October 24th 2018

There is not a line nor riots. The check-in is done in minutes. Accessing the hall takes only a few seconds. There is not necessary to wait more than 10 minutes for a Burger, nor 15 for a cocktail; this could be the only airport with the same quantity of staff as clients. The restrooms are empty. The hallways are free of people. The stores are out of clients. The restaurants remain without banqueters. A marathon or a football game could be held inside the building. This is the international airport of Toluca, the Great White Elephant of the State of Mexico.

There is not an itemized study, but it is not necessary. You just need to take a quick glance at its interior and check its request rate that decreased significantly since 2009, when Volaris and Interjet left in order to settle in Mexico City taking 4 million users behind them. The big moment was over.

According to official records, the airport of Toluca is underemployed considerably since it can mobilize up to eight million passengers a year, but in 2017 there were only 725 thousand 563 passengers flying.

These figures indicate that its infrastructure is underutilized 87.75%, in other words, it is working at 12.5% of its enormous potential estimated to be of 850 passengers per hour.

In fact, the president of the School of architects and Urbanists of the State of Mexico – Arturo Chavarria – considered that with such low rates of demand the Adolfo Lopez Mateos Airport, which was inaugurated in 1984, could be considered the biggest White elephant in the State of Mexico.

He also underlined that despite the efforts of the state and federal governments to make it take off – with a total of 60 million pesos on investments – as an attraction to new airlines with the building of a new parking lot, the acquisition of ILS technology for flights with foggy conditions, the installation of dozens of franchises in the commercial area, as well as an improvement of its connectivity with the Mexico City (through the building of bridges and even a highway). The airport remains without taking off.

The specialist pointed out that notwithstanding the advantages offered by its closeness to the economic area of Santa Fe, located at 25 minutes distance and least than 30 kilometers to the Airport, the future of the Airport remains uncertain. Particularly considering the construction of the new airport of Mexico City, which should be ready in 2020. Although it might not be possible by that date.

This project constitutes a coin tossed for the future of the airport of Toluca: it could take off as a useful metropolitan airport or it could collapse totally. He pointed out. The former director, Bentacourt Garcia Moreno, acknowledges that, at its time, the airport was the second international place in business aviation, only after THE United States. Since out of the 150 thousand flies annually, at least 90 thousand belong to the business branch.

The current director of the Airport refused to state information through his social communication department. Calls were no longer accepted.

Nevertheless, in 2008 the airport registered its highest rate of demand. It was possible to transport 4.5 million passengers without any problem. However, the abrupt exit of the airlines Interjet and Volaris in 2009 caused a quick decrease of passengers, losing 4 million passengers at once.

After having mobilized 4.5 million passengers in 2008, in 2009 the number of passengers began to decrease to two million 493 thousand; in 2013 reached only one million 161 thousand and in 2014 only 877 thousand 868 passengers. This year the number of passengers hardly reach a million. Thus the Airport is still under-occupied, according to the staff of the lonely airport that could be rescued by the elected president Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador itself, as a consequence of his public survey.

From then on, the airport could not bounce back. Airlines come and go the same as flights without any type of possible stabilization.

The decay of the safest airport in the country has had another collateral effects. Martin Ramírez Olivas, from the Touristic Hotels Association of the State of Mexico, acknowledged that in the hotel chains built along the Boulevard Airport and surroundings of Tollocan Avenue, the business expectations had to be adjusted, since after having registered yearly growths of 500% between 2008 and 2009, the levels decreased and nowadays, hotel occupancy remain regular or low.

Against this backdrop, projects for building aerial corridors are held with an investment of 6 million pesos; as well as a loading terminal, which expenses remain undefined.

Besides, the airport is still buying a field for its expansion at a rather low price, which keeps the common lands members unsatisfied.

Features & background

The international airport of Toluca was inaugurated in 1984 and in 1985 was incorporated to the net of airports by Airports & Auxiliary Services (ASA), and recognized as a member of the National Net of Airports. In 1992, it celebrated an agreement to support the decentralization of the International Airport of the Mexico City (AICM), whereby it received the name of the metropolitan airport.

Between 2003 and 2005 the airport administration is transferred to a society integrated by the government of the State of Mexico (GEM) and Airports & Auxiliary Services (ASA). The administrator of the International Airport of Toluca (AMAIT) is integrated into 51% of shares owned by the state government and 51% of ASA. In June 2006 it incorporated private equity and the relation of the society was: 26 percent GEM, 25 percent ASA and 49% private equity.

The airport counts with an airstrip 15-33 with 4200 meters long, the biggest in the country, with a system of approach lights and runway edge. It counts with parallel taxiway to the entire length; a system ILS CAT III unique in Mexico, whereby enable landings in conditions of very low visibility. It counts with a building terminal of 28 thousand 300 square meters, equipped with safety equipment of the last generation and parking to two thousand 40 cars.

Located to 40 kilometers of the Mexico City, to 55 minutes of the DF center and to 25 minutes of Santa Fe, the most important financial center and business of the country. Its airstrip has a capacity to make 180 thousand air operations by year and a capacity to serve one thousand 850 passengers per hour.

In the topic of security also is one of the safest and modern, because it counts with a control of car access and pedestrian operated by an enterprise of private security of high level; inspection point to passengers and a carry-on ; x-ray also to the hand luggage; metal detector arcs to the users, manual metal detectors; computerized tomography to the inspection of documented luggage.

Since it received the visit of the United States President Barack Obama in 2014, the international airport of Toluca was cataloged as the air central “safest of Mexico" and since then maintain those standards.

THE EXPECTATIONS, IT CAUSE EXTEND CONCESSION TO OHL

If the expectations of development of the Toluca air central was in a dead point, in the national consultation that summoned the elect government of 25 to the 28 October about NAICM, the Adolfo Lopez Mateos airport could take new airs, because it has emerged as one of the last proposals, which are choosing several groups, especially from PRD.

That don’t know is that behind the expansion project of the International Airport of Toluca “Adolfo Lopez Mateos”, it are the Spanish construction enterprise OHL, whereby the government of the State of Mexico, extended from 27.9 percent to a 49.9 percent, its participation in the concession contracts that shared with the parastatal enterprise that administer the airport AMAIR, founded by Enrique Peña being governor.

The extension of the percentage of participation to OHL it made without fuss, however, the contract is to 50 years and expires in 2055. The concession, according to the enterprise is to: “the management of the International Airport of Toluca (AIT), the second largest airport that gives service to the metropolitan zone of the Mexico City, including the operation of the totality airport services complementarian and commercial. Counts with an installed capacity to serve until 8 million passengers by year and a potential of growth of up to 25 million.”

The previously means that the Spanish Enterprise OHL – involved in scandals of corruption in the Eruviel Avila’s government, for traffic of influences and close friendships- it will benefitted, behind the curtain, of the Project to suspend the construction of the new international airport of the Mexico city (NAICM) in Texcoco, to guide the claim and the necessity of expansion, in the formula: Benito Juarez, Toluca and Santa Lucia.

According to the official information of the consortium OHL, the investment that represents its participation in the aerial central, until 2013, it was if 393.0 million of euros, it means, a little more of 8 thousand 253 million of pesos, in nowadays costs.

For the above and if confirmed, according to the results of consultation, the rejection to continue with the project of the NAICM in fields of Texcoco, the International Airport of Toluca could receive a new thrust to take off, whatever, the Atlacomulco Group, it will be the beneficiary, because the adjusts that quietly it made to the concession contracts , has that background purposes , given the alliance between this and the Spanish enterprise that also has the concession of next constructions: highway Atizapan, Atlacomulco, the bicentennial viaduct and the exterior circuit of the State of Mexico.

CLAP CLAP CLAP

The truth is that the aerial central looks deserted, very spacious and modern waiting room, its attractive external and internal exclusives commercial zones, its food court of fast food and until bars; the different “check-in” zones, of arrival and departure, customs, controls, everything, absolutely everything, it looks clean, fresh but lonely.

Workers of the aerial central, like Esther Gonzalez, who Works in a souvenir shop, assured that they already get used to, another employee, Alejandra, who offer credit cards to clients of high income, recognized that is an employment “very, very calm”, although sometimes boring and rarely can sell promotions, or sometimes nothing, the good is that apart of commission for selling, she said, has a salary.

In the parking, with space for two thousand cars, also there is very enough space to choose, something weird in an airport so modern.

The bar employees, commercial lines that operated in their different sections, the waiters of restaurants and cooks of fast food, can pass hour and hours without serving to at least one client, prepares an only hamburger, one only beverage. The chairs and tables look empty, the few user and workers remain still, immobile in front of huge rooms with clear seats and hallways where the footsteps resound clap, clap, clap.

Translators: Pamela Ortíz Ríos & Fabián Peñaloza

Mary Delgado