AICM cargo decree will come out until agreement with airlines: SICT

With the slogan that no decree will be published until there is an agreement with the airlines on the times for closing cargo operations at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM), the Undersecretary of Transportation, Rogelio Jiménez Pons , pointed out that there is already a preliminary agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States (FAA, for its acronym in English) to consider the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) within the route authorizations that they currently have with the International Airport of the Mexico City (AICM) in cargo operations.

Therefore, the issue does not represent a problem for national airlines, with regular or charter flights (such as Mas, formerly Mas Air, which flies to Los Angeles and Miami) that choose to go to AIFA.

In an interview, he reiterated that the migration has been sought by mutual agreement for several months and that now the only aspect that has been agreed upon is the deadline for the exclusive cargo business to come out of the AICM, although he said that the decree will not be published until that there is no agreement with the airlines. There is no obligation for them to go to AIFA, although it is an option that the federal government is promoting.

We already reached an agreement a long time ago with the FAA and we have to formalize it so that there are no problems. The two airports would be taken as the Valley of Mexico. It happened when we went to Washington as part of the process to return to category 1. It even came out of them, the matter is on the table,” said the representative of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT).

Given the relevance of the United States-Mexico cargo market (last year the AICM transported more than 60% of the 570,809 tons between the two countries), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) highlighted last Friday among its comments on the project of decree their concern in this regard, despite the fact that US airlines have no obstacle to moving terminals.

“The movement of dedicated cargo operations is not possible due to the degradation of our country to category 2. Mexican cargo airlines are not in a position to add new routes until they receive written confirmation from the FAA,” he said. the agency headed by Willie Walsh.

In the case of firms that go to Querétaro or Toluca, for example, from the US, they will have to wait for the return to category 1, which is estimated to occur between April or May, which is the estimated time for the departure of the AICM.

Regarding the period of 90 business days for airlines dedicated exclusively to cargo service to transfer their operations to other airports, Jiménez Pons explained that it corresponds to the time set by AIFA to conclude technical aspects that are missing, because the vast majority of the infrastructure is ready. At that time, it is even planned to carry out a simulation of operations proposed by IATA in work meetings.

In the document with which the AICM for cargo will be closed, it is requested to go to other airports, but it seems that it is directed to go to AIFA.

Obviously, we say that because we want the new airport to be used. There is no doubt: if they invested in this government, we want them to go there, but it is not an obligation either. If the companies want to go to Toluca, Querétaro or Puebla they will. On multiple occasions we have shown companies the benefits of going to AIFA and they are clear that it is a good option that will generate operational efficiencies.

What terrestrial connection infrastructure do you offer?

We believe it is appropriate. Now there are three roads: Mexico-Pachuca, Circuito Exterior Mexiquense and Periférico-Lechería. A new access to the terminal will be opened shortly and we are clear that the industrial area in the center of the country is in the north and that is an incentive.

alejandro.delarosa@eleconomista.mx