Mexican cargo operations set to move

Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador has confirmed the government has struck an agreement with some airlines to shift cargo operations from Benito Juarez International Airport (Mexico City International Airport) to Felipe Angeles International Airport (AFIA)

On the president’s official website, a press release on February 1 stated that Obrador has reported that flights at AIFA will increase due to the voluntary transfer of airlines.

As a result of this, saturation at Benito Juarez will decrease, said the release.

In a press conference, he indicated that AIFA, which opened in March 2022, is ready to receive cargo flights.

Obrador said cargo operations will be transferred to the new airport in around four months.

DHL will be the first company to move its cargo flights to AFIA, said Obrador. This is due to happen this month.

““The third week of February the first plane will arrive and the managers will come. I will also be there as a recognition of the confidence in the country, in the Ministry of Defense and in the government of the Republic,” Obrador said.

Last month, IATA criticised the government’s plan to ban cargo-only flights from Mexico City’s primary airport, saying airlines should not be expected to move cargo operations at short notice.

This followed local Mexican media reports, which revealed the government’s intention to close Benito Juarez International airport to operators that ”provide national and international scheduled and non-scheduled air transportation services to the public, exclusively for cargo”.