AICM: The History of Mexico City's Great Airport

Next Monday, March 21, will commemorate the birth of former Mexican President Benito Juárez, one of the most important presidents in Mexico's history. However, that same day it was chosen by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) to inaugurate the Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA), located in Santa Lucia, State of Mexico.

This new airport replaced one that was previously built in Texcoco. But, before AIFA and Texcoco Airport, there was already the Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City (AIBJCM), the most important in the country, and one of the most important in Latin America.

The history of this airport and of aviation in Mexico in general, dates back several centuries. The fact is that air activity in Mexico City began in 1908, when former President Porfirio Díaz was still in charge of the country, in the Llanos de Anzures, known as the Llanos de la Vaquita, where Miguel Lebrija Urtutegui had his first experience in a glider; in the same year Miguel also flew Lebrija at the Hacienda de San Juan de Dios. In 1909 the Aldasoro brothers made their first glider flights both on the current street of Querétaro in the Roma Sur neighborhood, and on the Cerro de la Estrella.

It was not until 1910 that the unpopulated plains of Balbuena began to be used, first by Alberto Baniff for his flights, the first being January 8, 1910. Right there, President Francisco I. Madero made a flight on these plains on November 30, 1911.

The first decision to create an airport facility in Mexico was made on February 5, 1915, by Venustiano Carranza, when he created military aviation, occupying part of the Balbuena plains. The need to regulate civil aviation activities led to the creation of the technical section for air navigation in 1920, as a unit of the Ministry of Communications and Public Works (SCOP). On July 12, 1921, SCOP granted the first concession for air transportation of passengers, mail and express to the Mexican Air Transportation Company (Mexicana).

In 1928 an area was designated on the outskirts of the city for the transport of civilian passengers, so that year its construction began, however, in 1929 it began to serve despite continuing construction. After a period of closure to complete the main structure, the space officially opened its doors in 1939 as the Central Air Port of Mexico City.

November 19, 1952, the date officially commemorated as the anniversary of the airport, corresponds to an extension started in 1949. This included runway 05D-23I, a new platform, the new terminal building, its control tower and the building for authorities of the air terminal. However, it did not fully enter into operation until 1954, when it was equipped with all the necessary systems to operate it. It was until 1963 when its name was officially changed to Mexico City International Airport (AICM).

During the 1960s the airport made certain adjustments in order to upgrade the terminal and even considered Saint Lucia's airspace for a new airport in the early 1970s, but this did not materialize. In 1998, the Ministry of Communications and Transport transferred management of the airport directly to AICM pending privatization and private investment for improvement. With the passage of time it was not carried out and the decision was made to opt for the expansion of the aerial structure.

Construction of Terminal 2, designed by the office of J. Francisco Serrano, began in 2005 and was formally inaugurated in March 2008. During this period the name is changed to Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City.

KEEP READING: