A tale of two airports in Rio de Janeiro

Among the most picturesque flights in the world is the trip from Brazil’s largest city to its second-largest. Departing from São Paulo-Congonhas airport, the aircraft soars over a seemingly endless jungle of skyscrapers; less than an hour later, the flight descends into Rio de Janeiro’s Guanabara Bay, careening past one of the world’s most topographically improbable cities, before banking and landing right on the edge of downtown Rio. After disembarking and negotiating one’s way through the Santos Dumont airport concourse, on a clear day visitors are greeted with a humbling glance at Christ the Redeemer, seated upon his perch atop Corcovado mountain.

Santos Dumont airport, however, only operates domestic flights, including the highly profitable Rio-São Paulo airbridge. International arrivals, therefore, are left to its “ugly sister,” Galeão International Airport. Tucked away on Ilha do Governador to the city’s north, Galeão has been progressively losing passengers in recent years.

It is seen as being inaccessible for a large share of Rio de Janeiro’s flyers, with the trip to Galeão from downtown requiring a journey over the infamous Linha Vermelha and Linha Amarela expressways — invariably congested and occasionally the scene of carjackings and robberies.

With the operation of Santos Dumont airport set to be taken out of the hands of state-owned firm Infraero and offered to the highest private bidder, the city of Rio de Janeiro is concerned that the well-located domestic hub could swallow up the business of Galeão to the north.

The privatization proposal, with an auction scheduled...