Metropolitan Airport System Advances

The Metropolitan Airport System (SAM), conformed by Mexico City’s International Airport (AICM), Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) and Toluca International Airport (AIT), slowly progresses toward decongesting air traffic in the metropolitan area of Mexico City. AIFA aims to reach 100 daily operations.

AICM, AIFA and AIT make up a network of airports that operate simultaneously aiming to meet the air traffic demand in the metropolitan area of Mexico City. However, most air traffic is concentrated in AICM, which was suffering from oversaturation before the COVID-19 pandemic. While air traffic at AICM remains below pre-pandemic levels, it is now bouncing back. Between January and September 2022, AICM had moved 33.7 million passengers, an 87.7 percent increase when compared with the same period in 2021.

While AIT restarted commercial flight operations in July 2022, by August it had mobilized only 55,000 passengers. AIT operates flights to seven destinations in Mexico: Tijuana, Los Cabos, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, Oaxaca, Merida and Cancun, offered by Volaris and Viva Aerobus.

On the other hand, AIFA continues struggling to attract air traffic. From its inauguration in March 2022 until Oct. 19, 2022, it operated over 4,641 flights, mobilizing over 415,000 passengers, reported A21.

“We are implementing new strategies that will allow us to increase our number of daily activities. We have forecasted an increase from 12 to 64 daily flights by September. This means going from 1,200 to 6,500 daily passengers at AIFA. On July 15, air operations grew with the addition of a flight to Cancun by Viva Aerobus. If we continue this trend, we will reach 100 daily operations by the end of next year,” said to MBN General Isidoro Pastor, Director, AIFA.

Currently, four Mexican carriers operate at AIFA: Aeroméxico, Viva Aerobus, Volaris and Magnicharters, in addition to three international carriers: Copa Airlines (Panama), AraJet (Dominican Republic) and Conviasa (Venezuela). Aeroméxico flies 105 weekly operations, making up 51 percent of the total activity at AIFA. Viva Aerobus, with 28 operations and Volaris with 66, make up 14 percent and 32 percent of AIFA’s operations, respectively. There are between 56 and 66 daily flights at AIFA and by December this figure could reach 100 flights if airlines move some flights, said Pastor.

“As far as the airlines are concerned, there has been no issue of nonconformity or adaptation. It is a space that makes them happy and allows them to develop operations for passengers and baggage documentation. If there is one thing passengers are satisfied with, it is security and waiting times,” said Pastor.