The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transportation signed an MOU in which IATA will provide technical and operational assistance for the design and construction of Mexico City’s new airport. The agreement also encompasses IATA offering technical and professional advice for the current Mexico City airport to ensure it continues to operate efficiently until the new facility is completed around 2020.
Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO, said: “The MOU further strengthens the already strong ties between IATA and air transport in Mexico. We are proud of a partnership that will help make sure the future Mexico City airport meets the needs of the growing flying public and is a facility that is comfortable, efficient, and cost-effective both for air travelers and airlines.”
Gilberto López Meyer, director general of Mexico’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation, said: “The MOU will allow the Mexican government to understand and adopt global best practices in the design of large-scale hub airports, just what we are looking to achieve with the new Mexico City airport. Additionally, IATA’s experience analyzing the management of slots will improve the process and align it with global best practices and be very helpful ahead of the increased air traffic in the country.”
The MOU was co-signed by General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) of Mexico, the Mexico City Airport Group (GACM—representing the future airport) and the Mexico City International Airport (AICM—representing the existing airport), on the sidelines of the 71st IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit, which is taking place in Miami, 7-9 June 2015.
The MOU has a provision for the study of the slot management at the existing Mexico City International Airport. Mexico City’s current airport is saturated. Effective slot management helps to maximise capacity so that the greatest economic and social benefits can be derived from the airport’s limited capabilities. Under this MOU, IATA will continue its work with local authorities to ensure slots at Mexico City International Airport are optimised and global best practices are implemented in accordance with the IATA World Slot Guidelines.
