Montes Claros Airport

Montes Claros–Mário Ribeiro Airport (IATA: MOC, ICAO: SBMK) is the airport serving the city of Montes Claros, Brazil. Since April 2, 2003, the airport is named after Mário Ribeiro (1924–1999), a local politician.[3]

Montes Claros–Mário Ribeiro Airport

Aeroporto de Montes Claros–Mário Ribeiro
Summary
Airport typePublic
Operator
ServesMontes Claros
Opened18 December 1939 (1939-12-18)
Time zoneBRT (UTC−03:00)
Elevation AMSL668 m / 2,191 ft
Coordinates16°42′22″S 043°49′19″W
Map
MOC is located in Brazil
MOC
MOC
Location in Brazil
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 2,100 6,890 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Passengers251,669 Increase 72%
Aircraft Operations9,122 Increase 34%
Metric tonnes of cargo230 Increase 24%
Statistics: Infraero[1]
Sources: ANAC[2]

It is operated by AENA.

History

The Montes Claros Airport was officially inaugurated on December 18, 1939. Panair do Brasil was the first airline to operate in the airport, with service to the cities of Belo Horizonte, Salvador, and Recife commencing in 1942. In 1948, Nacional Serviços Aéreos commenced regular operations with daily flights between Montes Claros and Belo Horizonte, using Douglas DC-3 aircraft with capacity for 24 passengers. In 1965, VARIG took over the routes previously operated by Panair, using AVRO aircraft with capacity for 40 passengers.[4][5]

In 1974, VARIG began using the Boeing 737-200 jet aircraft for its Montes Claros routes, with a capacity for 109 passengers and over six tons of baggage and cargo. However, in 1977, due to the airport's inadequate infrastructure for the aircraft, operations were temporarily suspended.[5] The runway was expanded to a length of 2,100 metres, allowing operations to the resume in 1978. In the same year, Nordeste Linhas Aéreas began operating routes between Montes Claros and Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Guanambi, and Vitória da Conquista.[4][5]

On March 31, 1980, the Brazilian Ministry of Aeronautics transferred the operations of the airport to INFRAERO, which held jurisdiction in the airport until 2022.[6][7]

In 2003, the airport was officially renamed to Aeroporto de Montes Claros - Mário Ribeiro, in honour of Mário Ribeiro, a local doctor and politician who served as councilman, vice-mayor, and mayor of the city between 1989 and 1992. A sculpture in his honour was erected in front of the airport terminal in 2021.[8]

On October 31, 2004, VARIG operated its final flight at the airport.[4]

In 2010, daily flights to Belo Horizonte International Airport began, whereas previously, most flights to Belo Horizonte landed on Pampulha Airport.[4][5]

Starting in 2011, various renovations took place at the airport, including the installation of air conditioning in the passenger terminal, accessibility improvements, and the construction of a new parking lot.[4]

In 2021, the airport underwent another major renovation, and its upgraded terminal now has a capacity to serve 1.5 million passengers annually, up from the previous capacity of 800,000 passengers per year. [9][10]

Previousy operated by Infraero, on August 18, 2022, the consortium AENA won a 30-year concession to operate the airport.[11][12]

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
Azul Brazilian Airlines Belo Horizonte–Confins
Seasonal: Porto Seguro, Salvador da Bahia
Gol Transportes Aéreos São Paulo–Guarulhos
LATAM Brasil São Paulo–Guarulhos
Voepass Linhas Aéreasa Salvador da Bahia, São Paulo–Congonhas

Note:
a: Flights operated with Voepass equipment on behalf of LATAM Brasil.

Access

The airport is located 7 km (4 mi) northeast of downtown Montes Claros.

See also

References
  1. "Estatísticas". Infraero (in Portuguese). 24 February 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  2. "Aeródromos". ANAC (in Portuguese). 29 June 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  3. "Lei nº 10.647, de 2 de abril de 2003". Câmra dos Deputados (in Portuguese). 2 April 2003. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  4. "Histórico". 2021-04-15. Archived from the original on 2021-04-15. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  5. Santos, Rogério Barros dos; Pereira, Luiz Andrei Gonçalves (2022-12-15). "Geografia do transporte aéreo, fluxos de cargas e de passageiros no aeroporto de Montes Claros – Minas Gerais/Brasil". Revista Alteridade. 4 (1): 77–103. doi:10.46551/alt0401202204. ISSN 2526-3749. S2CID 254904649.
  6. "Diário Oficial - 23 de Janeiro de 1980". Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  7. "Única empresa a apresentar proposta, Aena leva Aeroporto de Congonhas". Agência Brasil (in Portuguese). 18 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  8. "Ex-prefeito Mário Ribeiro ganha busto em frente ao Aeroporto de Montes Claros". SEMMA (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  9. "Ampliação duplica capacidade anual de passageiros do Aeroporto de Montes Claros, em Minas Gerais". Ministério da Infraestrutura (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  10. Minas, Estado de (2021-05-26). "Aeroporto de Montes Claros ganha novo terminal de passageiros". Estado de Minas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  11. "AENA wins another group of Brazilian airports in the latest concession round". CAPA - Centre for Aviation. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  12. "Única empresa a apresentar proposta, Aena leva Aeroporto de Congonhas". Agência Brasil (in Portuguese). 18 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
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