“Modern and agile” were the most frequently repeated phrases by Peruvian and foreign passengers who began arriving on Sunday from abroad at the new Jorge Chavez International Airport —the new gateway to the Peruvian capital, Lima— whose operations began yesterday at 1:00 p.m. following a pause that enabled the transition to the new infrastructure.
A character dressed in the traditional poncho and chullo worn in Peru's Andean region welcomed passengers and even invited them to dance a huayno as a greeting in the international arrivals area of this terminal, located on Morales Duarez Avenue in Callao region, which is three times larger than the old airport.
The first to come out the door was pilot Sebastian Iglesias, a Peruvian who frequently travels abroad.
He praised the agility and speed with which he was assisted —not only in the immigration area but also when retrieving his luggage.
"It (the airport) is on par with all airports in Europe and the United States—there is nothing to envy," he said when approached by journalists.
A similar opinion was shared by Spanish politician Jose Ignacio Salafranca, a member of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly, who highlighted that the new airport is “impeccable.”
"We really like the Madrid-Barajas Airport, but this one is very well managed," he expressed.
A fellow Spaniard said the new Jorge Chavez Airport is "wonderful" and "it feels like I am in Europe."
A woman named Catalina, a Peruvian who arrived from Madrid, said that the new airport "is spacious and (everything) moves very quickly, so I got out earlier than other times," while Jose Cepeda considered the new infrastructure a sign of progress and modernity.
As in any airport, emotional reunions after several months or even years were not lacking. That was the case of Susy, a Peruvian mother studying in Madrid, who hadn't seen her daughter since Holy Week. Her daughter, hugging her, did not let go for a moment.
"There are a lot of people in immigration (section) right now, but it is moving very fast, with the help of the machines," she noted.
Just like the old airport, this one is starting to fill with stories of unforgettable moments, such as that of a couple of grandparents who will meet their granddaughter Amara for the first time, who lives abroad with her mother.
Taxi companies took the opportunity to promote their services, including one that brought a person dressed as a capybara, which sparked the curiosity especially of the little ones.
Overall, the first comments from both domestic and foreign passengers were positive, highlighting the modernity of the new infrastructure, as well as the speed of the immigration process.
(END) RRC/JMP/MVB
Published: 6/2/2025