For the airline sector, the federal government’s Plan Mexico brings nothing new to help encourage investment.
It also doesn’t include an aeronautical policy, which is necessary for the country, experts charged.
“In terms of airports, all this plan is doing is repeating projects that were already on the agenda of the public and private sectors, even before it was announced,” said Juan Carlos Machorro, partner at the consulting firm Santamarina & Steta, in an interview last week.
He added that the expansion and modernization projects for the Tepic-Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Escondido airports, and the renovation of Mexico City International Airport (AICM) were already in the pipeline, having been announced last year.
“While the improvement works at 60 concessioned airports, totaling 35 billion pesos by 2025, which are also included in Plan Mexico, are investments that the airport groups have already committed to in accordance with their five-year investment plans,” Machorro asserted.
Rodrigo Pérez Alonso, an airline industry specialist, commented that Plan Mexico is full of dogma, as the reality is that there is currently little certainty regarding investment.
He agreed that the investment in concessioned airports included in Plan Mexico is part of the airport groups’ five-year plans, which include both terminal improvements and cosmetic improvements.
“They are using the flag of the private sector as an outsider, which has that obligation anyway,” commented Pérez Alonso.
Juan Antonio José, an airline industry specialist, asserted that a new and modern airport policy is needed.
“The actions included in Plan Mexico regarding airports are minimal.
“To strengthen the country’s economy in terms of airports, that plan should include mechanisms that help strengthen the functions of the AFAC,” he stated.
Machorro added that if the goal was truly to work disruptively to accelerate public works at airports, it would be necessary to begin by reviewing and planning a long-term aeronautical policy.
He noted that it would be necessary to consider how to stimulate accelerated investment growth with tax incentives for concessionaires, in order to stimulate the appetite for expansion of terminals, runways, and increased infrastructure, among other things.
Source: reforma
