IATA, the (International Air Transport Association), has rejected and challenged the Mexican government’s decision to reduce the capacity of Mexico City International Airport (AICM) to 43 operations per hour.
The association has further called on the authorities to seek alternative measures to this unilateral action. It says that if not withdrawn or modified, the government’s decision will have negative impacts on passengers, air operations, connectivity, tourism and competitiveness.
It will also place Mexico in non-compliance with its international aviation commitments, IATA added.
It also reiterated the industry’s willingness to work with the government and other stakeholders to ensure Mexico can continue to benefit from the aviation connectivity provided by AICM.
Peter Cerdá, IATA’s regional vice president for the Americas, said: “This decision by the government does not take into account the interests of consumers, nor does it respect the necessary consultative process with operators and users, especially at the country’s main airport.
“Such measures must be taken with the utmost technical and operational rigor, based on studies and expert analysis. In this case, we question the methodology used by SENEAM, AFAC and AICM to determine airport capacity.”
He added: “The main problem at AICM is not the operating capacity but the ageing and deteriorating infrastructure. Terminals 1 and 2 require immediate modernisation.”
IATA said the government’s decision also deviates from international standards and best practices that outline capacity changes should be made through a collaborative process with all stakeholders to ensure transparency, predictability and certainty.
Observing these standards allows for compliance with international commitments and proper planning of air operations, with passengers as a priority and respecting the demands of the local market, connectivity and operational efficiency.
This new cutback in AICM operations follows the 2022 capacity reduction from 62 to 52 operations per hour, which was justified by the government on the grounds of airspace limitations.
But this explanation contradicted the study conducted in 2018 by the Mexican government, said IATA, which confirmed the feasibility of safely operating a maximum of 72 operations per hour.
Last year’s reduction forced all-cargo airlines to stop operating at AICM in order to facilitate work to improve the terminal. But, to date, no such work has been carried out.
AICM is served by more than 24 national and international airlines and acts as the primary hub connecting all Mexican states and most international destinations.
The association added that the priority of the Mexican government should be to focus on recovering a Category 1 rating from the US Federal Aviation Administration’s International Aviation Safety Assessment programme, and that the negative impact of Category 2 has been significant for the country, with the loss of connectivity, increased ticket prices and the reduced competitiveness of Mexican airlines.
ARGS contacted Mexico City International Airport for comment.
Image credit: David Santos Mendoza/Adobe Stock
