Cargo carried in the hold of Emirates passenger aircraft will continue to land at the AICM.
“After an in-depth analysis, we are pleased to announce that Emirates SkyCargo will move all of its cargo flights to Felipe Ángeles International Airport,” Christel Alaimo, Emirates SkyCargo’s Vice President of Cargo for the Americas, was quoted as saying in a statement.
“The new state-of-the-art terminal will better support the large-scale and specialized transfer of cargo such as perishables and pharmaceuticals, for which Emirates SkyCargo is known,” he added.
Cold chain handling facilities are three times larger at AIFA than at AICM, the airline says, “allowing for safe management” of temperature-sensitive merchandise such as pharmaceuticals and perishables such as berries, avocados, limes and mangoes, which make up a large part of Emirates SkyCargo shipments from Mexico.
Authorized bonded facilities at the facility facilitate rapid cargo transfer, allowing shipments to be transported to freighters without additional customs checks, the company added.
Emirates SkyCargo has operated cargo flights to Mexico since 2014, serving as the Middle East gateway for Mexico, which is part of a global network that spans more than 150 destinations, including nine cargo-only destinations.
In 2022, Emirates SkyCargo handled more than 28,500 tons in Mexico, importing clothing, pharmaceuticals and technological devices such as mobile phones and smart watches, while exporting fresh food and automotive parts.
Emirates is part of other companies such as DHL, Air France KLM Martinair Cargo and Estafeta, which in recent months have relocated their operations to AIFA. Although the companies had until July 7 as the limit to remove their operations from the AICM, yesterday President López Obrador proposed extending this period until September 1.