Every time an airplane takes off or lands at Mexico City's airport , the users pay an Airport Tax (TUA) . For every national flight , the passenger pays USD $23.80; international flights are USD $45.20; the second most expensive rate in the world , just behind the Heathrow airport in London .
In every airport , this fee is used for the improvement and expansion of the airports but this won't be the case in Mexico City because, for the next 19 years, the resources obtained through the TUA will be used to pay the debt that resulted from the cancellation of the Texcoco airport.
How can authorities guarantee the timely and constant improvement of the airport ? Will it offer the proper security conditions to millions of users who use the airport every year?
The Mexico City airport has been saturated for several years. In 2014, the aviation authority set a limit of 61 operations per hour, with a maximum of 40 landings and despite these limitations, the airport was used by 48 million passengers , even though it was designed for 32 million passengers .
The TUA resources are labeled to be assigned to pay the investors who acquired bonds for the construction of the Texcoco airport . Meanwhile, the infrastructure and improvement needed in the airport will have to be provided by the federal budget.
The cancellation of the Texcoco airport had a high price. It became a financial burden for public finances and an obstacle to improving the Mexico City airport . In the plan created by the federal government , the airport will continue operating in the same manner.
International rating agencies
have warned of risks for the economy because of how costly the cancellation turned out to be and because the cancellation also called off new opportunities .
The constant improvement required by the International Mexico City Airport is necessary because of its saturation levels but without the immediate resources required, the discomfort and delays will increase, which could eventually push international passengers away. There is time to prevent a decline .
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