The Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) in Mexico City achieved positive financial results for the first time in its history. The revenues generated during the first quarter of 2024 were sufficient to cover operational expenses, resulting in profits of 78 million Mexican pesos.
It’s worth noting that the AIFA continues to receive subsidies and financial assistance from the Mexican government. The first two years of operation resulted in significant losses, making this the first time it has made profits.
The Mexican government released the results for the first quarter of 2024 through its official account on X. The airport received 1.1 million passengers during this period, generating 412 million Mexican pesos in expenses and earning 490 million pesos for services provided.
Felipe Angeles International Airport achieves breakeven and records its first profits.
During the first quarter of 2024, it records profits of 78 million pesos, ahead of the 2027 timeline projected in the Master Development Plan. pic.twitter.com/8vwwPamZmV
— Government of Mexico (@GobiernoMX) April 26, 2024
During this period, the AIFA received a total of 364 million Mexican pesos in subsidies and aid from the federal government.
Not all that glitters is gold
Nevertheless, AIFA falls far short of the targets set for passenger traffic. In April 2019, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated that the Santa Lucía airport would accommodate 20 million passengers per year.
The reality is that the airport has served 4.1 million passengers in just over two years of operation.
Furthermore, the main goal of this airport terminal was to alleviate congestion at the crowded Mexico City International Airport (AICM), a goal it has also failed to achieve.
Comparison with the AICM
In terms of passenger traffic, the AIFA lags significantly behind the AICM. The former Mexico City airport transported 3.4 million passengers in February, twice the number handled by AIFA in the first three months of the year.
The air cargo segment has brought great satisfaction to AIFA. The volume of cargo at the AICM has decreased considerably since the opening of the Santa Lucía airport.
During the first quarter of 2024, AIFA handled 103.9 thousand tons of national and international cargo, while AICM recorded 57.2 thousand tons during the same period.
