In the midst of crucial pending issues, SICT announces relief in AFAC

The Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) announced on Monday a surprising change in its ranks, made at the instruction of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador: the appointment of the retired Division General Pilot Aviator Diploma of Air Staff, Miguel Enrique Vallín Osuna as the new director of the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC).

Regarding the departure of retired General Carlos Antonio Rodríguez Munguía, who held said position since February 1, 2021, no details were offered.

The new director of AFAC, originally from Culiacán, has been commander of the Mexican Air Force, in air squadrons, groups and air bases, Chief of Staff in air regions and general director of Air Transport of the National Guard, among others.

In the current situation, the new official faces two great challenges: returning Mexico to category 1 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States, after the degradation of May 2021, and bring more passengers and airlines to Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA).

Regarding the first, he has already promised that the first objective of his management will be the recovery of the category that will allow Mexican airlines to increase routes and frequencies to their main market, the United States.

“The history of international civil aviation is of the utmost importance, therefore the primary objective is to recover category 1,” he explained.

The foregoing, according to agency estimates, will not occur before March 2023, since in the process of meeting the FAA’s requirements, it is expected that a new technical review will be carried out in the first fortnight of next December (Technical Review ) by American experts.

Take passengers to the AIFA

The inauguration of the new director of the AFAC was in charge of the office manager of the SICT, Jorge Nuño Lara.

AFAC also now has a leading role in regulation to bring more activity to AIFA.

Two actions are already advancing at a forced pace: the publication of the Presidential decree that determines the closure of operations in the AICM for concessionaires and permit holders in the public service modalities of regular national and international air transport of cargo or mail and non-national and international transport. regular charter, cargo or mail, as well as new routes and that the new routes or operations that are intended to be carried out to the AICM as a regular national and international operation and non-regular international charter transport are channeled to the AIFA.

For now, the SICT sent this Monday a message of unity in the sector by inviting the general directors of: Infrastructure, Héctor López Leal; from ASA, Oscar Artemio Arguello Ruiz; from the AICM, Vice Admiral Carlos Velázquez Tiscareño; from the Mexico City Airport Group, Carlos Villazón; and from Seneam, Ricardo Torres Muela.

alejandro.delarosa@eleconomista.mx