Aviation Industry to Recover by the End of 2022: ASA

Q: What is ASA's position in the industry and what are its main objectives?

A: ASA is a decentralized agency of the federal government, created in June 1965 to design, build, operate and preserve airport terminals. It also aimed to provide complementary, auxiliary and commercial services to the 34 existing airports in Mexico at the time.

ASA now operates and manages 19 airports within the national airport system, which make up the ASA Network. They are located in Campeche, Chetumal, Ciudad del Carmen, Ciudad Obregon, Ciudad Victoria, Colima, Guaymas, Ixtepec, Loreto, Matamoros, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Poza Rica, Puebla, Puerto Escondido, Tamuin, Tehuacan, Tepic and Uruapan. ASA also partially operates the airports in Queretaro, Toluca, Cuernavaca, Tuxtla Gutierrez and Palenque.

Q: What are ASA's main activities in the aeronautical sector?

A: ASA supplies aircraft fuel across Mexico through two supply points and 61 fuel stations located at airports. ASA is present at the country’s most important airports, including Mexico City, Cancun, Guadalajara and Monterrey and Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA). It safely supplies quality fuel daily, following global industry standards and maintaining uninterrupted supply at all airports.

ASA operates the Ingeniero Roberto Kobeh González International Training Center, which has been acknowledged as a Regional Center of Excellence in TRAINAIR PLUS training and in Civil Aviation Safety by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This certification has positioned ASA among the best worldwide, as it meets national and international standards of quality and content thanks to its facilities and services.

Q: Where is ASA expanding as an organization and how will this help the sector in the country?

A: ASA is strengthening and expanding its airport infrastructure to meet the growth in demand in the medium and long term. ASA is always aligned with national and international standards for strengthening connectivity and regional growth.

Q: What are ASA's expectations for the Mexican aviation sector?

A: At ASA, we expect to see a clear recovery in the sector during the second half of 2022 as the first half of 2022 strongly resembles 1H19. We work in harmony with various players in the national aeronautical market to secure air operations through the incorporation of key investments.

Q: What areas of improvement should the sector focus on to ensure a better and faster recovery?

A: ASA works to strengthen national and international air connectivity through the expansion and modernization of airport infrastructure to meet the growth in demand. It also performs necessary actions to help the opening of new routes that promote business and recreational tourism. ASA offers quality services in every operation with the highest safety standards in each of the terminals it operates and manages. Similarly, work is being done to train, develop and professionalize national and international technical personnel to increase quality levels in aviation fuel management, distribution and supply service.

Q: How was ASA affected by the quarantine and what is its current situation?

A: ASA was also impacted by the crisis that affected the global aviation industry derived from the health emergency caused by SARS-CoV-2, which created an unprecedented situation that affected the operation of all airlines and airports in the world. However, in response to the adversity that this crisis represented, our commitment to quality and safety allowed us to see the clear signs of recovery. We expect that by the end of 2022, the figures will be very positive.

In Mexico, air terminals in the ASA network have posted positive figures during the first half of 2022 compared to the same period of 2019. Passenger service increased by 9.6 percent, while air cargo recovered by 140.6 percent in 1H22 compared with 1H19.

Q: What are ASA's main challenges in the fuel market?

A: The price of fuel is at historically high levels, which generates strong pressure on airlines’ finances. ASA continues to work together with the industry to seek ways to offer competitive prices. Operations in Mexico have shown a strong recovery, which is why ASA is also investing in equipment to supply the fuel necessary to continue providing optimal services.

Q: Given these challenges, what plans for expansion and improvements do you have regarding infrastructure in fuel stations?

A: We are working on the modernization and expansion of the storage infrastructure of the Cancun Fuel Station, the construction of the Station of Fuels at the San José del Cabo Airport and the expansion of the storage capacity of the Bajio Fuel Station.

ASA carries out maintenance and improvement activities at all its airports on a permanent basis. We are also working on the expansion and modernization of airports in Puebla, Puerto Escondido, Tepic, Ciudad del Carmen, Colima and Tamuin.

Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA) operates, manages, builds and maintains 19 airports in Mexico. It also provides fuel supply services and offers technical assistance, consultancy and information on aeronautics and airports.