The International Air Transport Association (IATA) assured that it will seek to work with the federal government, with the aim of orderly transferring cargo flights from the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) to other facilities.
“IATA is working collaboratively with the authorities through the Infrastructure, Communications and Transport Secretariat (SICT) to develop a joint work plan to guarantee a feasible transition process,” the agency said in a statement.
Yesterday, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador prohibited cargo flights at the AICM due to a saturation of operations, as well as to avoid wear and tear in terminals 1 and 2 of said airport.
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In a decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), it was detailed that the concessionaires and permit holders that provide cargo services will have a maximum period of 108 business days to relocate their operations outside said airport.
To date, 13 air transport companies operate at the AICM, including Aerounión, Cargolux, MAS Air, Estafeta, Lufthansa Cargo, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airways, UPS, CAL Cargo and Emirates SkyCargo.
“Although not specifically indicated in the decree, the new Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) is the most obvious alternative location for dedicated cargo operations that serve the Mexico City Metropolitan Region,” IATA detailed in its statement. .
IATA, which represents some 300 airlines constituting 83 percent of global air traffic, added that it took part in an inspection visit to AIFA’s cargo facilities last week.
This visit revealed that, although the necessary infrastructure is in place, the equipment required to handle import and export cargo is still in the process of being installed and tested, the agency detailed.
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“The industry wishes to reiterate the importance of air cargo for the Mexican economy and that the mutual interest of both the government and aviation and all its related sectors is necessary to ensure that supply chains remain uninterrupted during this transition phase.” , he concluded.
