AFAC’s guidelines in line with the airport reform

The Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) has made a decision regarding the country’s operational regulations by publishing in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) the new “General Guidelines for the Allocation of Landing and Takeoff Slots and Aircraft Turnaround Priorities at Civil Airports Open to the Public Declared to Be at Level 3 Saturation”.

The measure has strategic implications, as Mexico is redefining the way it manages one of the most sensitive operational and commercial assets in its aviation system: the authorized slots for landing or taking off at airports where demand far exceeds available capacity.

These requirements are the direct result and regulatory implementation of the reform published last June to the Regulations of the Airports Act. The legal amendment reshaped the general legal framework, and the guidelines issued by AFAC translated that vision into the realm of daily operations, with the aim of aligning airport capacity management with the global standards promoted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The new AFAC guidelines clearly define the responsibilities of each stakeholder in the chain. The purpose is to ensure transparency and guarantee that capacity allocation at congested airports is impartial, non-discriminatory, technically sound, and efficient, maximizing the use of available infrastructure without compromising operational safety.

The new regulatory framework also introduces clear rules to encourage the entry of new competitors and monitor compliance with the provisions regarding the Reserve Fund for New Entrants, Oversight of Improper Use, the Delays Subcommittee, and Semiannual Capacity Studies.