David Beach

CLOSURE OF IGR STILL ON, BUT ONLY DIVERSION TO FOZ, BRAZIL, (IGU), NO DETAILS AS TO BUS OR VISA ARRANGEMENTS IF ANY YET
Even though you still have tickets for the Argentina side, you will land in Foz do Iguacu, BR, but AR will have buses for all passengers and luggage that will take you to the bus station in Puerto Iguazu, AR directly. SPECULATION AS OF LATE FEBRUARY

You will be escorted to free dedicated buses and NOT go through Brazil Immigrations and customs. SPECULATION AS OF LATE FEBRUARY (So NO Brazil visa required). Will you be given an option to "enter" Brazil at Foz airport? Not clear.

You will go through AR customs if an international connection, but domestic flight from BA will be as always.SPECULATION AS OF LATE FEBRUARY

Returning flight will be the same, you will catch a bus at the Puerto Iguazu bus station and be taken to the Brazil airport without immigration or customs procedures at the border.SPECULATION AS OF LATE FEBRUARY

This will surprize many people, who may not be notified, and will naturally add to the time of travel.

UPDATE AS OF FEBRUARY 25: the speculation that they will have some sort of way to avoid Brazil immigration remains as speculation, unless something is arranged and publicized. So, Americans, Canadian, Australians, and any others who require pre-applied-for visas before landing in Brazil should plan to get them bfore arriving at Foz, unless they hear otherwise.

Stay tuned for possible changes.

David Beach

Still no official word about the initial plan to have buses go from the Foz Brazil airport without going through Brazil immigration and customs. Both LATAM and Aerolineas Argentinas are advising passangers on their sites to get the proper visas for Brazil if needed, so everything up in the air. Remember that Americans, Canadians and Australians (among some other countries, but not NZealand or most Euro countries) all need pre-applied visas obtained from Brazilian embassies or consulates. Diffcult situation to know what to do.

VidaNaPraia

Last I read from a regular poster on another forum who lives in Foz was that Brazilian visas would not be needed.

E-visas are now available to U.S. passport holders and a few others.

David Beach

No need for Brazil visas or immigration entry based on speculation. Nothing official at this point.

David Beach

Concerning policies of airlines, Aerolineas Argentinas is offering refunds or date changes as an option, Latam so far is not. LATAM so far has been warning everyone (now, before buying tickets) that you have to have the right visas.

Therefore, the speculation that they will have some sort of way to avoid Brazil immigration remains as speculation, unless something is arranged and publicized. So, Americans, Canadian, Australians, and any others who require pre-applied-for visas before landing in Brazil should plan to get them bfore arriving at Foz, unless they hear otherwise.

Last word (in English) from Aerolineas Argentinas: https://www.ccra.com/wp-content/uplo...p-closures.pdf
"From: Aerolineas Argentinas
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2018 11:36 AM
Subject: Salta and Iguazú airports
AIRPORT CLOSURES
Due to maintenance work being done on the runway the
Salta (SLA) airport will be closed between April 15, 2018
and May 6, 2018. Our SLA flights will operate to/from
Jujuy (JUJ).
Due to maintenance work being done on the runway the
Iguazú (IGR) airport will be closed between April 15, 2018
and May 15, 2018. Our IGR flights will operate to/from Foz
de Iguazú, (IGU) Brazil.
Please be sure all passengers have the
documentation they need to enter Brazil.
RESERVATION AFFECTED BY THE CHANGES:
One free date change is permitted without cost provided
the passenger is booked in the same cabin and routing
does not change.
If a passenger decides to change the routing this can be
done once without having to pay the penalty but the fare
difference must be changed, if applicable.
Refunds are also permitted.
Once the PNRs are updated with the new flights to/from
JUJ and IGU all tickets will need to be exchanged (even).
Waiver codes for changes or refunds: RESO 735D/IGR
and RESO 735D/SLA (endorsements/restrictions box).
If you have any questions or doubts please contact
[email protected].
Please share this information with everyone that needs to
knowl "

The details for AArgs refunds/changes for various types of tickets are listed in Spanish here, but there is not yet an English version: Cierre aeropuerto de Iguazú (IGR) entre el 15 de abril de 2018 y el 14 de mayo de 2018

Here is LATAM's present, last, simple word (basically, you have to get a Brazil visa if you are from a country that needs one, and no refund or change available if you do not like it):

"We inform you about the closing of the Iguazú Airport
Due to maintenance work on the airport runway Iguazú (IGR), this will be closed between April 15 and on May 15, 2018 inclusive. For this reason, our flights operate from and to the airport of Foz de Iguazú (IGU) in Brazil. Being an international flight, we remind you to verify the current documentation requirements according to their nationality.

We regret the inconveniences that this situation outside the LATAM Airlines Group could cause you."

malagajohn

Some news from the local press..

?El de Iguazú será uno de los aeropuertos más importantes y más lindos del país? - MisionesOnline

David Beach

NO VISA DISPENSATION NOW!

Thanks for that article John. An official indirect confirmation that there will be no special exemption for immigration for Foz arrivals bound for the Argentine side, US, Australian Canadian and Chinese (among others) will need Brazil visas before arriving. Translation, rough, of article:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
During this period of one month, the flights that were scheduled to arrive in Puerto Iguazú will be rescheduled to land in Foz de Iguazú (Brazil), as explained by the Minister of Tourism for Missiones Province on Thursday night. "From the 14 to 18 flights now arriving daily , itheywill be reduced to 9 flights that arrive in Iguazú daily, which will be: 3 from Aerolíneas Argentina, 4 from Latam, 2 from Andes and the specials from Aerolíneas that come from Córdoba and Mendoza; while the low-cost Flybondi land (from Córdoba and Mendoza) will land in Posadas during that month ".

He also added "foreigners, like Americans (or Australians or Canadians) or Chinese, should arrive by Posadas (Argentina), because we cannot make another agreement on the subject of the visas with Brazil." In this regard, he also said that another point to consider is that it is not yet defined if Iguazu taxis can get to the Foz airport to look for passengers. And he announced that the Migration staff will double on that date to expedite the border crossing "Iguazú airport is 21 kilometers from the center of Iguazú and Foz is 14, but with a bridge in the middle. That's why we want to speed up the pace and make this as little problematic as possible for the passengers. "
----------
Posadas, Argentina, is 240 kilometres, or 150 miles, from Igauzu!

David Beach

Updates from another forum:

"4. Re: Airport Closure
May 2, 2018, 8:07 AMWe were there only 4 days ago. We had booked our flights into and out of Puerto Iguazú back in December. Airline did not bother advising us that the airport was closed for renovations. I only found out when I had a friend ring Areolineas to select our seats that we were informed then. Anyway, flights are only going through foz da Iguaçu. If you are scheduled to fly into Puerto Iguazú the airline will leave you at Foz and you will need to find your own way across the border into Argentina (that in itself is another story). If you are an Australia regardless of what you may have been told you still need a Brazilian visa before you board the flight because you need to leave the airport. We caught a taxi to the Argentinian side and it was 80 reals. You do need to go through immigration twice - once on the Brazilian side and then across the bridge again on the Argentinian side. I have almost 4 pages of my passport just stamped with immigration.

The line at the airport is deceiving and moves fairly steadily. This line is for screening. Once you go through that is where you do check-in. Note - there are no toilets on this side you have to go out again and then get back into line. Once you check-in find a nice floor tile to sit on and wait. They will not let you go through to the gate because this area is very small. You will also do customs here."
----------
"2. Re: Airport Closure
Apr 17, 2018, 12:25 PMJust returned for IGU airport in Foz. One word BUSY!. Parking at a premium, arrivals doubled and the airport was very crowed.



Normally 10 taxis can pick up and move along with another right behind. Now they have to wait and very hard for private parties to drop off family and/or friends. Due to no drop off parking available. PF were out in force and helping move traffic along



I think it caught many BR travelers off guard.



Be patient taxis are around just not as fast as normal.



Check-in lines were very long. I did not go inside but saw the line and 3 times as long.



Those departing from Foz should allow extra time and not just 1 hour before boarding as in domestic but 1.5 hr or more. Could not say as to international flight, but with only 3 security line I can only imagine."

malagajohn

Looks like the work has been completed on schedule and the airport will reopen on Tuesday according to this press report.

PRIMERA EDICIÓN : El aeropuerto de Iguazú reabrirá el martes

HIDDY

Not a moment too soon either judging by the posts above. Just confirms how lacking consumer protection is in this part of the world compared to the EU.

malagajohn

Reabren el aeropuerto de Iguazú tras finalizar la repavimentación de la pista - MisionesOnline

Transport and tourism ministers heading to Iguazu for the photo opportunity....

malagajohn

I will be visiting the airport at the end of the month , so full report to follow.

malagajohn

Government ad on the Iguazu airport works

malagajohn

The airport is operating fully but the terminal building is still being renovated. Only one of the two fingers is operating, so boarding is cumbersome when there are more than two planes departing at the same time.

The car park is being doubled in size and there appears to be a special area for tour buses

i arrived and left in the dark - the runway is fully operational but I think there is still some work being done on the taxiways.

I was told that it will be another two or three months until everything is finished.