Mariscal Sucre International Airport

The Mariscal Sucre International Airport is located in the city of Quito, in Ecuador, and was established in 1960. The airport was given its name in memory of an independence hero named Antonio Josè de Sucre. The Mariscal Sucre International Airport is located within the city and is one of the highest and most dangerous airports in the world today. Because the city is surrounded by mountains landings are extremely difficult for both the pilots and their aircraft. The Mariscal Sucre Airport sees approximately 2.5 million passengers in a year, and moves about 125 000 metric tons of cargo annually.

Mariscal Sucre Airport has only one terminal building, and handles all traffic, international and domestic flights, by dividing the building into two sections. There is also only one runway that is used for take offs and landings. The runway is paved and measures 3 120 meters in length. Airlines such as Delta Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, American Airlines, LAN Airlines, Avianca Airlines, TACA, Iberia Airways and Copa Airlines operate flights to and from this airport in Ecuador.

Transportation to and from the airport is taken care of by taxis and car rental agencies. Car rental companies are available at the airport and include Budget Rent-A-Car, Avis Car Rental and Localiza. For travelers who prefer driving to the airport, there are approximately 300 parking bays available at the airport, and these are divided between long term parking and short term parking.

Facilities at this Ecuadorian airport are limited, but do include the necessities such as ATM’s, foreign exchange services, public telephones, cafeterias, restaurants and a small range of shops and stores that are located in the airport’s commercial area. Duty free shops, emergency services and medical services are also located in the airport building.

The Mariscal Sucre International Airport has also gone to a great deal of trouble to ensure that the airport is accessible to disabled passengers. Parking areas, restrooms and lifts have been adjusted to accommodate travelers in wheel chairs, and ramps are located throughout the airport building.