Tulum Airport Opening in December
Starting from December, flights to various destinations in Mexico and the world will be available from the new Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport being constructed in Tulum, Quintana Roo, as affirmed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador yesterday.
During an inspection of Section 5 of the Maya Train, the President visited the new airport, accompanied by the Governor of Quintana Roo, Mara Lezama, and the Secretary of National Defense, Luis Cresencio Sandoval, as well as the engineers leading this project.
“For the first time, we are evaluating Section 5 of the Maya Train, where the Tulum Airport, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, is being constructed—a new marvel of civil-military engineering and the exceptional work of Mexican laborers. In December, it will be possible to fly to any destination in Mexico and the world,” stated the head of the federal government on his social media accounts.
The Governor also shared images of the projections showcasing the design of the new airport terminal upon its completion in December. She expressed, “The southeast is undergoing a transformative process!”
Last Monday, during the morning press conference at the National Palace, President López Obrador emphasized that the stretch from Cancun to Tulum of the Maya Train will mostly be constructed using an elevated viaduct to protect cenotes, caves, and underground rivers.
As part of this section, the creation of the Jaguar Flora and Fauna Protection Area is also being considered.
Tulum Airport: Another flagship project of AMLO. Tulum Airport will commence operations from December this year with the capacity to accommodate approximately 5.5 million passengers annually. After President Andrés Manuel López Obrador decreed that the pinnacle projects of his government would be considered national security works, the topic of Tulum Airport, one of the administration’s favorite projects, resurfaced.
In this regard, the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena) presented progress in the construction of the new Tulum Airport, which will serve as an alternative to improving passenger transportation in the Yucatan Peninsula with the incorporation of the Maya Train in the region.
According to President López Obrador, Tulum Airport will begin operations from December this year with the capacity to handle around 5.5 million passengers annually, 75% of whom will be of foreign origin, with an initial phase accommodating up to 32,000 annual flight operations.
The complex is being constructed on a 1,500-hectare area and features a runway of 3,700 meters in length, equipped with Category I instrument landing system and state-of-the-art navigational aids.
“This project will meet the growing demand of passengers visiting this tourist destination in the southern Riviera Maya. Its infrastructure and operational potential classify it as an airport in the 4 ECO category, meaning it can handle all aircraft arriving and departing from our country,” stated Gustavo Vallejo, resident engineer of the General Directorate of Engineers at Sedena.
What makes a project a matter of national security?
According to the National Security Law, which was published on January 31, 2005, for a project or work to be considered a matter of national security, it must fulfill certain criteria:
- I. Protect the Mexican nation from threats and risks it faces.
- II. Preserve national sovereignty, independence, and defense.
- III. Maintain constitutional order and strengthen democratic institutions of government.
- IV. Legitimately defend the Mexican State from other states.
- V. Preserve democracy, based on the country’s economic, social, and political development and its inhabitants.
