Orlando Bezerra de Menezes - Juazeiro do Norte Airport
Orlando Bezerra Menezes - Juazeiro do Norte Airport (SBJU)
Juazeiro do Norte Airport – Orlando Bezerra de Menezes (JDO) reflects the cultural, tourist and economic diversity of the Metropolitan Region of Cariri, which comprises nine municipalities — Juazeiro do Norte, Crato, Barbalha, Jardim, Missão Velha, Caririaçu, Farias Brito, Nova Olinda and Santana do Cariri — in a total area of 5,456.01 Km², according to IBGE data.
The municipalities of Cariri, Crato, Juazeiro do Norte and Barbalha underwent a conurbation process, giving place to the second most expressive region in the State of Ceará, known as Crajubar. For facilitating access to the area, Juazeiro do Norte Airport – Orlando Bezerra de Menezes (JDO) has been recognized as a catalyst for the development of Cariri and surroundings.
In 2020, after winning the concession auction of the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) held in 2019, Aena Brasil took over the management of the unit, with the aim of expanding capacity and improving its infrastructure. Currently, the airport has a passenger terminal of 6,400 sq², with modern and comfortable departure and arrival halls.
Located in the south of Ceará, the airport receives many visitors, especially coming from the four neighboring states — Pernambuco, Paraíba, Piauí and Rio Grande do Norte. Participants at the largest agricultural fair in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, Expocrato, also use the airport as their main gateway to the event, whose program, with great musical shows, attracts the participation of a varied public of artisans, creators of animals and rural producers.
The airport is also proud to be the only airport terminal in the country located in a territory that has a remarkable geological heritage, recognized by Unesco as the first geopark in the Americas and in the Southern Hemisphere. The UNESCO World Geopark Araripe covers an area of approximately 4,000 sq², including eleven geosites spread across the Metropolitan Region of Cariri. Due to its location, the airport serves many scientists and researchers and is used as a return route for fossils that have been replaced to the region in recent years.
Inaugurated in 1954 as a flight field, the Juazeiro do Norte terminal became a Regional Airport only after the closure of the runway located in the neighboring municipality of Crato, in 1971. That same year, reforms were made to improve the Juazeiro unit, and a new passenger terminal was open in 1981. Three years later, regular commercial flights, suspended since 1975, became a reality again.
With the arrival of Aena Brasil, the Juazeiro do Norte Airport – Orlando Bezerra de Menezes (JDO) has been undergoing improvements since 2021. The following year, in 2022, the concessionaire started the structural works and currently delivers a completely renovated and comfortable airport, according to the best international standards.
Aena Brasil is part of the Spanish company Aena, considered the largest airport operator in the world in number of passengers. In Brazil, the concessionaire manages 17 terminals. In the six units in the Northeast, — Recife (PE), Maceió (AL), João Pessoa (PB), Aracaju (SE), Juazeiro do Norte (CE) and Campina Grande (PB) — the company is investing R$1.4 billion in structural works, which aim to increase airport capacity by between 60% and 100%.