Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport
Aeroporto Internacional do Recife/Guararapes – Gilberto Freyre[4] (IATA: REC, ICAO: SBRF) is the airport serving Recife, Brazil.
Recife/Guararapes – Gilberto Freyre International Airport Aeroporto Internacional do Recife/Guararapes – Gilberto Freyre | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Operator | |||||||||||
Serves | Recife | ||||||||||
Hub for | Azul Brazilian Airlines | ||||||||||
Focus city for | Gol Transportes Aéreos | ||||||||||
Time zone | BRT (UTC−03:00) | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 10 m / 33 ft | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 08°07′35″S 034°55′22″W | ||||||||||
Website | www | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
![]() ![]() REC Location in Brazil | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Statistics (2021) | |||||||||||
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It is operated by AENA.
Some of its facilities are shared with the Recife Air Force Base of the Brazilian Air Force.
History
Originally called Ibura Airport, the airport had its name changed to Guararapes Airport in 1948. The facility originated during World War II, when a new airport was built to replace the earlier airfield, Parque do Encanta Moça. With the end of the War, the facility became strategically important as a technical and refueling stop on the route from South America to Europe.
On 18 January 1958, a new passenger terminal was inaugurated, replacing the original facility. During this time, runway 14/32 was extended from 1,800 to 2,010 m (5,910 to 6,590 ft), and runway 18/36 was extended from 1,800 m to 2,400 m (7,900 ft).
In 1979, an agreement with Infraero was made in order to further develop the airport complex. The passenger terminal underwent its first major renovation in 1982, and another enlargement occurred in 1990.
In 2004, a brand-new passenger terminal was built, including a new shopping mall, thus generating more traffic and revenue. Furthermore, a new concourse was opened in 2004, and the airport's capacity increased from 1.5 to 9 million passengers/year. Today, the runway is 3,300 meters (10,800 feet) long, the longest in Northeastern Brazil.
On 31 August 2009, Infraero unveiled a BRL 8.75 million (US$4.6 million; EUR 3.2 million) investment plan to upgrade Guararapes International Airport, focusing on the preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Recife being one of the venue cities. The investment was spent in finishing the passenger terminal renovation and installing eight more jetways.[5] The work was completed on 1 July 2011, and the airport was then considered ready for the FIFA Cup.[6]
Previously operated by Infraero, on March 15, 2019, AENA won a 30-year concession to operate the airport.[7]
The Brazilian Integrated Air Traffic Control and Air Defense Center, section 3 (Cindacta III) is located in the vicinity of the airport.[8]


Airlines and destinations
Passenger
Note:
a: Flight operated with Voepass equipment on behalf of LATAM Brasil.
Accidents and incidents
- 1 November 1961: a Panair do Brasil Douglas DC-7C registration PP-PDO flying from Sal to Recife, during its final approach struck an 84-m hill 2.7 km from the runway and broke up. The aircraft was doing a night approach too low and outside the regular traffic pattern. Forty-five passengers and crew out of the 88 persons aboard died.[11][12] The aircraft was operating the Voo da amizade (Friendship Flight).
- 11 November 1991: a Nordeste Embraer EMB110P1 Bandeirante registration PT-SCU, operating flight 115 from Recife to Maceió, during on initial climb had an engine failure followed by fire. The aircraft crashed on a populated area. All 13 aircraft occupants and 2 persons on the ground died.[13][14]
- 13 July 2011: a Noar Linhas Aéreas Let L-410 Turbolet registration PR-NOB operating flight 4896 from Recife to Natal crashed shortly after take-off from Recife. All 16 occupants were killed.[15][16]
Access
The airport is located 14 km (9 mi) from downtown Recife.
The subway Airport Station is connected to the terminal by a footbridge. Main bus lines that serve the neighborhoods of Boa Viagem and Cidade Universitária in Recife and Piedade, neighborhood of Jaboatão dos Guararapes stop at the airport.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- "Informações Estatísticas". Aena Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- "Aeroporto Internacional do Recife Gurararapes-Gilberto Freyre". Aena Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- "Aeródromos". ANAC (in Portuguese). 29 June 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
- "L10361". Presidência da República (in Portuguese). 27 December 2001. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- Rittner, Daniel; Braga, Paulo Victor (31 August 2009). "Infraero vai gastar R$5 bi em reforma de aeroportos". Valor Econômico (in Portuguese). pp. A4. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- "Infraero conclui obra no Aeroporto Internacional do Recife" (in Portuguese). Diário de Pernambuco. 1 July 2011. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- "Governo obtém R$ 2,377 bilhões em concessão de aeroportos em blocos". ANAC (in Portuguese). 15 March 2019. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
- "Cindacta III" (in Portuguese). Brazilian Air Force: Departamento de Controle do Espaço Aéreo DECEA. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- "Azul realiza 1° voo de Recife para Fort Lauderdale e anuncia Orlando". Panrotas (in Portuguese). 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- "Schedule". Lufthansa Cargo. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- "Accident description PP-PDO". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
- Germano da Silva, Carlos Ari César (2008). "Buraco negro". O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes 1928–1996 (in Portuguese) (2 ed.). Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS. pp. 197–203. ISBN 978-85-7430-760-2.
- "Accident description PT-SCU". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
- Germano da Silva, Carlos Ari César (2008). "Fogo na decolagem". O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes 1928–1996 (in Portuguese) (2 ed.). Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS. pp. 364–369. ISBN 978-85-7430-760-2.
- "Accident description PR-NOB". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
- "Noar emite comunicado sobre acidente em Recife" (in Portuguese). Panrotas. 13 July 2011. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
External links

- Airport information for SBRF at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
- Current weather for SBRF at NOAA/NWS
- Accident history for REC at Aviation Safety Network