LAN Airlines (Santiago de Chile) and SKY Airline (Chile) (H2, Santiago de Chile) have completed the transfer of their respective Temuco operations from Temuco Maquehue to the newly built Temuco La Araucanía despite incidents of vandalism at the latter's inauguration earlier this week.

The Chilean civil aviation authority (Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil - DGAC) moved to close the airport just hours after its opening after protestors from the indigenous Mapuche tribe broke into the airfield's environs damaging 27 runway lights, one lighting rail and defacing signs.

The Mapuche have reportedly opposed the airport's construction since its beginning in 2006.