Panama is moving ahead with a major expansion of José Ezequiel Hall International Airport in Bocas del Toro, after the country’s Civil Aeronautics Authority (AAC) raised the project’s reference budget by 25% to $25mn, Rus Tourism News reported on August 23.
The AAC increased the reference price from an initial $20mn following a review of construction costs and the logistical challenges of carrying out major works on Isla Colón while keeping the airport operational. Authorities cited rising material prices, limited availability of skilled workers and the cost of transporting equipment and supplies by sea to the island as key factors behind the higher estimate.
The 24-month project will include a new passenger terminal of at least 2,400 square metres, replacing the airport’s existing facilities and incorporating immigration and customs areas, check-in counters, waiting and boarding lounges, baggage reclaim, shops and cafés, alongside dedicated spaces for airlines and airport staff. The new terminal will be built at the opposite end of the airport from the current building, on land the AAC acquired for approximately $6mn to accommodate the expansion, covering around 13 hectares.
The airport’s runway, currently 1,500 metres long and 25 metres wide, will be widened by 2.5 metres on each side to reach a total width of 30 metres, alongside upgraded pavement and aircraft safety areas. Plans also include a new 160-by-30-metre section at runway threshold 09, with improvements designed around aircraft including the Fokker 50 and Dash 8 Q400.
Bidders will be permitted to submit proposals valued at up to 20% above the official $25mn reference price, with submissions due by September 24. Construction is expected to proceed while the airport remains operational, requiring work to be coordinated around scheduled flights.
The airport serves Isla Colón and the wider Bocas del Toro archipelago, one of Panama’s major Caribbean tourism destinations, where onward travel between islands typically continues by boat, making improved integration between air and water transport a key consideration in the redevelopment.