Texcoco Airport

Texcoco Airport
Name	New International Airport for Mexico City (NAICM)
Nativename	Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México - Texcoco
Iata	N/A
Icao	N/A
Type	Proposed civil airport
Owner	Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes
Operator	Grupo Aeroportuario de la Ciudad de México (projected)
City-served	Mexico City
Location	Texcoco, State of Mexico
Opened	Proposed 2020
Closed	Project cancelled 2018

Texcoco Airport was the planned replacement and expansion project intended to serve Mexico City and the Valley of Mexico basin. Proposed as the New International Airport for Mexico City (NAICM), the project was a major national infrastructure initiative involving national agencies such as the Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes and private firms including Foster and Partners, Norman Foster, and corporate contractors. The project became a focal point in debates among policymakers associated with Enrique Peña Nieto, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, environmental groups including Greenpeace Mexico, and indigenous and local authorities in the State of Mexico.

History

The NAICM initiative originated from persistent capacity constraints at Benito Juárez International Airport and strategic planning discussions involving the Mexican government and international aviation authorities such as the International Civil Aviation Organization and Airport Council International. Initial feasibility studies referenced precedents like Heathrow Airport, Charles de Gaulle Airport, and Changi Airport while considering regional transport networks including the Mexico City Metro and proposals connected to El Rosario station. Political milestones included endorsements during the administration of Felipe Calderón and accelerated commitments under Enrique Peña Nieto, provoking scrutiny from opposition leaders including Ricardo Monreal and Lorenzo Córdova. Local controversies engaged activists tied to movements such as the Zapatista Army of National Liberation and cultural figures like Julio Scherer who highlighted land rights and heritage issues.

Planning and Construction

Planning involved multinational consortia, engineering firms, and architectural practices including Foster and Partners, Nikken Sekkei, and construction conglomerates like Odebrecht partners (subject to corruption inquiries connected to broader probes such as those implicating Operation Car Wash). Financial frameworks referenced instruments from the World Bank and private financiers like BlackRock and HSBC. Environmental impact assessments drew on methodologies similar to those used by United Nations Environment Programme and consulted specialists linked to National Autonomous University of Mexico and Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. Contracts, bidding processes, and public consultations brought in legislators from Morena, Institutional Revolutionary Party, and National Action Party, as well as civic organizations like Mexican Centre for Environmental Law.

Design and Facilities

The proposed terminal complex was designed as a single, multi-level facility with aesthetics promoted by Norman Foster and firms experienced at projects like Wembley Stadium and Hong Kong International Airport. Plans included parallel runways inspired by layouts at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Denver International Airport, cargo facilities modeled after Memphis International Airport, and intermodal connections to rail proposals akin to those at Tokyo Station and Gare du Nord. Ancillary infrastructure envisaged linkages to Mexico City International Airport operations, fuel farms, and maintenance centers employing technologies in common with Siemens and Bombardier systems. Cultural and artistic program elements referenced collaborations with institutions like Museo Nacional de Antropología and designers affiliated with Fundación ICA.

Operations and Airlines

Projected airline participants included flag carriers such as Aeroméxico and international operators like American Airlines, United Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Cargo operators considered for the hub included FedEx, DHL, and UPS Airlines. Slot coordination and air traffic control plans invoked procedures compatible with Federal Aviation Administration and Eurocontrol standards. Labor arrangements were expected to involve unions such as the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación for peripheral roles and airline ground unions akin to those at Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares.

Environmental and Social Impact

Environmental assessments raised issues related to hydrology of the Lake Texcoco basin, groundwater recharge, and wetland preservation connected to Valle de México ecology; analyses paralleled concerns seen in projects near Everglades National Park and Doñana National Park. Social impact debates engaged campesino communities and indigenous claimants from Texcoco (municipality) and nearby municipalities, invoking legal instruments akin to the International Labour Organization conventions and consultations similar to those required under Convention 169. Opposition mobilized through organizations such as Mexicans Against the New Airport and environmental NGOs including Greenpeace Mexico and WWF Mexico, producing court challenges that referenced decisions in Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation precedents. Heritage scholars from UNAM and INAH highlighted archeological remains comparable to finds at Teotihuacan and linked cultural patrimony debates to national institutions like the National Institute of Fine Arts.

Cancellation and Aftermath

Following a public consultation during the transition to the López Obrador administration, the NAICM project was halted in 2018 after campaign commitments and a referendum process that drew comparisons to consultative mechanisms in Bolivia and Venezuela. The decision led to reallocation of resources toward upgrading Benito Juárez International Airport infrastructure and reviving alternate proposals at Santa Lucía Air Base, prompting legal and financial disputes involving creditors and contractors reminiscent of issues in disputes at Crossrail and Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Investigations and audits involved institutions like Mexico's Auditoría Superior de la Federación and prosecutors from the Fiscalía General de la República. Legacy effects included ongoing debates among political parties such as Morena and PRI, continued activism by civil society groups, and academic studies at El Colegio de México assessing urban, environmental, and economic impacts.

Category:Airports in Mexico