flights, also being the day with the highest volume of exports in the entire history of Quito airport.

Throughout these 23 days, the entire logistics chain within the Mariscal Sucre airport demonstrated once again that it is prepared to manage large volumes of export cargo.

The expansion of the export cargo terminal, which grew by 2,880 square meters in the cargo entry and processing areas, as well as the growth of the maneuvering area for trucks, was one of the factors that allowed more efficient air cargo.

“I want to thank all the airlines that operated on this Valentine’s Day 2024, as well as the ramp service companies that provide all ground assistance to the operation for their commitment to the development of the country and for their great professionalism and, especially, to the companies specialized in cargo palletizing that operate at the Quito airport: Novacargo, Servipallet, Pertraly and Novasan, which invested in the expansion of the cargo terminal to offer greater logistical and operational ease,” said Ramón Miró, president and CEO of Quiport.

“The Mariscal Sucre is one of the most powerful development poles that the city and the country has. It is the main air cargo airport in Ecuador and one of the most important in Latin America, which allows Quito to have access by air to key markets around the world, that is the vision with which we are working at CorporaciónQuiport”, concluded Ramón Miró.

• Valentine’s Day is the highest cargo season at the Quito airport.

• The maneuvering area in the cargo apron as well as the palletizing area for cargo processing iwere expanded to provide a more efficient service.

• 92% of cargo transported from Quito airport is flowers.

Today the Valentine’s Day cargo season begins at the Quito airport, which will last until February 11, 2024. This period represents the most important phase of cargo operations at Quito Airport. To guarantee efficient service, significant improvements to thefacilities have been made.

Starting this season, the logistics process at the airport will be significantly optimized. Thanks to a strategic investment between companies specialized in cargo palletizing that operate at the Quito airport which include Novacargo, Servipallet, Pertraly and Novasan, the maneuvering area in the cargo apron and the processing area in the palletizers have been expanded. The expansion, which has added 2,880 square meters to the facilities, will enable much more efficient and comfortable cargo reception and processing.

With an extensive and cutting-edge infrastructure, and the operation of more than 15 cargo airlines, with flights between regular and charter, this year a growth in exported tonnage is expected for the Valentine’s season compared to the previous year, thanks to the increase in capacity offered by cargo airlines at the Quito airport.

“We maintain our commitment to the development of the air cargo industry in Ecuador. The expansions carried out and the strategic collaboration with palletizing companies are testimony of our dedication to facilitate airport cargo services in Mariscal Sucre. We are excited by the projected growth and we are confident that our airport will continue to play a fundamental role in this area,” said Ramón Miró, president and CEO ofQuiport.

At the international cargo terminal, four palletizing companies work, in charge of assembling the pallets of flower boxes according to the specifications of the aircraft in which they will be transported. These pallets are stored in cold rooms until they must be shipped to their destinations. In addition, the Mariscal Sucre airport has a logistics center where several cargo agencies carry out the consolidation processes of flowers from various producing farms.

The Quito International Airport informs citizens about the measures

that have been defined to protect the safety of passengers, users, airport personnel, facilities

and air operations, in coordination with the National Government, the General Directorate of

Civil Aviation and the Municipality of Quito.

Airport operations remain open and the measures are as follows:

• Only passengers who carry their travel documents, that is, passport or citizenship card and

air ticket or boarding pass, will be able to access the air terminal.

• Family members or other visitors will not be allowed to enter the terminal to drop off or receive

passengers.

• Crowds of people will not be allowed on the sidewalks of the passenger terminal either.

• Control and screening of passengers and luggage will be strengthened.

• Random checks will be carried out on vehicles before entering the airport.

• Passengers are requested not to leave their belongings or hand luggage unattended.

We ask citizens to collaborate with these measures and passengers are recommended to go

to the airport with more time in advance considering these additional controls. We also

recommend that passengers stay informed through official channels and confirm the status of

their flights with their airlines.

During the curfew, travelers who must travel to and from the airport can do so with their travel

documents: passport or ID and air ticket or boarding pass.

The firm Choice Cargo, General Sales Agent, commercial representative of the cargo airline Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), a world leader in cargo transportation, announced the start of operations at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito with the arrival of the first aircraft of the company. The company has established two weekly flights on Wednesdays and Fridays, operated with Boeing 777-200 aircraft with a cargo capacity of 85 tons to transport flowers especially from Quito to Miami, Liege and Amsterdam. The operation of the airline will make greater cargo transportation capacity available to exporters at a key moment such as the beginning of the Valentine’s season. Diego Íñiguez, CEO of Choice Cargo and MSC representative in Ecuador, said: “We thank MSC for allowing us to be part of this exciting journey. Together, we will offer unparalleled experiences to our customers. Today, we open a new chapter by providing innovative cargo services, connecting markets and strengthening our business relationships. “MSC will offer two flights per week, with the expectation of increasing this frequency in the near future.” Given the appreciated quality of the Ecuadorian flower in the international market, a growing need is identified to expand flight capacity, thus contributing to the development of exports.

In his intervention, Allan Padilla, Chief Operating Officer of Corporación Quiport, highlighted the constant rise of air cargo operations at the Quito International Airport. “With a record of 340 thousand metric tons transported in 2023, the airport is positioned as the main air cargo transport port in the country and occupies a prominent role in Latin America due to its annual cargo volume. “MSC Air Cargo’s initiative will provide exporters with additional cargo transport capacity, especially crucial at the start of the Valentine’s season.” In addition, he reiterated Quiport’s willingness to collaborate closely for the benefit of the productive sectors and the development of the city’s connectivity. The new operation will serve to increase the supply of capacity for the export of flowers and other products.

The Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito closed 2023 with figures and amanagement level that evidence the recovery of air transport service, after three years in which, Quiport and the entire airport community, worked to overcome the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic that began in 2020 which represented the largest crisis in the history of air transport on a global scale.

Passenger traffic in 2023 reached 5.4 million passengers, exceeding the 5 million passengers in 2019, the reference year before the Covid-19 pandemic. 15 passenger airlines serve 18 direct international destinations and 8 domestic destinations, maintaining Quito as the best-connected city in Ecuador.

In 2022, total passenger traffic reached 4.3 million, still suffering the effects of the pandemic.

In addition, in 2023 four new international direct routes were opened to Medellín, New York, Cancún and Orlando, expanding the offer of non-stop destinations from Quito. Similarly, there was also an increase in capacity either with more frequencies or using larger aircraft on already established routes.

The performance of connectivity growth is a demonstration of the confidence of the airlines in the city and in the management potential of Quiport at the Mariscal Sucre airport. This important growth would not have been possible without the joint work between the Metropolitan Public Airport Services Company (EPMSA), the Ministries of Tourism and Transportation and Public Works, the airlines, the Directorate of Civil Aviation and Quiport as a concessionaire, offering favorable conditions so the new routes can be sustainable from the beginning of their operation.

Air cargo maintains its growth trend

In air cargo, Quito airport broke its historical record. 340 thousand metric tons of export, import and national cargo were transported in 2023, exceeding the 243 thousand metric tons in 2019 and 289 thousand metric tons in 2022. Regarding exports, 282 thousand metric tons left from the Quito airport. 92% corresponds to flowers, the main export product by air.

“The teamwork that was deployed in 2023 by Quiport and the entire airport community has been the key to the recovery of passenger traffic and the growth of cargo handled at the Quito airport. If we have learned something good from the crisis caused by Covid, it has been to develop the ability to reinvent ourselves and adapt to circumstances in order to find new solutions of doing things in a good way and as a team,” explained Ramón Miró, president and general director. of Quiport Corporation.

Technological transformation and infrastructure improvements

The results achieved in the management of the Quito airport are complemented by the execution of improvement works in the facilities and a technological transformation project aimed at enhancing efficiency, safety and traveler experience.

In terms of technology, the Mariscal Sucre airport became the first in the country to implement biometrics in airport processes. The project incorporates biometric systems for immigration control in international arrivals thanks to a public-private cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior. It also includes boarding on Delta airline flights to the United States, directly connecting the airline’s databases with the information from Customs and Border Protection of the United States, being the first airport in Latin America to incorporate this technology. And finally, automatic doors for access to security filters, facilitating the control process carried out by EPMSA.

In terms of facilities improvements, 3,260 square meters of ceramic were replaced with granite in the airline check-in areas, entry corridors to security filters and the departure migration room. Added to this are projects to remodel the security filter area and the reopening of the children’s play area in the national pre-boarding area.

Also in 2023, we began expanding the domestic VIP lounge to double its capacity in order to maintain the quality standard in service to users of this space.

Awards

The above-mentioned results and the management deployed this year did not go unnoticed by our passengers and the air transport industry. Quiport and the Quito international airport received more than 15 national and international awardss and certifications, including the following:

•​Best Regional Airport in South America, Cleanest Airport and Best Airport Staff, by Skytrax’s World Airport Awards program.

•​Best Airport in Latin America and the Caribbean in the category of 5 to 15 million annual passengers, Cleanest Airport, Most Pleasant Airport and Most Dedicated Staff, by the Airport Service Quality program of the Airport Council International.

•​Level 5 – the highest level in the Airports Council International Passenger Experience Certification program. Only the airports in Incheon (South Korea) and Quito (Ecuador) have reached level 5.

•Leading Airport in South America by World Travel Awards.

•​Several awards and certifications in the environmental and social responsibility dimensions.

“All these management milestones ratify the leadership of Quiport and the Mariscal Sucre International Airport on a national, regional and global scale, and at the same time, allow the Quito airport to be projected into the future to overcome new challenges and achieve increasingly higher goals in connectivity, passenger service, safety, efficiency and contribution to development within a sustainable management framework. Great things await us in the future. 2024 will be a year in which we will have even more positive news for the airport, the city and the country,” concluded Ramón Miró.

The Mariscal Sucre International Airport becomes the first airport in Ecuador to implement automated solutions in airport processes. The project incorporates biometric systems for immigration control in international arrivals and boarding on Delta airline flights to the United States. It also includes automatic doors for access to security filters. This initiative is part of a technological transformation project at the Quito airport, aimed at enhancing efficiency, security and traveler experience.

Biometric doors in immigration arrival control.

Passengers with an Ecuadorian biometric passport (with chip) and who are over 18 years old can now use one of the 5 biometric doors that have been installed to carry out this process in a personal and automated way, which reduces service times from 1 minute 30 seconds to 45 seconds per person.

How does it work?

If eligible, passengers must approach to the biometric gate, scan their boarding pass and passport on the scanning screen, wait for data confirmation, and position for facial recognition. If everything is in order, the doors will open automatically, allowing the passenger to continue through the airport.

Since this implementation began in the testing phase on August 14, more than 11,000 passengers have taken advantage of these biometric doors, significantly improving waiting times.

Biometric doors for boarding on Delta flights to the United States

Two biometric gates, located in pre-boarding A10 and A12 gates, have transformed the boarding process for direct flights to the United States. This innovative system, initially operational only for Delta flights, uses advanced facial recognition technology that connects with the airline’s screening systems and links directly to the United States Customs and Border Protection. In this way, passengers only have to stand in front of the screen and, once facial recognition and data verification have been carried out, the door opens automatically to board the plane.

How does it work?

At boarding time, passengers approach to the biometric gate without assistance, avoiding the traditional scanning of the boarding pass and passport. Within seconds, facial recognition is complete, and the system instantly integrates with the airline and CBP system to verify passenger information. With successful verification and if there are no impediments, the door opens for the passenger to access the plane.

Access doors to the security filter area

The installation of automatic doors for access to security filters allows instant verification of the passenger’s boarding pass to speed up the process and go directly to the filters.

Ramón Miró, president and CEO of Quiport, the concessionaire company of the Quito airport, mentioned: “The implementation of biometric gates at the Quito airport is an innovation that automates three essential airport processes. “We are proud to be pioneers in the adoption of this cutting-edge technology in Ecuador, which reinforces our commitment of providing an excellent experience to our passengers.”

The children’s area, located next to domestic pre-boarding area at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport passenger terminal, reopens its doors for the litter travelers, now with a renewed image after its closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aware of the importance to provide a safe and fun space for children, CorporaciónQuiport, the company in charge of managing the Quito airport, has decided to renew this area. The new design aims to create a magical and educational environment, inspired by the biodiversity and nature of Ecuador, without neglecting the security that this type of spaces must always maintain.

The children’s area has been carefully designed to offer little travelers the opportunity to explore and connect in a playful and sensory way with the natural environment. Various elements and textures that stimulate touch have been incorporated, imagination and learning. In addition, pieces-counting games that promote the development of mathematical skills have been installed, as well as climbing structures, tunnels and slides to encourage physical activity, contributing to the comprehensive development of children.

One of the novelties in this design is the inclusion of a small quiet space with dim lighting, designed especially for those children who prefer to enjoy a more relaxed and independent environment. It is a hut with comfortable seats, a space that offers moments of tranquility and rest within the play area.

The reopening and remodeling of this area for children demonstrates Quiport’scommitment to provide a complete and satisfactory travel experience for all passengers, including the little ones. Now, children will be able to enjoy a safe, fun and educational space while waiting for their flight, creating unforgettable memories from the beginning of their trip.

We celebrate a decade of extraordinary contributions by Faunaetus in wildlife management at the Quito airport, as well as in the harmonious coexistence between the airport operation and wildlife.

We remember the arrival of Faunaetus in 2013, when the operation of the new Quito International airport began and the need to work responsibly with the surrounding fauna. We came from an airport in an urban area to one located in a totally different environment in the middle of terrestrial fauna and birds. Due to this, the best and most effective method to control the fauna was carefully analyzed according to the kind of animals that we would find in the airport area and its surroundings.

“Fortunately, among other specialized teams that applied, we met Faunaetus, the company that best suited the needs, with a team of four highly qualified people,” says Gabriela Landázuri, EHS manager of Quiport, who participated in the design of the fauna control model. Ruth Muñiz, who came from Spain and has a PhD in Biology, and an expert in birds of prey, Paúl Tufiño who has a master’s degree in Biology, and two falconers, one of them a biologist and the other a zootechnician, formed the ideal team to begin this delicate task and carry out the corresponding analyzes to adapt their methods to the needs of the airport. Thus, it was decided that the best alternative was to use falconry techniques, together with other activities to reduce the risk of fauna in airport operations.

At the beginning, Faunaetus brought 2 saker falcons and 6 Harris eagles from Germany, along with a border collie dog from Colombia. These animals, after being trained in musculature and adaptability to the environment, began their service together with a labrador dog that was in the country. In just two months, Faunaetus managed to implement a complete service that met the wildlife control objectives in the airport.

Birds of prey make flights to mark territory and prevent other species of birds from approaching areas where they represent a risk for the operation of aircraft, while dogs are in charge of turtle doves and other birds that perch on the ground, as well as terrestrial fauna that may approach sensitive areas of the airport. Over time, more birds and dogs were included in the team.

Through exhaustive analysis and practical experiences, Faunaetus and the Quiport EHS Department managed to change the initial objective of fauna control to more sustainable management. It was identified that certain species of birds do not represent a risk to airport operations and, therefore, measures were implemented to allow their permanence at the airport, of course, with regular controls and monitoring.

This initiative has led to a respectful coexistence between birds and airport operations, a unique achievement in the industry where it is generally sought to avoid the presence of birds in the vicinity of airports as they represent a risk in the operation.

Currently, the Quito airport has a team of 6 specialists who manage the fauna with the help of 10 Harris eagles, 3 peregrine falcons, 2 saker falcons and 4 border collie dogs, all contributing effectively to security and safety. responsible management of fauna in our environment.

We congratulate and appreciate the service and progress that Faunaetus has had during these 10 years!

Nuestra Huerta, the emblematic shared value program that Corporación Quiport develops together with the communities neighboring the Mariscal Sucre International Airport, celebrated ten years since it began in November 2013. Nuestra Huerta integrates small agricultural producers from the area surrounding the operation airport in a community marketing chain in which airport collaborators and users participate, consuming local production.

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of the project, Ramón Miró, president and CEO of Quiport, explained the driving philosophy behind this project and all the management of sustainability in the company: “we seek to be faithful to our purpose, we do it good because we value life. We value the life and quality of life of the people who live in the communities, who can improve their income and progress. But we also value the lives of our collaborators and visitors, who consume natural and healthy products in Nuestra Huerta.”

80 community producers and their families participate in Nuestra Huerta and it has a positive impact on their economy, since their income has improved significantly. 400 airport employees regularly purchase products from this entrepreneurship – seasonal fruits, bakery products, honey, eggs and ready-to-eat products-.

Sustainability involves the notion of allowing orderly development that benefits everyone and benefits our activity; that is the spirit with which this shared value project was born around the Quito airport.

Designed as an entrepreneurial project derived from the Quiport Social Management Plan; With the technical support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Nuestra Huerta evolved into a shared value scheme, that is, as a strategy that analyzes the social environment in which an organization operates, to renew its processes and generate profits impacting positively to communities at the same time.

The first stage of Nuestra Huerta was focused on training plans for the residents of the area, along with the consolidation of the internal market at the airport; Once the potential was developed, these products began to be marketed among the employees who are part of the companies that operate at the airport, thus creating a productive chain.

In 2017 Nuestra Huerta opened its physical store at the Quito airport, next to the Quiport offices, starting a new stage of the project. With the project already consolidated, Nuestra Huerta producers formed the community company Productora Agrícola Alpachaca Muyuverde CIA. Ltda. which allows them to manage the store located inside the airport.

In this way, Nuestra Huerta’s customer base went from airport collaborators to passengers, users and visitors. This growth in the customer base also allowed us to expand the product offering, from fruits, vegetables and bakery products, to also offering products for immediate consumption such as chopped fruit, yogurt with granola, healthy snacks, empanadas, bolas de verde, mote con chicharrón and many more, all coming from the airport’s area of ​​influence.

An important milestone was the participation of teachers and students from the Agronomy Engineering program at the San Francisco University of Quito, who carried out very important training and advisory work with the producers of Nuestra Huerta on topics such as the management of farming techniques. cultivation, improvement of disease and pest control, and development of new varieties.

The celebration of the tenth anniversary of Nuestra Huerta, held in the International VIP Lounge at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport, was a great opportunity to share more details of the project with organizations, people and media that work on sustainability issues.

• The airline JetSMART began selling tickets this November 21^st to fly the routeQuito-Lima starting March 6, 2024, thus establishing direct non-stop flights between the two countries.

This morning the arrival of JetSMART Airlines, the prominent ultra-low-cost airline, was officially announced. It will begin operations on the Quito-Lima route from March 2024, with the option to purchase tickets starting November 21, 2023.

The airline will operate the new route three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, using the new generation of Airbus A320 aircraft, an ideal model for this type of route.

JetSMART, part of Indigo Partners, a private fund with more than two decades of success in creating ultra-low-cost airlines on a global scale, is present in Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Peru and now, Ecuador. They arrived with a clear vision of development and expansion in the airline sector, committed to offering ultra-low-cost flights on new aircraft.

Ramón Miró, president and CEO of Quiport, highlighted: “For some time we have been looking for an airline with the characteristics and successful track record of JetSMARTto join the Mariscal Sucre airport’s connectivity offering and today we are happy to officially hear the starting ticket sales announcement and future start of operation. Relations between Peru and Ecuador still have enormous potential to explore in business, tourism, and culture, and I am sure that the operation of JetSMART, with an ultra-low-cost model, will boost the growth of that exchange and will be an important catalyst. to strengthen relations between these two brother peoples.”

JetSMART has been recognized by Skytrax Worldwide Awards as the Best low-cost airline in South America in 2021 and 2023, thanks to its service, commitment to safety, and the accessibility of its fares, which generate tangible benefits for passengers.