Air navigation in Peru faces uncertainty as Congress moves toward potential CORPAC privatization
CORPAC, which generates annual profits for the State, may transfer its air traffic control and airport services to private operators.
The future of air navigation services management in Peru has entered a phase of uncertainty. The Peruvian Congress has approved a bill that paves the way for the privatization of the Peruvian Corporation of Airports and Commercial Aviation (CORPAC S.A.), the state-owned company that has managed the nation’s airspace for over 80 years. The move has triggered strong opposition from the National Union of Aeronautical Specialists of CORPAC (SINEACOR), which warned of threats to national sovereignty and operational safety.
The union denounced serious irregularities in the legislative handling of the proposal. According to SINEACOR, the bill passed after a superficial debate and without the participation of technical experts or air navigation operators certified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The union criticized the initiative for advancing under the guise of “modernization,” while actually aiming to transfer a strategic public service to private operators.
SINEACOR also pointed out that multiple legislative initiatives were bundled into a single text without proper analysis, and the bill was fast-tracked without a second vote in Congress—a maneuver they see as avoiding both technical scrutiny and democratic oversight. A major point of contention is the exclusion of the Economic Commission from the debate, despite CORPAC generating annual profits of more than 40 million soles for the Peruvian government.
The union argues that privatizing air navigation services could undermine connectivity across Peru’s vast territory. They note that CORPAC currently ensures service to remote and commercially unprofitable regions—a public duty that a profit-driven private operator might abandon. This, they claim, would harm territorial equity and hinder regional development.
- What is CORPAC and what are its main responsibilities?
CORPAC S.A. is the Peruvian Corporation of Airports and Commercial Aviation. Its most critical role is serving as Peru’s Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP), managing air traffic control, communications, and navigation aids nationwide. It also operates a network of regional airports. - Why is potential privatization controversial?
The aviation union argues it endangers the sovereignty of Peruvian airspace, compromises operational safety, and may cut services to unprofitable areas, jeopardizing national connectivity. - What is an Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP)?
An ANSP is responsible for the safe and efficient management of air traffic in a country’s airspace—a highly specialized and critically important role in aviation.
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The union also questioned the assumption that privatization leads to better efficiency. To support its stance, SINEACOR cited recent problems at the new terminal of Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport, managed by private concessionaire Lima Airport Partners (LAP). In a statement, the union said: “The recent experience with the new terminal at Jorge Chávez Airport—marked by endless queues, poor access, and poorly located public services—shows that a commercially-driven approach does not guarantee quality or dignified service for users.”
In response, SINEACOR has demanded that all privatization initiatives be shelved. Instead, they are calling for a public and technical debate involving all aviation stakeholders. The union seeks to strengthen CORPAC’s role as a state-run institution essential to Peru’s air safety and sovereignty, leaving the future of the country’s airspace governance in limbo.
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