Airliner World – May 2018

http://www.airlinerworld.com 67

Gateway to the

Samba Capital

western shore. The airport’s first

passenger facility was built close to

Praia do Galeão (Galleon Beach) hence

it gained its popular name. This also

explains why its IATA code is GIG, after

Galeão Ilha do Governador.

It officially became Rio’s international

gateway in 1945, but it was another

seven years before the first passenger

terminal was opened – the building

still exists and is used as offices. As the

number of passengers using the facility

quickly grew, the terminal became

Landside view showing

the acres of concrete

used in the airport’s con-

struction – the facility’s

two terminals are of a

similar shape and size.

GOL Transportes Aéreos

Boeing 737-8EH, PR-GXH

(c/n 39621) taxies

towards its gate at the

airport’s Terminal 2.

Together with LATAM

Airlines Brasil, the two

dominate the Brazilian

domestic market.

ALL IMAGES THE AUTHOR

UNLESS STATED

Sunrise over Copacabana

Beach – Rio de Janeiro

claims to be one of the

world’s most beautiful

cities.