But, unlike the first flight cut, the one published yesterday was not well received by the air sector. National and international associations as well as Mexican airlines did not take long to speak out against the decree, initially questioning the methodology that led to the new limit of 43 flights per hour and that airlines were not included in the determination.
The effects of the reduction seem innumerable, according to the airlines: a loss of competitiveness of the AICM as a hub regional and revenue for the airport, a potential increase in ticket prices in the face of an overdemand and lower supply of flights, in addition to the fact that, due to a drop in the operation, there is a risk of reducing jobs on the air and ground side.
So far, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Latin American Air Transport Association (ALTA), the National Chamber of Air Transport (Canaero), as well as the Mexican Pilots Association and the airlines Aeroméxico and Volaris, have positioned against measure.
“This government decision does not take into account the interests of consumers nor does it respect the necessary consultative procedure with operators and users, especially at the country’s main airport. These measures must be taken with the greatest technical and operational rigor, based on expert studies and analysis,” warned Peter Cerdá, IATA’s regional vice president for the Americas, quoted in a statement.
one change after another
The cuts in operations have not been the first big change in the sector in the last year. In December 2022, President López Obrador sent a proposal to modify the laws of Civil Aviation and Airports; while a part of the adjustments was intended to facilitate the recovery of the Category 1 –as in aviation medicine and other powers for the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC)–, another part wanted airport operators to have their own airline and allow air cabotage to foreign companies, with which airlines from other countries could operate domestic routes.
A few weeks after sending the package of changes to aviation laws, on January 17 President López Obrador also sent a draft decree to close cargo operations at the AICM.
After several months of warnings from the sector and discussions that accelerated at the last minute in Congress, cabotage lost, but other changes had the green light, including the closure to air cargo – published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on February 2 , despite the opposition of the cargo companies – and the permissibility of the airports to have their own airline, with which the federal government prepared the ground for the new State airline, which will end up operating under the name of Mexicana de Aviación from the Airport Felipe Ángeles International (AIFA) and Tulum Airport.
For Jonathan Félix, an analyst at Verum Calificadora de Valores, at this moment the biggest challenge for airlines is operational, since they have a little less than two months to adjust their routes, itinerary and equipment to a smaller number of flights, which will lead to several cancellations. and monetary losses.
“The flights have connections; the last flight depends on the previous one, so the biggest challenge is operational”, explains the specialist. “It is this challenge together with the financial implications that this entails.”
Specialists and industry agree that the passenger will not be spared from this adjustment. In addition to users who will have to fight for a refund, a smaller number of slots available will return to the most selective airlines with the routes they operate, a process in which they will prioritize the most profitable operations, such as international ones. This could translate into a loss of national and regional routes.
“Airlines always go to the most profitable routes. Wherever there is demand, they will be there”, emphasizes Félix.