Long-Term Planning Required to Capitalize on Nearshoring

Q: How is Grupo OMA adapting its airport network to support the growth of passenger traffic in northern Mexico without neglecting cargo and business travel?

A: The company's strategy is built on three fundamental pillars. First, we seek greater operational efficiency by optimizing processes to leverage our strategic geographical location, expand connectivity through new routes, and enhance the quality of service provided to users. The second pillar is business diversification, through which we reduce reliance on purely aeronautical revenue by entering complementary business lines. Finally, we maintain a clear vision for growth and investment by executing one of the most ambitious plans in the company's history, aimed at expanding and modernizing our entire airport network.

Q: How has nearshoring affected Grupo OMA’s operations and how is the company shifting its strategy to adapt to this trend?

A: The majority of the airports where we operate are highly exposed to nearshoring dynamics, which has triggered a surge in demand for logistics services. In response, we have developed key infrastructure: we operate three bonded warehouses in Monterrey, Chihuahua, and Ciudad Juarez, as well as an industrial park featuring 18 warehouses and over 140,000 m2 of leasable area. Additionally, we are recording accelerated growth in air and ground cargo processing by offering value-added services. Therefore, our investment strategy encompasses both the expansion of passenger terminals and the strengthening of our logistics and industrial division.

Q: How does the strategic alliance with Vinci Airports influence Grupo OMA's operational and commercial management?

A: Vinci Airports — the world's largest airport operator, with a presence in more than 70 airports and a global infrastructure footprint — has been our strategic partner for four years. This alliance represents a major watershed moment; as a long-term investor, Vinci perfectly aligns its objectives with our corporate development vision. This partnership yields tangible benefits, starting with the transfer of international best practices and successful global models tailored to the Mexican context. Furthermore, it grants us access to a specialized talent pool and the backing of experts in construction, operations, and commercial management, while simultaneously boosting our bargaining power with suppliers and driving the implementation of cutting-edge technologies across the network.

Q: How have traveler behavior and cargo demand evolved in response to the relocation of supply chains? 

A: Grupo OMA operates 13 airports with a profile where 85% of traffic is domestic and nearly two-thirds corresponds to business travel. The dynamism of nearshoring in the northern region of the country significantly accelerated this segment. Last year, overall network traffic grew by 8.5%, with Monterrey Airport highlighting this trend through double-digit growth. Alongside nearshoring, the expansion of e-commerce since the pandemic has driven air cargo volume and the demand for industrial space across the region.

Q: What is the scope of Grupo OMA’s current Master Development Plan?

A: It is a five-year plan involving an investment of MX$16 billion (US$933.7 million) allocated exclusively to aeronautical and cargo infrastructure. About 50% of these resources are earmarked for Monterrey Airport, which accounts for half of the group's traffic, to increase its capacity by 50%. In Culiacan and Ciudad Juarez, the ongoing works will double terminal capacities, while proportional projects are being carried out across the rest of the network. These investments cover not only terminals, but also runways, taxiways, aprons, processing technology, and sustainability infrastructure.

Q: From an operational and financial perspective, at what point does an airport cease to be a mere connectivity point and become a regional economic engine?

A: An airport is a natural catalyst for development. Its impact extends beyond the direct user: it drives trade, attracts tourism, generates employment, and revitalizes the regional economy through the multiplier effect of infrastructure investment.

Q: Despite logistics and industrial diversification, will aeronautical activity remain the core of the business?

A: Yes. Nowadays, 75% of revenue comes from aeronautical operations and 25% from non-aeronautical sources, a category that includes the operation of two hotels at the Monterrey and Mexico City airports, to be joined by two new properties in Monterrey and Ciudad Juarez. Although we will actively seek new diversification opportunities, aeronautical activity will remain Grupo OMA's primary pillar over the short and medium term.

Q: What specific technologies are being deployed to optimize processing times and enhance the passenger experience?

A: Our technological modernization plan includes end-to-end solutions designed to eliminate friction points throughout the terminal. We have deployed Self Bag-Drop kiosks that allow passengers to check and tag their luggage independently within seconds, as well as e-gates and CT scanning technology at security checkpoints to expedite access to boarding gates without requiring passengers to remove liquids or electronics from carry-on bags. We have also implemented automated border control gates featuring biometrics and facial recognition to streamline arrival flows. Internally, we centralize operational data using AODB databases and AI, monitor passenger density with real-time flow sensors, and manage airside fleet operations via satellite tracking, all coordinated from our Operations Control Center.

Q: How will Grupo OMA use AI to leverage the large volume of data collected across its terminals?

A: Applying AI requires structuring and digitizing vast amounts of data. Handling a flow of over 30 million passengers annually, our priority is consolidating this information into a unified database that integrates airlines and authorities. We now use predictive analytics to anticipate peak-hour bottlenecks, optimize gate allocation, and manage slots more efficiently.

Q: What concrete advances has Grupo OMA made in its sustainability and decarbonization strategies?

A: Sustainability is a central pillar with clearly defined targets. We achieved an 88% decrease in carbon emissions per passenger compared to our 2018 peak year, far exceeding our set target of 58%. In addition, all 13 terminals hold Level 3 certification under ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation program, with efforts underway to reach Level 4. On the energy front, 87% of the group's electricity consumption comes from wind and photovoltaic sources, with future investments prioritizing solar panels and battery storage systems. Finally, in water efficiency, we have recorded a 15% reduction in water consumption through the installation of wastewater treatment plants and high-efficiency fixtures.

Q: What role do airports play in the adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)?

A: The development of SAF involves the entire value chain: airlines, producers, governments, and airports. Our responsibility is to ensure that our infrastructure is technically prepared for the supply and distribution of these fuels as soon as commercial availability and the regulatory framework mature in Mexico. In the meantime, we focus our resources on the direct decarbonization of our own operations.

Q: What measures is Grupo OMA introducing to prepare for major events that bring short-term traffic spikes, such as international sports competitions?

A: Airport infrastructure is designed around long-term metrics that account for extraordinary events. The significance of these events lies in their role as accelerators for implementing new passenger flow and service technologies. The key to absorbing extraordinary surges in demand without congesting terminals lies in close coordination between airport management, airlines, and authorities across all three levels of government.

Q: What market changes are driving the development of new routes across Grupo OMA's network?

A: The Mexican aviation market exhibits strong growth indicators. On one hand, we have a low penetration of air travel, averaging 0.5 annual trips per capita, which leaves substantial room for expansion compared to peer economies. Added to this are demographic factors, such as a growing economically active population and a rising middle class with greater purchasing power, along with a rugged topography that favors air transport over ground alternatives. Furthermore, the momentum of nearshoring drives business traffic along the northern border, while congestion in central Mexico positions Monterrey as a strategic hub for direct international connections to North America, the European Union, and Asia.

Q: What are Grupo OMA’s operational and financial priorities for the next two to three years?

A: Operationally, the primary challenge is executing the investment plan on time and within budget, integrating technology and sustainability projects without disrupting ongoing airport operations. Financially, the priority is to maintain expenditure discipline, optimize costs, manage a prudent debt level, and ensure maximum profitability on allocated capital.

Success will be defined by the timely delivery of planned infrastructure: the completion of expansions in Monterrey and Culiacan, the commissioning of new cargo warehouses, the launch of two new hotels, and the consolidation of our industrial park offerings. All of this will translate into increased passenger and cargo traffic, accompanied by continuous improvements in the overall user experience.