With AMLO's term as Mexico's President coming to an end next year, would there be any chance of reviving the abandoned airport project? Or is all of the construction that was done too damaged to rehabilitate?

Airport project is officially off, and they upgraded the Santa Lucía Air Base to now be the new domestic and ULCC primary airport to relieve pressure on MEX:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felipe_%C ... al_Airport

I know it is officially off. However, could a new government revive it. Santa Lucia is too far from the city to ever be successful. I would never fly into the place when I go to Mexico City.

victrola wrote:

With AMLO's term as Mexico's President coming to an end next year, would there be any chance of reviving the abandoned airport project? Or is all of the construction that was done too damaged to rehabilitate?

The question is not "if", but "when"... Of course Mexico City is still requiring a new world-class airport, and the only answer to it is to build it on the NAIM site. It doesn't matter if the former construction site is damaged, and it doesn't matter how much new investment is necessary to make it work... The must important thing is that it's the only answer for a massive and effective solution, which finally will make possible to get rid of the old Mexico City International Airport (and logically, the white elephant built in Santa Lucía).

ghost77 wrote:

victrola wrote:

With AMLO's term as Mexico's President coming to an end next year, would there be any chance of reviving the abandoned airport project? Or is all of the construction that was done too damaged to rehabilitate?

The question is not "if", but "when"... Of course Mexico City is still requiring a new world-class airport, and the only answer to it is to build it on the NAIM site. It doesn't matter if the former construction site is damaged, and it doesn't matter how much new investment is necessary to make it work... The must important thing is that it's the only answer for a massive and effective solution, which finally will make possible to get rid of the old Mexico City International Airport (and logically, the white elephant built in Santa Lucía).

Exactly! The 'when' is the day immediately following the inaugaration of the next president. Exchange rate is 17.6 to 1 today (In practice, as a consumer, I receive about 16.75 pesos for each 1 usd brought in). The peso is seeing remarkable resilience even as the US economy struggles with inflation and high interest rates. (the expression 'when the usd develops a sniffle, the mxn catches a cold' is not proving accurate right now). If AMLO exists quietly and we don't seen any additional worldwide crises in the short term, then the money and determination will be there to restart this project soon. Propping up an airline and pumping more money into an airforce base than necessary will end to refocus the spending.

Regarding the ecological preserve. There is plenty of space to still do something very meaningful for the citizens, the flora, and the fauna.

Any update on when the train to AIFA will start running? Also, would the NAIM be convenient for connectivity to CDMX were it resurrected?

I thought the 787 was already sold. And there is no doubt NAIM needs to proceed

https://twitter.com/Navegaciones/status ... 28065?s=20

If you click on the Twitter link above, you will see a recent aerial photo of the site of the former Texcoco Airport site that shows the entire terminal foundations and part of one runway and its taxiways are already under water. Nature is taking this site back rapidly.

FLALEFTY wrote:

https://twitter.com/Navegaciones/status/1449836256247128065?s=20

If you click on the Twitter link above, you will see a recent aerial photo of the site of the former Texcoco Airport site that shows the entire terminal foundations and part of one runway and its taxiways are already under water. Nature is taking this site back rapidly.

Water is being artifically introduced there... With a population of 25million in people in the greater Mexico City area, the water table is no longer that high... Turn off the tap.. It will dry out...

FiscAutTecGarte wrote:

FLALEFTY wrote:

https://twitter.com/Navegaciones/status/1449836256247128065?s=20

If you click on the Twitter link above, you will see a recent aerial photo of the site of the former Texcoco Airport site that shows the entire terminal foundations and part of one runway and its taxiways are already under water. Nature is taking this site back rapidly.

Water is being artifically introduced there... With a population of 25million in people in the greater Mexico City area, the water table is no longer that high... Turn off the tap.. It will dry out...

If you saw the whole thing its propaganda for the current president’s supporters. Everyone with common sense in the universe could see that the New Mexico City airport there would have made MEX a global city and a global hub. Now we are 20 years behind. BOG, PTY and VCP couldn’t be more grateful for this.

I have said it many many times, once NLU has been built and is in operation and NAICM (Texcoco Lake) airport is underwater, the only solution for Mexico City airport problem is to upgrade NLU, TLC, QRO and PBC to its maximun planned capacity AND CLOSE MEX for commercial fliights.

CMA727 wrote:

I have said it many many times, once NLU has been built and is in operation and NAICM (Texcoco Lake) airport is underwater, the only solution for Mexico City airport problem is to upgrade NLU, TLC, QRO and PBC to its maximun planned capacity AND CLOSE MEX for commercial fliights.

Once MEX is out of the picture, even Cuernavaca airport (CVQ) can have a chance to revive, for Cuernavaca traffic will not be willing to travel all the way to either TLC, PBC or NLU to board a plane when they can board it at their local airport.

FiscAutTecGarte wrote:

ghost77 wrote:

victrola wrote:

With AMLO's term as Mexico's President coming to an end next year, would there be any chance of reviving the abandoned airport project? Or is all of the construction that was done too damaged to rehabilitate?

The question is not "if", but "when"... Of course Mexico City is still requiring a new world-class airport, and the only answer to it is to build it on the NAIM site. It doesn't matter if the former construction site is damaged, and it doesn't matter how much new investment is necessary to make it work... The must important thing is that it's the only answer for a massive and effective solution, which finally will make possible to get rid of the old Mexico City International Airport (and logically, the white elephant built in Santa Lucía).

Exactly! The 'when' is the day immediately following the inaugaration of the next president. Exchange rate is 17.6 to 1 today (In practice, as a consumer, I receive about 16.75 pesos for each 1 usd brought in). The peso is seeing remarkable resilience even as the US economy struggles with inflation and high interest rates. (the expression 'when the usd develops a sniffle, the mxn catches a cold' is not proving accurate right now). If AMLO exists quietly and we don't seen any additional worldwide crises in the short term, then the money and determination will be there to restart this project soon. Propping up an airline and pumping more money into an airforce base than necessary will end to refocus the spending.

Regarding the ecological preserve. There is plenty of space to still do something very meaningful for the citizens, the flora, and the fauna.

I dunno, it appears Mexico's rate of inflation is still higher than in the US, and Mexico's interest rates are much higher than the Fed's rates (thus the strong peso) :
https://www.rateinflation.com/inflation ... tion-rate/
https://www.reuters.com/markets/bank-me ... 023-05-15/

For those that think turning existing Santa Lucía Air Base into an international airport is a fiasco, let me tell you the Texocco project was far worse.

From all types of questionable contract awards to serious questions about the suitability of the soil and land to structurally support the planned shoddy design, the entire project was a massive political boondoggle that would enrich a select few well connected contractors.

For better or worse the current government was able to quickly deliver NLU at a fraction of what Texocco would eventually have cost with near certain required rework.

Texocco was simply the wrong project. It was a brave move to stop it.

FiscAutTecGarte wrote:

BTW, the presidential 787 is back up for sale again, no longer planned to be the back bone of the military run Mexicana de Aviación, civilian airline. Rules were re-written (passed in April 2023) and this airline may be in operation by the end of the year. However, it will be a disaster and will shut down quickly. As AMLOs term comes to an end, he'll focus on gathering wealth and loose interest in his pet projects.

Already in Tajik hands

https://latinus.us/2023/05/16/president ... al-mexico/

LAXintl wrote:

For those that think turning existing Santa Lucía Air Base into an international airport is a fiasco, let me tell you the Texocco project was far worse.

From all types of questionable contract awards to serious questions about the suitability of the soil and land to structurally support the planned shoddy design, the entire project was a massive political boondoggle that would enrich a select few well connected contractors.

For better or worse the current government was able to quickly deliver NLU at a fraction of what Texocco would eventually have cost with near certain required rework.

Texocco was simply the wrong project. It was a brave move to stop it.

Yet the abandonment and construction of NLU was significantly higher than the cost of Texcoco Airport. Mexico City ended up with an airport that doesn’t have enough capacity, wasn’t planned properly, and is an hour and a half away from city center. NLU was a significantly larger political stunt than Texcoco ever was. Just cancelling Texcoco costed them $9 Billion, that’s not including the $4 Billion already built on the land. Aside from that, they spent and additional $4 Billion on upgrading Santa Lucía to make NLU. There are even estimates from Mexico’s own government stating that the cancelation fees are greater, but received criticism from AMLO. In the end, the government spent billions more for a political stunt. To finish my rant off, all of Mexico City is sinking, so no matter where you pick the location, it would be sinking regardless. It’s not a good defense when the whole city is sinking almost 2 feet a year.

AngelsDecay wrote:

FiscAutTecGarte wrote:

BTW, the presidential 787 is back up for sale again, no longer planned to be the back bone of the military run Mexicana de Aviación, civilian airline. Rules were re-written (passed in April 2023) and this airline may be in operation by the end of the year. However, it will be a disaster and will shut down quickly. As AMLOs term comes to an end, he'll focus on gathering wealth and loose interest in his pet projects.

Already in Tajik hands

https://latinus.us/2023/05/16/president ... al-mexico/

You are totally wrong, Texcoco was going to be a far better Airport, if they could make an island to build the Hong Kong Airport, the NAICIM was a piece of cake, and yes, it was the Corrupt Socialist Dictator President of Mexico who order for the Texcoco site to get flooded. AMLO is the WORST and most IDIOTIC President in the history of Mexico.

LAXintl wrote:

For those that think turning existing Santa Lucía Air Base into an international airport is a fiasco, let me tell you the Texocco project was far worse.

From all types of questionable contract awards to serious questions about the suitability of the soil and land to structurally support the planned shoddy design, the entire project was a massive political boondoggle that would enrich a select few well connected contractors.

For better or worse the current government was able to quickly deliver NLU at a fraction of what Texocco would eventually have cost with near certain required rework.

Texocco was simply the wrong project. It was a brave move to stop it.

Citation needed, unless “Let me tell you” counts as a source.

santi319 wrote:

FiscAutTecGarte wrote:

FLALEFTY wrote:

https://twitter.com/Navegaciones/status/1449836256247128065?s=20

If you click on the Twitter link above, you will see a recent aerial photo of the site of the former Texcoco Airport site that shows the entire terminal foundations and part of one runway and its taxiways are already under water. Nature is taking this site back rapidly.

Water is being artifically introduced there... With a population of 25million in people in the greater Mexico City area, the water table is no longer that high... Turn off the tap.. It will dry out...

If you saw the whole thing its propaganda for the current president’s supporters. Everyone with common sense in the universe could see that the New Mexico City airport there would have made MEX a global city and a global hub. Now we are 20 years behind. BOG, PTY and VCP couldn’t be more grateful for this.

I've read some things on this forum, but Mexico City isn't a global city? Wow. The 5th largest city in the world? (Or 6th/10th) depending on your definition.) The financial and business captial of the Latin world? It's the world's 12th largest city economy on purchasing power parity, bigger than Singapore, or anywhere in the USA by the way.

Yeh the current airport isn't a pleasant experience. But people on this forum really overestimate the difference this kind of thing makes. A new airport would make marginal difference to Mexico City's economy. It is already far too important a place for anyone not to be going there because of the airport. Are any business people in the US doing business somewhere else because of the airport? No. Mexico city doesn't have a meaningful competitor. If you want to do business in Latin America, you go to Mexico City. Are tourists avoiding it because of the airport? No. It is the best internationally connected city in Latin America, look how many flights from Europe a day
https://www.statista.com/statistics/118 ... n-america/

I'm not sure where you expect it to be a global hub to? Other than Europe to S America it isn't well located to connect continents, and even then it's a long detour from deep S America. It actually already does better than you might expect as a hub because of the Visa issue for many connecting through the USA. Copa aren't getting you to Europe, Avianca have enough of their own problems, and Bogota is not anywhere close to a competitor to Mexico City.

Connecting a few more people from Peru to the USA is not going to grow Mexico's economy. But this kind of thing is always touted by the airline industry, see also Heathrow's 3rd runway. People who want/need to get to a city are going there. Transfer passengers have been shown to be of limited economic value, and frankly possibly a negative for the city they connect through given the additional noise etc.
Dubai is an exception as it has basically built a city that people previously had no reason to visit out of connecting continents, but Mexico City is in no way comparable. It is already attractive enough as a tourist destination in its own right.

Yes Santa Lucia is a joke. But Texcoco was so riddled in corruption it deserved to be shut down just to stop the thievery from the Mexican people. Unfortunately it was so far along it was too late to stop most of the thieving.

Mexico City has it's problems, but the airport is really not a meaningful in the big scheme of things. Indeed, a lot of travellers like it because it's so close to the city centre. I lived there for 3 years and it may be the only major city in the world you can get from airport to city centre in an u er in 25 minutes, and for less than 10 dollars. I used to love arriving there knowing how soon I'd be home compared to the journey at most cities. Just don't plan a journey to/from the airport in Friday rush hour haha. But what city doesn't that apply to? The metro will also get you there very quickly if travelling without luggage for 5 pesos (25 cents.), which I always did when travelling domestically.

It's be one a political football though so the President's supporters will obviously exaggerate the role Santa Lucia can play, his opponents will exaggerate the importance of Texcoco. In the end, his presidency has been a disappointment, but not for the reasons predicted by his enemies. He hasn't created a Venezuela or economic disaster and has proven how ridiculous the rhetoric of the right was about what the left would do in Mexico . In the end he has been too conservative and not reformed a lot of things that needed reforming in Mexico, and let down his biggest support base - the poor - rather than doing anything to upset business.

DLvsWN wrote:

LAXintl wrote:

Citation needed, unless “Let me tell you” counts as a source.

One of clients is a multinational design, engineering, architecture, and consulting firm which was involved with the airport project. Many of their concerns and recommendations were ignored and they eventually withdrew.

Back in the day I was in touch with the teams in Mexico and even posted here some of these concerns as the project unfolded. Feel free to search the archives.

Ultimately Mexico has what it has. Right now it has a functioning second airport which will help alleviate pressure at MEX and thank god was delivered quite quickly and relatively affordably.

I think as avgeeks we would all love to see Texcoco built even if only to see MEX closed for good. We’ll see what the next presidency will bring but we can all hope that it will be in the interest of as many people as possible.

They’d better do all the necessary work/checks if they decide to continue on Texcoco though. Don’t be like BKK which is sinking because necessary foundation work wasn’t done, or have a collapse because of corroded rebar or soaked concrete, or an infinite number of other problems.

A city like Mexico deserves good infrustructure and can definitely support two airports. Hopefully the land over at MEX can be repurposed for the masses too (I know, wishful thinking).

If MEX is not to be replaced, why not just make it nicer. For example, SFO was literally a DUMP 15 years ago. But one by one, the terminals and gates have been/are being drastically renovated making it among the nicest airports in the US. MEX could do the same. True, MEX traffic is limited by 2 runways that are too close to each other. So is SFO. So let a new and beautiful MEX be the main airport for international flights and important regional flights, and let the rest of the domestic flights go to other airports. Again, like SFO where OAK and SJC take the pressure off SFO. No need to have just one mega airport (though it would have been nice). Better transportion to Santa Lucía and other outlying airports would complete the picture. This seems like it may be the best solution at this point.

AngelsDecay wrote:

Already in Tajik hands
https://latinus.us/2023/05/16/president ... al-mexico/

Well that happened very quickly; missed the sale completely. That airplane sat for sale for 4 1/2 years, then was declared the back bone of the new Mexicana de Aviación, then gone in a few months. Sold 20th of April; less than a month ago and already 'repainted' and pressed into service. A PAN president ordered it for $219mil usd, a PRI president received and briefly used it, a Moreno president sold it for $92mil usd... Victory for the Mexican people?

NLU takes approximately as long to get to as TLC does. That's pointless. Texcoco is really the only space that offers a solution allowing for MEX to be moved to a reasonable location.

All airports offer engineering and architectural challenges in this era, given how built up big cities are. DEN is not an option in most big cities.

ricq wrote:

If MEX is not to be replaced, why not just make it nicer. For example, SFO was literally a DUMP 15 years ago. But one by one, the terminals and gates have been/are being drastically renovated making it among the nicest airports in the US. MEX could do the same. True, MEX traffic is limited by 2 runways that are too close to each other. So is SFO. So let a new and beautiful MEX be the main airport for international flights and important regional flights, and let the rest of the domestic flights go to other airports. Again, like SFO where OAK and SJC take the pressure off SFO. No need to have just one mega airport (though it would have been nice). Better transportion to Santa Lucía and other outlying airports would complete the picture. This seems like it may be the best solution at this point.

This would arguably be a disservice to the millions of Mexicans needing more competition in their city. Building an airport with far more capacity would be superior to what MEX has now and would give new entrants more opportunities to expand and lower fares. As the city grows, there will be continuing demand for more air service, and they need to plan for the future.

I think NLU will continue to serve the population that lives a few miles from it. The destinations with enough demand from there are the usual suspects : TIJ, GDL, MTY, MID and some popular beach destinations: CUN, ACA, PVR, SJD. All of them currently served from NLU, as well as some rather odd flights from CCS and SDQ. Not sure what the market is for those. Perhaps when the railroad line from downtown (Buenavista) opens, there will be some increase in demand. I also think that whatever technical challenge Texcoco posed, it could have been overcome. It's the same lakebed that MEX is built on.

Texcoco was the better option, I think.

Texcoco was not perfect, the tenders for the airport were riddled with corruption. There is not doubt about that. By the same token, we can rest assured that anything that happened out at Santa Lucia went to AMLO cronies for 'expediency sake'. You can't escape that kind of graft with big projects. Unfortunately, it's just ever present. However, if you've ever been to DF and had to drive around it, you really appreciate how accessible Texcoco was going to be. It's the direction the city is growing in as well. It really was and is the best option.

I've only flown thru MEX twice via AM/DL enroute to other places, but I like it as an international visitor. It's just amazing to me that when the country committed to a project like Texcoco, it could just be treated as a political whim and discarded, just because of an election. I would expect a more consistent vision for something as important to the city and beyond as that.

GSPSPOT wrote:

I've only flown thru MEX twice via AM/DL enroute to other places, but I like it as an international visitor. It's just amazing to me that when the country committed to a project like Texcoco, it could just be treated as a political whim and discarded, just because of an election. I would expect a more consistent vision for something as important to the city and beyond as that.

Yes.....kinda like the multi-billion dollar border WALL. One President leaves, and another is elected . . . and construction is halted the next day. Amazing. Not that I was in favor of a WALL. Just pointing out that this can happen anywhere. Politics.

CMA727 wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

I have said it many many times, once NLU has been built and is in operation and NAICM (Texcoco Lake) airport is underwater, the only solution for Mexico City airport problem is to upgrade NLU, TLC, QRO and PBC to its maximun planned capacity AND CLOSE MEX for commercial fliights.

Once MEX is out of the picture, even Cuernavaca airport (CVQ) can have a chance to revive, for Cuernavaca traffic will not be willing to travel all the way to either TLC, PBC or NLU to board a plane when they can board it at their local airport.

MEX isn't going anywhere any time soon when it comes to commercial traffic. End of story.

LAXintl wrote:

DLvsWN wrote:

LAXintl wrote:

Citation needed, unless “Let me tell you” counts as a source.

One of clients is a multinational design, engineering, architecture, and consulting firm which was involved with the airport project. Many of their concerns and recommendations were ignored and they eventually withdrew.

Back in the day I was in touch with the teams in Mexico and even posted here some of these concerns as the project unfolded. Feel free to search the archives.

I need a lot more than unspecified concerns from a multilnational services firm to get on board with it being a good idea to spend ~$15bn to basically preserve a status quo that everyone hates (well, everyone who isn't trying to bolster the military and become a mini-strongman). Whether Texcoco was being procured and designed perfectly cannot be considered in a vacuum. You also must considering the extreme limitations and deficiencies inherent to the existing MEX, which will remain the dominant airport for the Mexico City area for the foreseeable future.

Judge1310 wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

I have said it many many times, once NLU has been built and is in operation and NAICM (Texcoco Lake) airport is underwater, the only solution for Mexico City airport problem is to upgrade NLU, TLC, QRO and PBC to its maximun planned capacity AND CLOSE MEX for commercial fliights.

Once MEX is out of the picture, even Cuernavaca airport (CVQ) can have a chance to revive, for Cuernavaca traffic will not be willing to travel all the way to either TLC, PBC or NLU to board a plane when they can board it at their local airport.

MEX isn't going anywhere any time soon when it comes to commercial traffic. End of story.

On the contrary, more and more voices everyday share my view! MEX is a lost case. NLU is a great airport that needs to be used. Texcoco is history. An inteligent new president will realize that the best that can happen to Mexico once Texcoco is not an option due to its cost, is to use NLU and that will only happen the moment MEX is out the pricture. I bet my two cents on this.

CMA727 wrote:

Judge1310 wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

Once MEX is out of the picture, even Cuernavaca airport (CVQ) can have a chance to revive, for Cuernavaca traffic will not be willing to travel all the way to either TLC, PBC or NLU to board a plane when they can board it at their local airport.

MEX isn't going anywhere any time soon when it comes to commercial traffic. End of story.

On the contrary, more and more voices everyday share my view! MEX is a lost case. NLU is a great airport that needs to be used. Texcoco is history. An inteligent new president will realize that the best that can happen to Mexico once Texcoco is not an option due to its cost, is to use NLU and that will only happen the moment MEX is out the pricture. I bet my two cents on this.

NLU is way too far out of town to be a viable option. Do you have any idea how bad traffic is getting into Mexico City? I'm sure that these voices that share your view have never had to deal with the realities of traffic in Mexico City. What is so great about this airport out in the middle of nowhere?

CMA727 wrote:

Judge1310 wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

Once MEX is out of the picture, even Cuernavaca airport (CVQ) can have a chance to revive, for Cuernavaca traffic will not be willing to travel all the way to either TLC, PBC or NLU to board a plane when they can board it at their local airport.

MEX isn't going anywhere any time soon when it comes to commercial traffic. End of story.

On the contrary, more and more voices everyday share my view! MEX is a lost case. NLU is a great airport that needs to be used. Texcoco is history. An inteligent new president will realize that the best that can happen to Mexico once Texcoco is not an option due to its cost, is to use NLU and that will only happen the moment MEX is out the pricture. I bet my two cents on this.

NLU have too many problems to address, the two biggest are: a) Only 2 simultaneous runways and b) connectivity issues.. And no, the Buenavista train won't solve anything. 45 min to 1 hour that drops you in a chaotic part of the city won't help.

At the end of the day MEX/NLU will share the fate of AEP/EZE, SDU/GIG, CGH/GRU... so Mexico City will have a dysfunctional solution.

Who will pay? Everyone but the politicians: Travelers, airlines, taxpayers, businesses

A complete waste of resources, opportunities and loss of competitive edge.

LAXintl wrote:

DLvsWN wrote:

LAXintl wrote:

Citation needed, unless “Let me tell you” counts as a source.

One of clients is a multinational design, engineering, architecture, and consulting firm which was involved with the airport project. Many of their concerns and recommendations were ignored and they eventually withdrew.

Back in the day I was in touch with the teams in Mexico and even posted here some of these concerns as the project unfolded. Feel free to search the archives.

(But Texcoco was so riddled in corruption it deserved to be shut down) Are you sure ????? because to this day not a single fact has been proven by any entity, not even by the Corrupt Amlo president who shot it down, and not a single individual is behind bars. On the other hand it has been fully proven that a hundred ghost companies/contractors were invented for the construction of Santa Lucia, one hundred false contracts with the Army who built San Lucia, that is corruption at its most cynical level. The real reason because President AMLO shot down Texcoco is because he (himself) wasn't going to make any profit out of it, and also because it was a project planed since the Calderon administration who to this day AMLO still he has a feud with. But now with Santa Lucia he is making high profit with its construction through those hundred ghost contractors. WHAT A SHAME millions and millions of dollars waisted because of some crazy idiotic lunatic like AMLO.

DLvsWN wrote:

LAXintl wrote:

DLvsWN wrote:

One of clients is a multinational design, engineering, architecture, and consulting firm which was involved with the airport project. Many of their concerns and recommendations were ignored and they eventually withdrew.
Back in the day I was in touch with the teams in Mexico and even posted here some of these concerns as the project unfolded. Feel free to search the archives.

I need a lot more than unspecified concerns from a multilnational services firm to get on board with it being a good idea to spend ~$15bn to basically preserve a status quo that everyone hates (well, everyone who isn't trying to bolster the military and become a mini-strongman). Whether Texcoco was being procured and designed perfectly cannot be considered in a vacuum. You also must considering the extreme limitations and deficiencies inherent to the existing MEX, which will remain the dominant airport for the Mexico City area for the foreseeable future.

always my concern... the obsession with putting everything under military control (airports, airlines) and rewarding generals in the process... banana republic anyone?

CMA727 wrote:

Judge1310 wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

Once MEX is out of the picture, even Cuernavaca airport (CVQ) can have a chance to revive, for Cuernavaca traffic will not be willing to travel all the way to either TLC, PBC or NLU to board a plane when they can board it at their local airport.

MEX isn't going anywhere any time soon when it comes to commercial traffic. End of story.

On the contrary, more and more voices everyday share my view! MEX is a lost case. NLU is a great airport that needs to be used. Texcoco is history. An inteligent new president will realize that the best that can happen to Mexico once Texcoco is not an option due to its cost, is to use NLU and that will only happen the moment MEX is out the pricture. I bet my two cents on this.

You want Mexico City to have 1 airport; a military controlled airport at that? And then supported by far away airports that aren't relevant and unable to survive at present (due to big bad MEX)? Interesting...

FLALEFTY wrote:

https://twitter.com/Navegaciones/status/1449836256247128065?s=20

If you click on the Twitter link above, you will see a recent aerial photo of the site of the former Texcoco Airport site that shows the entire terminal foundations and part of one runway and its taxiways are already under water. Nature is taking this site back rapidly.

Besides the political decision and its disaster, the whole water thing was one of the issues all along, if you believe the opponents of the airport project. The effort to keep the airport flood free would have absorbed huge recourses. The area is food prone and it is now being converted into a recreational area. At least these are the plans, but I think certain project are already in the final stages.

But then you have articles like this one (in Spanish):

https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/opinion ... 7-0146.htm

CMA727 wrote:

I have said it many many times, once NLU has been built and is in operation and NAICM (Texcoco Lake) airport is underwater, the only solution for Mexico City airport problem is to upgrade NLU, TLC, QRO and PBC to its maximun planned capacity AND CLOSE MEX for commercial fliights.

And get some flights back to CVJ (Cuernavaca), please!!!

CMA727 wrote:

Judge1310 wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

Once MEX is out of the picture, even Cuernavaca airport (CVQ) can have a chance to revive, for Cuernavaca traffic will not be willing to travel all the way to either TLC, PBC or NLU to board a plane when they can board it at their local airport.

MEX isn't going anywhere any time soon when it comes to commercial traffic. End of story.

On the contrary, more and more voices everyday share my view! MEX is a lost case. NLU is a great airport that needs to be used. Texcoco is history. An inteligent new president will realize that the best that can happen to Mexico once Texcoco is not an option due to its cost, is to use NLU and that will only happen the moment MEX is out the pricture. I bet my two cents on this.

I'm sorry that you may "feel" that way, but once again, MEX is not going anywhere. Hand over your two cents.

I'm curious as to your level of familiarity with the airport and it's influence?

Planetalk wrote:

Mexico City has it's problems, but the airport is really not a meaningful in the big scheme of things. Indeed, a lot of travellers like it because it's so close to the city centre. I lived there for 3 years and it may be the only major city in the world you can get from airport to city centre in an u er in 25 minutes, and for less than 10 dollars. I used to love arriving there knowing how soon I'd be home compared to the journey at most cities. Just don't plan a journey to/from the airport in Friday rush hour haha. But what city doesn't that apply to? The metro will also get you there very quickly if travelling without luggage for 5 pesos (25 cents.), which I always did when travelling domestically.

It's be one a political football though so the President's supporters will obviously exaggerate the role Santa Lucia can play, his opponents will exaggerate the importance of Texcoco. In the end, his presidency has been a disappointment, but not for the reasons predicted by his enemies. He hasn't created a Venezuela or economic disaster and has proven how ridiculous the rhetoric of the right was about what the left would do in Mexico . In the end he has been too conservative and not reformed a lot of things that needed reforming in Mexico, and let down his biggest support base - the poor - rather than doing anything to upset business.

Mexico City is a global city...which is why it needs to replace the airport. The airport is convenient, true, but it is also rapidly becoming far too small. It really isn't possible to expand capacity at MEX and Santa Lucia won't work to alleviate the situation, it appears. Consumers in Mexico will be hit with ever increasing international airfares if something isn't done. Regular every day people could be (even more) priced out of air travel in the future. Mexico City doesn't need a new airport to become a global city, it needs a new airport because it is a global city. MEX simply isn't large enough.

victrola wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

Judge1310 wrote:

MEX isn't going anywhere any time soon when it comes to commercial traffic. End of story.

On the contrary, more and more voices everyday share my view! MEX is a lost case. NLU is a great airport that needs to be used. Texcoco is history. An inteligent new president will realize that the best that can happen to Mexico once Texcoco is not an option due to its cost, is to use NLU and that will only happen the moment MEX is out the pricture. I bet my two cents on this.

NLU is way too far out of town to be a viable option. Do you have any idea how bad traffic is getting into Mexico City? I'm sure that these voices that share your view have never had to deal with the realities of traffic in Mexico City. What is so great about this airport out in the middle of nowhere?

Once MEX is out of the ecuation, NLU will be viable, although I have to admit WE Mexico City Valley residents will have to bear the consecuences of driving or riding a train there. NLU is a great piece of engineering and architecture. Flying in/out of NLU is by far a better experience than MEX. I know what I am talking about for I have been very close to both airports in terms of theirof the level of quality passengers enjoy.

adnoguez wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

Judge1310 wrote:

MEX isn't going anywhere any time soon when it comes to commercial traffic. End of story.

On the contrary, more and more voices everyday share my view! MEX is a lost case. NLU is a great airport that needs to be used. Texcoco is history. An inteligent new president will realize that the best that can happen to Mexico once Texcoco is not an option due to its cost, is to use NLU and that will only happen the moment MEX is out the pricture. I bet my two cents on this.

NLU have too many problems to address, the two biggest are: a) Only 2 simultaneous runways and b) connectivity issues.. And no, the Buenavista train won't solve anything. 45 min to 1 hour that drops you in a chaotic part of the city won't help.

At the end of the day MEX/NLU will share the fate of AEP/EZE, SDU/GIG, CGH/GRU... so Mexico City will have a dysfunctional solution.

Who will pay? Everyone but the politicians: Travelers, airlines, taxpayers, businesses

A complete waste of resources, opportunities and loss of competitive edge.

NLU airside capacity is big enough to handle MEX traffic and more. They just need more landside capacity, meaning more terminals and airplane parking positions. It´s 2 parallel IFR runways and taxiways are enough for this requirement. The Buenavista train will be available in due time and it will help a lot to access the airport. NLU was not the right solution for Mexico City airport capacity needs. The best one was Vicente Fox ill faited Atenco proyect. Then Texoco (NAIM). Once truckloads of mexican tax payers money has been thrown to cancel NAIM and build NLU, mexicans don´t need this money to be wasted, that´s why, in order to avoid NLU becoming a new YMX (Montreal, Mirabel) MEX (by the way, an airport that is totally unsound, dangerous and outdated, HAS TO BE CLOSED to commercial air traffic, complementing itself with optimized infraestructure at QRO, CVJ, PBC and TLC airports.

santi319 wrote:

FiscAutTecGarte wrote:

FLALEFTY wrote:

https://twitter.com/Navegaciones/status/1449836256247128065?s=20

If you click on the Twitter link above, you will see a recent aerial photo of the site of the former Texcoco Airport site that shows the entire terminal foundations and part of one runway and its taxiways are already under water. Nature is taking this site back rapidly.

Water is being artifically introduced there... With a population of 25million in people in the greater Mexico City area, the water table is no longer that high... Turn off the tap.. It will dry out...

If you saw the whole thing its propaganda for the current president’s supporters. Everyone with common sense in the universe could see that the New Mexico City airport there would have made MEX a global city and a global hub. Now we are 20 years behind. BOG, PTY and VCP couldn’t be more grateful for this.

And IAH and DFW.

FiscAutTecGarte wrote:

DLvsWN wrote:

LAXintl wrote:

One of clients is a multinational design, engineering, architecture, and consulting firm which was involved with the airport project. Many of their concerns and recommendations were ignored and they eventually withdrew.
Back in the day I was in touch with the teams in Mexico and even posted here some of these concerns as the project unfolded. Feel free to search the archives.

I need a lot more than unspecified concerns from a multilnational services firm to get on board with it being a good idea to spend ~$15bn to basically preserve a status quo that everyone hates (well, everyone who isn't trying to bolster the military and become a mini-strongman). Whether Texcoco was being procured and designed perfectly cannot be considered in a vacuum. You also must considering the extreme limitations and deficiencies inherent to the existing MEX, which will remain the dominant airport for the Mexico City area for the foreseeable future.

always my concern... the obsession with putting everything under military control (airports, airlines) and rewarding generals in the process... banana republic anyone?

CMA727 wrote:

Judge1310 wrote:

MEX isn't going anywhere any time soon when it comes to commercial traffic. End of story.

On the contrary, more and more voices everyday share my view! MEX is a lost case. NLU is a great airport that needs to be used. Texcoco is history. An inteligent new president will realize that the best that can happen to Mexico once Texcoco is not an option due to its cost, is to use NLU and that will only happen the moment MEX is out the pricture. I bet my two cents on this.

You want Mexico City to have 1 airport; a military controlled airport at that? And then supported by far away airports that aren't relevant and unable to survive at present (due to big bad MEX)? Interesting...

A sizable share of MEX traffic comes from locations that could well use their local airports (PBC, QRO,QRO, CVJ and TLC) should they have the right iar transport offer customers need. Onnce big bad MEX is out those airports will thrive.

starkwind wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

I have said it many many times, once NLU has been built and is in operation and NAICM (Texcoco Lake) airport is underwater, the only solution for Mexico City airport problem is to upgrade NLU, TLC, QRO and PBC to its maximun planned capacity AND CLOSE MEX for commercial fliights.

And get some flights back to CVJ (Cuernavaca), please!!!

Once MEX closes CVJ will get back not only new but also better air connectivity.

CMA727 wrote:

starkwind wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

I have said it many many times, once NLU has been built and is in operation and NAICM (Texcoco Lake) airport is underwater, the only solution for Mexico City airport problem is to upgrade NLU, TLC, QRO and PBC to its maximun planned capacity AND CLOSE MEX for commercial fliights.

And get some flights back to CVJ (Cuernavaca), please!!!

Once MEX closes CVJ will get back not only new but also better air connectivity.

Once MEX closes, will be a nightmare to get to Mexico City from anywhere in the world.

victrola wrote:

CMA727 wrote:

starkwind wrote:

And get some flights back to CVJ (Cuernavaca), please!!!

Once MEX closes CVJ will get back not only new but also better air connectivity.

Once MEX closes, will be a nightmare to get to Mexico City from anywhere in the world.

I agree, NLU had never been built, but that´s the price we mexicans have to pay for choosing the wrong head of state.