Spotlight: Mexican airport operator ASA’s 2021 priorities

While the coronavirus pandemic has forced Mexican private airport operators to delay non-mandatory investments this year, the government will make its own attempts at modernizing and expanding some terminals in 2021.

Aside from the US$3.4bn Felipe Ángeles international airport (AIFA) that defense ministry Sedena is building in Mexico state, the government plans to allocate 482mn pesos (US$22.5mn) to state operator ASA next year, an increase of 1,200% over 2020. 

In comparison to the almost 113bn pesos that the finance ministry (SHCP) proposed for President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s signature airport project in the 2021 federal budget, the public investment for the 19 airports that ASA operates is minimal.

Also, unlike Mexico’s biggest private operators – Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR), Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte (OMA), and Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) – ASA is not obligated to invest in infrastructure each year, only in maintenance works.

BNamericas takes a look at ASA’s plans for next year. 

PROJECTS

Tepic international airport

Probably the biggest project is the over 250mn-peso terminal expansion of Tepic international airport in Nayarit state.

The project involves adding 800m2 to the airport's passenger terminal building, 300m more to its runway, 140,000m2 of pavement rehabilitation and increasing bearing capacity with the addition of 250m of hydraulic works, a new 30m control tower and the replacement of equipment and furniture, Nayarit government said in a statement.

The project received around 40mn pesos this year, but the first construction stage will start in 2021 with a proposed amount of nearly 209mn pesos, according to SHCP’s investment portfolio. 

Puerto Escondido international airport

Under ASA’s budget, SHCP is also proposing a 182mn-peso investment next year in a modernization program at Puerto Escondido international airport in Oaxaca state. 

The program involves building a passenger terminal, a parking lot and runway modernization works, plus a wastewater treatment plant, according to the ministry’s investment portfolio. 

Overall, SHCP estimates the project will cost 479mn pesos. Some of these funds were allocated this year already and the ministry plans to assign the rest in 2022. 

Mérida international airport 

A 13.7mn-peso investment will go to a maintenance project to remediate the subsoils at Mérida airport in Yucatán state. Total investment is 25.3mn pesos, and SHCP plans to allocate more funds in 2022.

But the future of the airport is uncertain as tourism board Fonatur, which oversees construction of the US$6.7bn Maya train, proposed last year closing the airport and building a new one in the southern part of the city so that it could connect with a Maya train station. 

The relocation of the airport has not been confirmed, but Fonatur director Rogelio Jiménez Pons told BNamericas last month that talks for the plan continue among state and federal authorities. 

Jiménez also confirmed that the board is in talks to build an airport at vacation hub Tulum, in Quintana Roo state. The airport would also complement the 1,500km Maya train passenger and freight project that is expected to generate more tourism demand in the south. 

Other projects

According to the budget proposal, the government would also assign funds to ASA to rehabilitate the passenger terminal of Colima international airport in Colima state, but the project would only receive 3mn pesos. 

The state operator would also use 12.8mn pesos from its budget to expand one of its fuel stations in Bajío region. 

ASA supplies aircraft fuel via 60 stations at airports, which total more than 11.2Ml of fuel per day, according to the company’s website.

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