German international logistics company DHL made the first cargo flight to Felipe Ángeles International Airport (known as AIFA).
At 10:01 on Monday 27 February, the Boeing 737-400SF with registration number N311GT, converted to freighter in 2015, landed from Austin (AUS), Texas. Moments later, a ceremony led by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador was held in the presence of several government officials and airport managers.
The move came nearly a month and a half after Mexico’s National Commission for Regulatory Improvement (CONAMER) issued a decree to close Benito Juárez International Airport (known as AICM) to air cargo services and move it to the new air terminal that also serves Mexico City.
In his speech at the foot of the aircraft, López Obrador said the new airport will reach a «break-even point» by the end of this year and will be «profitable» by January 2024.
Controversy over the time required to move operations
The initial decree established in its fifth transitory article that concessionaires and permit holders providing scheduled and non-scheduled air cargo service to the public would have 90 working days to relocate their operations.
However, since then, different industry players have claimed that a longer period would be required.
In response, the authorities extended the deadline to 108 days. Airline representatives, for their part, had requested a period of between 180 and 365 days to complete the move. In this regard, the operators pointed to the need for a full analysis to be carried out to consider the implications and costs of relocating operations.
DHL’s inaugural flight set in motion the countdown to the deadline for other carriers to move their operations from AICM to AIFA or find other alternatives close to Mexico City.
The national administration claims to be aiming to decongest Benito Juárez International Airport. According to industry organisations, the move could increase operational costs, which would increase the price of shipments of goods and ultimately affect consumers.
On the other hand, supporters of the measure argue that it is a positive solution for logistics due to the lack of capacity of the customs infrastructure to handle all operations at Benito Juárez. In addition, they claim that costs would be reduced in the medium and long term.
First cargo flight from China
During the first hours of today, the first cargo flight from a Chinese airline arrived at Felipe Ángeles International Airport. It was a China Southern Cargo operation carried out by a Boeing 777F registered as B-2027, which landed from Shanghai (PVG) and Los Angeles (LAX).
The Chinese carrier relaunched operations to Mexico on 2 January, after suspending flights as a result of the pandemic. It will now operate three weekly services to AIFA. According to data provided by the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC), the company transported 637 tonnes of cargo to the country in 2019.
See also: Mexico: DHL will become the first cargo company to move to AIFA
