For 15 years, the domestic and international market for Mexican commercial aviation grew at an average of 5.7 and 5.1 percent, respectively, figures that are above the world average, stated the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association ( HIGH).
The ALTA presented its Aviation Insight Mexico analysis, a compendium of air transport statistics in the country, which indicates that in 2023 a record of 118.1 million passengers were transported, 10.6 percent more than in 2022.
More than half, 54 percent, of the traffic corresponded to local passengers, positioning the country as the second largest domestic market in Latin America, only behind Brazil.
However, although the figures are positive, there are aspects that work against the sustained growth of the industry in the country, such as the high cost represented by high rates and the lack of investment in airports, among other aspects that disadvantage performance. of a key industry for international tourism, which contributes 14.9 percent of GDP and 12.2 of jobs in Mexico.
He pointed out that one of the aspects that affect the sustained growth of aviation in the country are the high taxes that fall on the industry. In Mexico, an average of $104 is paid in international fees and taxes, plus 4 percent in base fare taxes, positioning the country as the third in the region where passengers pay the most in total fees and taxes, only after Argentina and Jamaica
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He recalled that in 2024 the AICM airport use fee increased 3.2 percent, becoming one of the highest in the world. The TUA is a charge that airports make to passengers for using their facilities. It is a fee that can represent up to 60 percent of the cost of a plane ticket, according to the business model of each airline.
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In the analysis, he stated that among the challenges mentioned is the infrastructure in Mexico, which is considered insufficient to meet the demand for flights, which generates congestion in the terminals.
This lack of adequate infrastructure, he added, limits growth potential. Additionally, there is a level of legal uncertainty surrounding Mexico’s airline market, which affects investment and long-term planning.
José Ricardo Botelho, executive director of ALTA, highlighted that In 2023, 42.2 million tourists visited Mexico, generating a contribution of 30,809 million dollars to the economy. Of the total number of tourists, 20.32 million entered by air and contributed 90 percent of the total foreign currency that entered the country through tourism. These data allow us to clearly see the importance of air transportation for the generation of economic benefits in Mexico.
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