Brazil Shuts Its Biggest Airport’s Main Runway for Overhaul

The main runway at Brazil's biggest international airport, the Aeroporto Internacional Governador André Franco Montoro, was shut this Monday, and will remain closed for almost two months while construction crews rebuild the tarmac to improve safety.

Infraero, which operates Brazil's airports, will spend 14.5 million reais (US$ 6.97 million) to repave the runway, the agency said on its Web site.

Planes will use the secondary runway at the airport in Cumbica, Guarulhos, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) from downtown Sao Paulo, until the main runway reopens on October 10.

The Brazilian government is facing increased pressure to improve airport and air-traffic conditions after a deadly plane crash last month.

Airlines were forced to divert flights to Guarulhos after a TAM  plane crashed July 17 while trying to land in the rain at Congonhas, Sao Paulo's domestic airport.

The accident, Brazil's worst aviation disaster, killed all 187 people on board and another 12 on the ground.

The repaved runway will have grooves to prevent water from accumulating on the tarmac

Mercopress