72 AIRLINER WORLD JUNE 2018
Along with additional shops and
food options, the airport also opened a
Welcome Centre in the arrivals area of
Terminal 2, helping passengers find out
about transport options into the city as
well as handling any other travel
questions they may have.
Together with the rejuvenated
terminal building, RIOgaleão has also
invested heavily in digital platforms.
A smartphone app was launched –
Rio was the first in South America to
offer this – to help users find their way
around the facility, with suggested
routes and timings or various
destinations. The app also allows
travellers to see whether their flight is
on time, pay for parking and to get in
touch directly with the airport's
customer service department.
Complementing the mobile phone
app, self-service information kiosks are
posted around the terminal.
There are several bus lines con-
necting GIG to different areas of Rio
and surrounding cities, while taxis
and rental cars are readily available.
Unfortunately, the roads into the heart
of the city are often very congested and
there is no train connection. Along
with renovation and expansion to its
infrastructure, the facility also received
a new name. It is now officially called
RIOgaleão/Tom Jobim International
Airport, honouring Brazilian compos-
er and singer Tom Jobim. He helped to
spread Brazilian styles of music, most
notably the bossa nova, around the
world and wrote the famous song ‘The
Girl from Ipanema’, among others.Fluctuating Fortunes
Since the new millennium,
passenger traffic using GIG has
generally shown an upward trend. In
2003 it recorded 4.6 million travellers
passing through its doors, this had
almost doubled over the next 24
months, when many flights wereClose-up of TAM Boeing
767-316ER, PT-MOG (c/n
29227), which is parked
on one of the facility’s
remote stands. From Rio
the aircraft type primar-
ily serves Miami and
Orlando, Florida.American Airlines Boeing
777-223(ER), N772AN (c/n
29580), basks under the
Brazilian sun before its
return north. The carrier
serves three destinations
from Rio: New York,
Miami and Dallas/
Fort Worth.International flights now
use the airport’s South
Pier as demonstrated
by this TAP Air Portugal
Airbus A330, Alitalia
A330 and an Aerolíneas
Argentinas Boeing 737-
800, all of which are
regular visitors.Now having one of
the world’s leading
operators – Changi
Airports – onboard and
with upgraded facilities
in place, Tom Jobim
International is primed
for the future.