LIMA, PE.- Mexico needs to work on a master plan for the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) that will allow it to meet the growth expected in the coming years, as it requires a “dramatic change” and not just an aesthetic one, like the one being carried out in the framework of the 2026 World Cup.

“It has to be a national agenda. We know that the airports we have today are the ones we’ll have in the coming years. First, we need to develop a master plan for the next 25 years and start planning the budgets, choosing who will do the construction, and how it will be designed,” emphasized Peter Cerdá, regional vice president of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the Americas.

In an interview with T21, within the framework of the 19th IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS) , which is being held in Lima, Peru, he reiterated the need for the master plan, since a growth of between 4% and 8% year-on-year is expected at the AICM in passenger traffic over the next 14 or 15 years.

“We need a master plan to be developed so we know what the airport designs are and can work together. We want to implement the best practices that have been used at other airports. IATA has collaborated with the Mexican government on the construction of Tulum Airport and the verification of Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) . We have experience and want to contribute, but the airport does require a dramatic change to adapt to the growth of Mexico City,” he stated.

He mentioned that the analysis will have to determine whether a third terminal needs to be built or what changes are required in Terminal 1. He recalled that in the case of LaGuardia Airport in New York, a new terminal was built on top of the existing infrastructure, although it had no impact on passengers; “the impact was minimal.”

Cerdá considered that although the AICM remains the main entry point to Mexico, various airlines such as Air France or Iberia have expanded their connectivity to other airports such as Guadalajara, Cancun or Monterrey , “that gives the airport some breathing room, but it still remains the most important point of entry, especially in economic terms.”

Regarding the allocation of airport slots (takeoff and landing times) in the country under international standards, Cerdá expressed confidence that implementation will take place this year, given that progress is between 85% and 90% complete, although work remains on issues such as the regulatory framework. In this regard, he indicated that the goal is for implementation before the third quarter of the year.

“What we’re trying to do is accelerate that implementation. There’s no reason to wait until the end of the year, when we can already start working on certain mechanisms. There’s a regulatory framework that has the approval of the Congress of the Union to amend laws, but in a government where Congress is from the same political party, it should be relatively quick and easy. We want to move it forward because we see great opportunities for improvement, and there’s really no need to delay it any longer,” he stated.

Peter Cerdá announced that they will be meeting with the head of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) , Jesús Esteva, in the coming months to maintain a close and open relationship, with the purpose of working in an aligned manner so that the aeronautical industry can contribute to the development of the country.

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El cargo Mexico City International Airport (AICM) needs a master plan to address growth in the coming years: IATA apareció primero en T21.

The challenge in building new trolleybus lines is not electricity, but having the necessary economic resources to carry out the projects, said Martín López Delgado, general director of the Electric Transport Service (STE) of Mexico City .

He assured that the entity has the necessary conditions for this type of transport network and can grow; in addition, the infrastructure that had been out of operation for years has been reused.

“In many of the city’s corridors, we already have poles installed since the creation of the main road networks in the 1970s, and that greatly facilitates the implementation of the trolleybus system. Virtually all the main road networks are equipped to install overhead lines, which are used to power the trolleybuses. And the substations we’ve purchased are smaller than the old ones; we require less space for their installation. The electromechanical work has been greatly simplified by our experience and the availability of infrastructure that is no longer in use,” he stated.

During the webinar “The Return of the Trolleybus: A Lever for the Urban Energy Transition ,” Gustavo Jiménez, founder and CEO of E-Mobilitas , indicated that among the main challenges faced by this type of project are the costs, such as the Trolleybus itself, which ranges from $300,000 to $1.5 million per unit , infrastructure that without a prior system can cost from $1 million to $3 million per kilometer, and the energy substations, which must be located about five kilometers from the units.

He specified that the investment decreases when the necessary facilities for this transport are already available, as happened with Mexico City, which was from 150,000 to 200,000 dollars.

“The trolleybus is more economical than an electric battery bus, because the battery can be 300 kilowatts, while for the former it is 80 or up to 120 kilowatts and that will give a range of up to 80 to 100 kilometers (km); that is a key fact that greatly influences prices, which in turn influences the decision of governments,” he said.

He added that, although both reduce the carbon footprint, the environmental impact is less from the Trolleybus due to the size of its battery, and it is also friendly to the urban environment.

Martín López added that the construction of a ground-level system in terms of electromechanical infrastructure has an approximate cost of between five and six million pesos (mdp) , although it will depend on the route, where if it is straight it is cheaper, but if it has curves it becomes more expensive.

While the overpass, including civil works, electromechanical systems and adjacent systems such as electronic toll collection, represents a cost of 150 million pesos.

Furthermore, Gustavo Jiménez commented that, during an investigation, it was identified that Asia and Europe are the regions where this type of transport is most used, while in Latin America it is limited, as well as in Africa.

“This is where we see potential for the resurgence of trolleybuses, since only 5% of these systems operate in Latin America,” he stressed.

Current infrastructure

Martín López specified that the system currently has 462 modern buses , of which 310 are 12 meters long and 152 are 18 meters long, and operates on 13 routes. Among its advantages are efficiency, a range of 75 km or up to 100 km, accessibility for people with reduced mobility, an intelligent fare collection system, and other factors.

“These units have allowed us to go from 120,000 users in 2019 to more than 380,000 on a weekday in 2025. We have tripled ridership and this has improved waiting and travel times. In 2025, we will transport 131 million users on the network,” explained López.

Regarding the lines currently under construction, he detailed that the 14 Azteca Stadium Trolleybus will be fundamental for the 2026 World Cup, and added that in its first phase the origin will be at the Universidad metro station and the destination will be at the Huipulco multimodal transfer center; it will have a length of 13.2 km and 19 units of 12 meters.

Meanwhile, the Ixtapaluca line, with federal government funding, construction by the State of Mexico, and operation by the STE (State Transportation System), will have 50 trolleybuses and connect to Line 11 of the system.

Work will also begin on the Line 0 Revolución branch, which will operate along Circuito Interior, and in its first phase will run from Ciudad Universitaria to Chapultepec. He also mentioned that they are analyzing the construction of a second light rail line.

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El cargo High costs, the main challenge in new trolleybus works apareció primero en T21.

The Pacific Airport Group (GAP) announced that it will invest 13 billion pesos (mdp) this year to continue various works at its 12 airports, with the goal that, by the end of 2029, they will handle between 80 million and 85 million passengers.

Raúl Revuelta, CEO of GAP, noted that these resources are part of the 2025-2029 Master Development Plan (PMD), which includes resources of 52 billion pesos .

“We want modern infrastructure that develops connectivity, improves the passenger experience, and incorporates new technologies such as facial recognition and license plate reading for ticketless parking. The investment we announced through 2029 is very aggressive,” he emphasized.

The executive indicated that the total resources will come from GAP, other sources including stock certificates, Retirement  Fund  Administrators  (Afores), real estate  investment  trusts ( Fibras), and other options.

He noted that these investments will translate into tangible results, such as a 58% increase in the capacity of the terminals managed by GAP , 37% more inspection points, 26% more aircraft platforms and 11% more capacity on the airfield, strengthening efficiency, safety and passenger experience.

Of the total investment in the five-year period, he detailed that Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara will have 26 billion pesos, while Tijuana and Mexicali will have 11.4 billion pesos, Los Cabos and La Paz will have 8 billion pesos, and the other airports will have historic investments.

In the case of the Guadalajara airport, he mentioned that around the World Cup, they estimate receiving up to half a million additional passengers during the sporting event .

Raúl Revuelta indicated that they have been working for 10 years with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and federal authorities to guarantee the safety of travelers through the implementation of various protocols.

“We have been working with them for quite some time on all the logistics to make it as user-friendly and as operational as possible,” he stated during a meeting with the media.

Similarly, he explained that there will be four new cargo positions , “it is very important for the development of an economy that the airport can receive import and export goods, and that it is part of competitiveness.”

He also mentioned that the Tijuana airport will have a Category 2 Instrument Landing System (ILS) by next June, allowing aircraft to land safely in low visibility conditions.

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El cargo GAP announces investment for 2026; seeks to modernize its airports apareció primero en T21.

With this operation, the airline will reach seven direct routes from the United States to Vallarta , including Denver, Houston, Orange County, Sacramento, Austin and Phoenix, in addition to the San Diego–Puerto Vallarta connection that will begin on March 5, 2026.

According to Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) , the airport operator, Puerto Vallarta becomes a strategic option for travelers who wish to combine games in nearby venues such as Los Angeles and Guadalajara with a few days of rest.

It’s worth noting that this infrastructure is undergoing its largest expansion in history, with an investment exceeding 9.2 billion pesos for the construction of the new terminal building . This space will have more than 74,000 square meters (m²), 15 additional contact positions, and LEED Gold certification, an international standard for sustainability and energy efficiency.

As of the end of October 2025, the Puerto Vallarta airport handled 5.6 million national and international passengers, “consolidating itself as a key axis for the tourism development of the region and as the most efficient gateway to the Puerto Vallarta–Riviera Nayarit corridor.”

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El cargo Southwest Airlines will connect Las Vegas with Puerto Vallarta in 2026 apareció primero en T21.