This is part one of a two-article series on business aircraft operations to Lima, Peru for the World Bank Meeting.

World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund meetings will take place in Lima, Peru October 9-11, 2015. These meetings, which bring together Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors from 188 member countries, will put additional demand on General Aviation (GA) infrastructure and handling capabilities at Lima. It’s recommended that business aircraft operators planning to attend this top global event begin trip planning arrangements without delay.

The following is an overview of what you need to know:

1. Primary airport

Lima (SPIM) is the primary airport for this event, and we expect increased GA) activity to begin October 7-8 for early arrivals and continue through October 12-13. The most congested period for airfield movements is expected to be the afternoon of October 11 and morning of October 12 when the bulk of operators depart Lima. SPIM is a 24/7 Airport of Entry (AOE) with no airport slot or prior permission required mandates. As of this time, no restrictive notices to airmen have been issued, and operators do not need official invitations from event organizers to park at SPIM. Full aircraft support services; customs, immigration, and quarantine clearance; and fuel and credit availability are possible 24/7. As SPIM is a large airport with plenty of ramp space, we do not anticipate parking issues during the World Bank meeting period. It’s anticipated that overflow parking will be made available on the military side of the airfield.

2. Alternate airports

Although we do not expect aircraft parking to fill up at SPIM during the World Bank Meeting period, some operators will choose to reposition aircraft. One reason to do this may be lack of crew accommodations in the Lima area. Closest alternate to SPIM is Pisco (SPSO), about a 115-mile drive from Lima. SPSO is a 24-hour airfield, but it’s only an AOE upon request. Note that SPSO has limited aircraft support/handling services and fuel credit may be an issue if not arranged in advance. Best practice, when you reposition to SPSO, is to have your ground handler at SPIM coordinate all service arrangements in advance.

3. Repositioning outside Peru

If crew accommodations in Lima are an issue, alternate airports may be considered outside the country. Some operators will opt to drop and go at SPIM and reposition to either Ecuador or Colombia where landing permits are not needed for stays of up to 48 hours and good selections of 4- and 5-star hotel accommodations can be found.

4. Domestic operations in Peru

If you plan to fly domestic flight legs within Peru, be aware that this will add one or two business days to permit processing lead time. For a side trip to the Amazon jungle region, Iquitos (SPQT) offers full GA support and services, but other locations – such as Puerto Maldonado (SPTU) – have more limited service/handling capabilities. Be mindful that, if you’re planning a stop at Cuzco (SPZO), you must go online and complete an airport familiarity procedure prior to a permit being issued.

5. Hotels and local transport

At this time World Bank Meeting organizers have blocked off most 4- and 5-star hotel accommodations in the Lima area. Ground handlers cannot even ensure availability of 3-star crew accommodation at this time. While the hope is that some of these blocked rooms may be released, operators should be prepared to drop and go, due to lack of crew accommodations. In terms of local transport, pre-paid (car with driver) options are recommended, but it’s important to arrange for this as early as possible. If you wait until the day you need the local transport, it may not be available.

6. Health and vaccination considerations

While there are no mandated vaccination requirements for Peru, yellow fever inoculation is recommended if you are traveling to SPTU or other jungle regions of Eastern Peru. Preventative malaria treatment is suggested for more remote parts of the country. If you’re traveling with a domestic pet, notify your ground handler in advance to determine appropriate pet health certificate and vaccination requirements.

7. Additional considerations

We recommend that operators traveling to SPIM for the World Bank Meeting consider fuel uplifts on arrival, or the day prior to departure, as fuel delays can be anticipated on the 11th and 12th. In-flight catering requests should be placed with your ground handler or international catering provider at least 24 hours in advance – 48 hours in advance if you have specific or non-standard catering requirements.

Conclusion

For a short-notice trip to the World Bank Meeting in Lima, crew accommodations will be an important trip planning issue. Despite aircraft parking availability at SPIM, it may be necessary to reposition to a location with accommodation availability after dropping off passengers at Lima.

Later, we’ll discuss permit, customs, immigration, and visa requirements for travel to Lima, Peru.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this article or would like assistance planning your next trip to Peru, contact me at earnestrocha@univ-wea.com.