“LABACE 2013 will take place once again at Congonhas Airport [in São Paulo, Brazil], on the announced dates of August 14, 15 and 16,” Ricardo Nogueira, executive director of organizer ABAG, told AIN late last week, just before Carnaval began in Brazil. “Infraero, which manages the airport, gave the green light” just last Wednesday, he said. Concerns about possible contamination from fuel tanks abandoned by bankrupt airline VASP prompted extensive testing and the delay.

Nogueira told AIN that while many returning or interested exhibitors have asked about this year’s event, ABAG has been waiting for the official confirmation before booking exhibit space. Pricing for space still depends on negotiations and the signing of a contract with Infraero, which is expected by tomorrow. He promised, “We’ll have the store open in early March,” and said that changes for this year’s show will include a different stand model, as well as the option to take space by the square meter, increasing flexibility for exhibitors.

Last year, the 190 exhibitors and 70 aircraft on display at LABACE attracted more than 16,000 visitors to the airport in the heart of São Paulo, an increase over 2011 despite higher entrance fees and a shift to a Wednesday-through-Friday schedule, a change that has been kept for this year’s show.

For the first time, AIN will be publishing daily print issues at LABACE.