Mexico is just four months away from inaugurating a new international airport for Mexico City. This new hub, called Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA, or IATA code NLU), will operate simultaneously to the current Mexico City International Airport (MEX) and Toluca International Airport (TLC). Nonetheless, there are many doubts regarding its possible success. Let’s see the pros and cons of NLU.
The pros
Despite the controversy around NLU, the current Mexican government has been able to build a new airport in just three years. The new airport is set to open its doors for commercial service on March 21, 2022. In the last few months, several members of the airline industry have been visiting the construction zone.
Both the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Airport Council International (ACI) have praised NLU from an infrastructure point of view.
Additionally, Volaris and Viva Aerobus believe there’s a growing market in the surroundings. Up to five million people live close to the airport, and there are a few cities nearby that could benefit from the new hub. Low-cost carriers could launch point-to-point routes from NLU.
Volaris has announced two new routes from NLU. It will connect with Tijuana and Cancun on a daily basis. Likewise, Viva Aerobus has announced two routes to Guadalajara and Monterrey. The Venezuelan carrier Conviasa has also shown interest in the new airport. Finally, cargo carriers might have an interest in the hub also, although no formal announcement has been made.
Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.
The cons
While IATA has praised Mexico’s new airport, it has also signaled a few issues.
NLU lacks an effective way of connecting with Mexico City. Getting to the airport from downtown can be time-consuming and expensive. The government is working towards fixing this issue by building new roads and a subway system, although it may take a while.
The airspace management of NLU, MEX, and TLC also remains a possible issue.
During a press conference, Peter Cerdá, regional vice president of IATA at the Americas, urged the Mexican government to correctly implement the airspace management designed for the simultaneous operation of the three airports.
Mexico’s current Category 2 status with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also an issue. The Mexican airlines can’t launch new routes into the US while Mexico doesn’t regain Category 1. Therefore, NLU could remain a domestic hub in the foreseeable future.
Finally, while there are four routes confirmed from NLU, there’s a lack of interest from other carriers in the new airport. Aeromexico has stated that it won’t launch flights from NLU in the near term. International carriers (other than Conviasa) will remain in MEX because of the extended benefits.
Additionally, four routes is hardly a triumph for a new airport set to have up to 18 million passengers per year during its first phase. We will have to watch closely the development of NLU in its first months.
The bottom-line
Mexico City’s new airport will have a very challenging few months. Nonetheless, it seems it will stay as the alternative to MEX.
The government is currently pushing a campaign to turn the grounds of the unfinished Texcoco Airport into a national park. If it succeeds, it would be highly complex in the future to restart the construction of the scrapped airport.
There are many questions lingering around regarding NLU. Only time will tell if NLU becomes a successful airport or is a commercial white elephant (like Toluca).
Would you be interested in flying from Felipe Ángeles International Airport? Which of the announced routes would you like to try? Let us know in the comments below?
