Improved Relationships, Optimism: The Week in Aerospace

The aviation industry continues to struggle following the decrease in passenger traffic due to the travelling restrictions. However, suppliers, manufacturers and airlines have improved their relationship and feel optimistic about the future for the industry.

FEMIA is not that confident about the near future and forecasted a full economic recovery in the aerospace industry by 2024. Meanwhile, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) reported an increase in revenues, which are close to pre-pandemic levels, and announced expansion projects in the airports of Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos.

Fasten your seatbelt! This is the Week in Aerospace!

Russian Airlines Target Mexico, Latin America

Russian tourism in Mexico could double both in influx and economic income if PSJC Aeroflot – Russian Airlines come to Cancun and Ciudad de Mexico, said Miguel Torruco Marqués, Minister of Tourism. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Russian tourist spent US$22.9 million in Cancun during 2020.

Aeroflot is not the only Russian airline interested in connecting with Mexico and the Latin American market. Royal Air and Nordwind Airlines are also making efforts to fly in a weekly basis to Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Venezuela.

Industry to Fully Recover by 2024: FEMIA

The Mexican aerospace industry will be fully recovered from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by 2024, said René Espinosa, President of FEMIA. Before 2020, Mexico’s aerospace industry exported on average US$9.6 billion per year and represented 60,000 direct jobs. Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, revenue went down to US$6.6 billion, a 31.8 percent decrease, said Espinosa. The helicopter segment, unlike the fixed-wing aircraft market, registered record levels in 2020, said Adolfo Viramontes, General Manager of Bell México.

GAP Reports Growth in Revenue; Announces Expansion Projects

GAP is bouncing back from the pandemic. Although the group’s airports have still not recovered in passenger traffic, revenues have increased and are almost back to their pre-pandemic levels. Because of its positive results, GAP has announced the expansion of its infrastructure in several of its terminals throughout the country.

Guadalajara Airport has two incoming projects. The first one “is related to the mixed-use of a building, which will have a hotel, office spaces and commercial areas. The second project is the change of the interior design of Terminal 1. We will have additional spaces for food and beverage services. Both projects will be operational by 2Q2023,” said Revuelta Musalem, CEO of GAP, who also revealed the construction of a terminal building in Los Cabos Airport and a second terminal in Puerto Vallarta.

Airlines, Suppliers Relationship Has Improved

The difficult economic situation forced suppliers, manufacturers and airlines to reinvent and improve their relations to survive the worldwide crisis, agreed Aeroméxico, General Electric, GOL and Airbus, participants of the CCMA & MRO event, organized by the Latin American and the Caribbean Association of Air Transport (ALTA).

“Although we were not 100 percent in the office during the past months, there has been a lot of communication with assemblers, suppliers and even internally, and this is a new improvement. We are in a good position now and, with the (Boeing 737) Max in the skies again, we are boosting our operation and, for the future, this new relationship will lead to a win-win situation for all of us,” said Jorge Jácome, Corporate Senior Vice President of Maintenance and Engineering at Aeroméxico.