Once again, Ineco is to update the Master Development Programmes for the 12 Mexican airports (Guadalajara, Tijuana, Mexicali, Hermosillo, Los Mochis, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Morelia, La Paz, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo) that are part of  the Pacific Airport Group (GAP), which is partly owned by Aena Internacional. The recovery in air traffic, which has returned to pre-pandemic levels, has given rise to a need for updated information in order to adequately plan airport development.

Ineco first began work on drawing up and revising these plans for the GAP in 2003. Currently, the company is preparing a Master Plan for Kingston airport in Jamaica, which –along with Montego Bay airport– is also managed by the GAP.

Ineco joins a new project in Jamaica with the update of the Master Plan for the Norman Manley Airport in Kingston. The project involves the analysis of air traffic forecasts, the collection of the data necessary to carry out airport planning and the proposed development of existing facilities up to 2040. This work for the concessionaire PAC Kingston Airport Limited, which belongs to Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), owned by Aena Internacional, follows the work already carried out for Sangster Airport in Montego Bay and Ian Flemming Airport in Boscobel, in the north of the island. Ineco has updated the master plans for both, as well as managing and projecting various works at Sangster International, where it began working more than a decade ago (see ITRANSPORTE 62 and 67). 

As of the closing of this issue, we are immersed in the greatest health crisis in recent history. An unprecedented event that is forcing us to adapt, change how we work and bring out the best in ourselves. I want to express my solidarity and appreciation to everyone with the firm conviction that together, we will overcome it.

Nevertheless, our dedication and commitment to the improvement of mobility and safety of infrastructure, spurs us on to continue carrying out our activity. One example of this is the comprehensive renovation of the Recoletos tunnel, which traverses Madrid from north to south and is a key element in improving the comfort and safety of this infrastructure, which carries the most rail traffic of the entire Spanish network. Designed and managed by Ineco on behalf of Adif, our technicians have played a crucial role in tackling one of the most important railway mobility projects in little more than five months, given that several commuter lines run through this tunnel, serving more than 250 million passengers a year.

Knowledge and input for improving urban mobility and promoting its sustainable development were combined at the recent World Urban Forum in Abu Dhabi. With the objective of facing the future with more sustainable and inclusive transportation, the companies of the Group of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda presented their innovative projects at this international meeting convened by UN-Habitat.

Our dedication to improving the safety of transport and mobility has led us to participate in important studies and projects with major social benefits

Experience in the modernisation of railway lines, and in particular in the development and deployment of the ERTMS system, together with more than 14 years of collaboration in European innovation projects, led to Ineco’s participation in ERSAT GGC, an ambitious project financed by the European Satellite Navigation Agency which will make it possible to implement satellite technology in the European rail traffic management system ERTMS by means of virtual balises.

This same dedication to innovation to improve air and land safety is also behind the efforts by our experts to develop the ‘Factor Humano’ methodology, which has received several different awards, including the Canso ‘Global Safety Achievement Award 2019’.

Ineco’s international activity also prompted its involvement in the supervision of new trains for Quito’s first metro, and in the aeronautical field, to the design of the Master Plans for 12 airports of the Pacific Airport Group, a client to whom we are grateful for the comments made by its Network and Regulated Business Director, Jose Ángel Martínez.

As for Spain, in this issue we cover two road projects recently opened by the Ministry of Transport, which will reduce travel times and increase safety levels: the complex stretch of the A-23 highway as it passes through the Monrepós mountain pass, and the new Gaznata bridge over the Burguillo reservoir in Ávila.

Lastly, we highlight the launch of Ineco’s new Equality Plan, which includes important initiatives aimed at achieving real and effective equality, and which will have a Monitoring Committee to measure its degree of implementation and impact.

It has been more than 20 years since the Pacific Airport Group (GAP) was created –have the challenges changed much since then? 

The industry has evolved a lot over the past 20 years, and so has GAP, which I think has adapted very well to these developments. In the first years of the concession, the majority shareholder of the group was the Mexican government, until 85% of the company’s capital went public in 2006 and the management model changed. Then came the crisis and along with the arrival of low-cost airlines in Mexico, there was a sustained annual increase in demand, which made GAP focus its management on improving and adapting airport infrastructure. Today, the group continues to strive to build quality infrastructure, applying an efficient management model. In addition, there is a growing vision for the internationalisation of the company which is demonstrated by the recent acquisition of the concession of Kingston Airport in Jamaica.

Traffic at GAP airports has increased significantly in recent years. What challenges has the increase in traffic posed and what does it mean for the future?  

When GAP was awarded the concession for the 12 airports in Mexico in 1999, the total traffic of the Group was around 16 million passengers. By 2020, excluding the Kingston and Montego Bay airports, we will reach 46 million passengers. This growth has been particularly marked in the last seven years, in which traffic has doubled –from 23 to 46 million– with growth rates close to or above double digits each year. Situations such as this are not easy to foresee and require enormous efforts to bring existing infrastructure up to speed with demand. The process of designing, building and operating new infrastructure takes several years, and this must be taken into account during planning.

Going from 23 to 46 million passengers in seven years requires enormous amounts of planning

What are GAP’s forecasts for the next few years in terms of opening up new routes and markets? 

Over the next five years, GAP should pursue connectivity objectives such as positioning Guadalajara as an alternate hub to Mexico City, seeking long-haul routes to Europe (primarily), Latin America and Asia; positioning Tijuana as a facilitator of trade between Asia and Latin America, and enhancing the market from Northern and Southern California to Mexico and other destinations, exploiting the advantages of the Cross Border Express, and diversifying international markets to GAP’s beach destinations (Los Cabos, Puertos Vallarta, etc.).

What do you think has been the main challenge in preparing the Master Development Plans for the 12 GAP airports for the period 2020-2034? 

There have been several important challenges, one of which is to predict demand in a scenario of uncertainty such as the one we are experiencing, not only in Mexico but also internationally. With regard to the development proposals, I would like to highlight the solution for the second runway in Guadalajara, an option that does not require additional land outside the scope of the current concession, and which solves the capacity problems of the airfield for the next five years. In general terms it is always a challenge, especially in this fiscal year, to meet the expansion requirements of airports with a limited amount of investment.

Which actions would you highlight from the Master Development Plans as a whole? Not only by volume but by any other measure: environmental, social, technological, innovation…

As a result of the recent revision of the Master Development Plans, GAP will invest more than 1.2 billion dollars over the next five years, which exceeds the investment made over the last 20 years. Among the most significant actions, I would highlight the second runway in Guadalajara, the new terminal buildings in Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Tijuana, and the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure to monitor, improve and facilitate the different processes through which our passengers and their baggage must pass: tomography equipment for baggage inspection, body scanners, biometrics and facial recognition, construction and technological equipment for Airport Management Centres, among others.

Among the most significant actions of the Master Plans, I would highlight the second runway in Guadalajara, the new terminal buildings in Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Tijuana, and the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment to process passengers and luggage

Environmental issues are becoming increasingly important in general and in the world of transport and aviation in particular. How is GAP dealing with these? 

We are confronting these issues with enormous responsibility and commitment, as demonstrated by the fact that we are the only Mexican operator with an airport registered in the ACA (Airport Carbon Accreditation), plan of the ACI (Airport Council International); today we have nine and by the end of this year we will have all 12 airports in our network in Mexico. We  also have, other significant projects in progress, such as the installation of solar panels in parking areas and the construction of solar farms, which will allow GAP to be self-sufficient in terms of energy in approximately five years.

Ineco has been collaborating with GAP for more than 15 years, on the Master Development Plans and other projects at its airports. How do you value this collaboration and what would you highlight? 

Ineco has become GAP’s best partner in planning the growth of its airports, due to its experience, the capacity of its technicians, its cultural proximity and, mainly, its knowledge of the airports in the network and the regulatory peculiarities of Mexican concessions.

The Mexican airports of Guadalajara, Tijuana, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Guanajuato, Hermosillo, La Paz, Mexicali, Morelia, Aguascalientes, Los Mochis and Manzanillo, all operated by GAP (the Pacific Airport Group), have just updated their Master Plans to 2034. Ineco first began preparing these plans, which are structured in three five-year phases, in 2003, for the periods 2005-2019, 2010-2024 and 2015-2029.

Growing aviation market

In an aviation market as dynamic as that of Mexico, it is essential to adjust plans to anticipated levels of demand.

In the last five years alone, Mexican air traffic has skyrocketed –with year-on-year growth of more than 10% until 2019, when it grew by 8.4%– due to several factors: the 35% drop in ticket prices due to the trade war between airlines, the drop in fuel prices, the signing of 23 bilateral transport agreements in just four years and the strength of tourism. Within this context, GAP operates five of the 10 busiest airports in the country, with the list topped by Mexico City, with 50.3 million passengers in 2019, and Cancun, with 25.5 million. The Guadalajara airport, with 14.8 million passengers, is in third place.

Air traffic growth at all GAP airports over the past five years, at 12%, is higher than the national average (8%), which is attributable to several factors: the saturation of the international airport in the capital, Mexico City (AICM), which has benefited Guadalajara airport, the cross-border effect at Tijuana airport, and the increase in tourism at the Rivera Nayarit and La Paz airports, which has benefited the Puerto Vallarta and La Paz airports.

Guadalajara is the largest airport, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos the most touristic and Tijuana is the main gateway to the US

1 Guadalajara

The Guadalajara International Airport is the third most important in the country and is located in the state of Jalisco. Guadalajara is an important commercial, industrial and tourist centre. In line with the Master Plan, the main actions to be carried out in the coming years will be the construction of a second runway and a new terminal with its associated commercial apron. An increase in the capacity of the general aviation apron and the parking and access facilities is also proposed.

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

2 Tijuana 

General Abelardo L. Rodríguez International Airport is located in Baja California, adjacent to the US border. Passengers departing from San Diego (USA) use the Cross Border Xpress (CBX), which allows them to cross the border without leaving the airport. The Tijuana Plan is currently underway, which includes the construction of a new processing building and the joining of the Alfa and Eco taxiways. The Master Plan aims, within the first five years, to reconfigure and expand the aircraft stands, as well as the security control area in the terminal building, and to reserve an area for cargo, in particular for CBX-Cargo. For the second five-year period, the construction of Dock C and a new control tower.

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

3 Los Cabos 

The airport serves the Los Cabos area –comprised of the municipalities of San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas– currently one of the most important tourist destinations in the country. 70% of the traffic is international. Among the key actions, the Master Plan proposes, in the short term, to expand the commercial and general aprons, as well as the terminal buildings. For the second five-year period, land is being reserved in the medium term for the construction of a future second runway.

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

4 Puerto Vallarta 

Located in the state of Jalisco, 7.5 kilometres northwest of the city of Puerto Vallarta. The main proposal of the Master Plan is the construction of a new terminal building with an associated apron, parking lots and roads, as well as a reform of the current terminal building.

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

5 Guanajuato

Located in the municipality of Silao (Guanajuato). With 2.7 million passengers in 2019, Guanajuato is the fifth largest city within GAP. In the last five years, average growth has been spectacular, at 15.5%, above the average of 12.1% for GAP. Commercial traffic is mostly domestic. The proposed development includes an expansion in several phases of different areas of the terminal building (departures, arrivals, baggage claim, new boarding gates), as well as the parking aprons (commercial and general aviation).

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

6 Hermosillo 

The airport is located in the municipality of Hermosillo, in the state of Sonora. It serves as an alternate airport to Tijuana. The main development proposals include the enlargement and reconfiguration, over several phases, of the stands on the general aviation apron and, in the short term, of the passenger and baggage claim areas. Also, the control tower is to be renovated, although it does not need to be relocated.

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

7 La Paz

The General Manuel Márquez de León International Airport is located in the state of Baja California Sur. Almost 100% of passenger traffic and commercial operations are domestic. The Master Plan recommends, among other actions, the enlargement of customs, phytosanitary and documentation controls, in the short term; or, in the medium term, of the terminal building, the final waiting room and baggage claim.

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

8 Mexicali

The General Rodolfo Sánchez Taboada International Airport is located in the state of Baja California, about 6.5 kilometres from the US border. Short-term development proposals include increasing the number of documentation counters, installing an X-ray machine and remodelling the general aviation building.

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

9 Morelia

The airport is located 30 kilometres from the city of Morelia, in the north of the state of Michoacán. Following an analysis of demand, it was concluded that the airfield has sufficient capacity for the entire reference period. In the short term, proposed actions include, among others, the expansion of the general aviation apron, as well as the areas for document control, boarding and baggage claim rooms.

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

10 Aguascalientes

The Licenciado Jesús Terán Peredo International Airport is located 24 kilometres south of the city of Aguascalientes. Over the last five years, the average annual growth rate of commercial passengers has been 13.9%, well above the figures reported for the entire group. Among the actions of the Master Plan, it is worth highlighting that during the first five years, the commercial and general aprons were enlarged and remodelled, as well as the passenger area, in particular for baggage claim and document control, and some repairs were made to the beacon in the control tower.

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

11 Los Mochis

The Valle del Fuerte International Airport, or Los Mochis, is located in the state of Sinaloa. Its traffic is almost 100% domestic. The proximity of the airports of Hermosillo and Culiacán –both state capitals– results in competition that affects primarily the development of international traffic. As for the Master Plan, it proposes the remodeling and expansion of the south-west and south-east facades of the existing terminal building, the expansion of the general aviation apron and the reconfiguration of the current seating arrangements.

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

12 Manzanillo 

Also known as Playa de Oro, it is located in the west of the state of Colima. The distribution of commercial passengers is very balanced: 55% of the traffic is domestic and 45% international. No need to increase the capacity of the runway and the commercial aviation apron over the entire time frame of the study was identified. For the terminal building, the expansion and remodeling of the medical clinics, security controls, waiting room and baggage claim area are proposed.

PHOTO_INECO + GAP

GAP passenger growth 2019 vs 2018

SOURCE_GAP FORECASTS AS OF JANUARY 2020

Ineco is preparing master development programmes for the 2020-2034 period on behalf of the twelve airports of Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), which is partly owned by Aena Internacional: Bajío, Aguascalientes, Hermosillo, La Paz, Los Mochis, Morelia, Mexicali, San José Del Cabo, Manzanillo, Tijuana, Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara.  For the latter two airports, functional terminal designs are also being produced, something that has already been done for the Tijuana terminal.

The company began preparing these plans in 2003 for the 2005-2019, 2010-2024 and 2015-2029 periods. GAP has also been selected by the Jamaican government as a provisional preferred bidder to operate, modernise and expand Norman Manley International Airport in the capital city of Kingston for 25 years. Ineco provided support in the drafting of GAP’s technical proposal, which was selected.