Puebla International Airport

Aeropuerto Internacional de Puebla
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerGrupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica
ServesPuebla Metropolitan Area
LocationHuejotzingo, Puebla
Time zoneCST (UTC−06:00)
Elevation AMSL2,244 m / 7,362 ft
Coordinates19°09′29″N 98°22′17″W / 19.15806°N 98.37139°W / 19.15806; -98.37139
Websitewww.grupoolmecamayamexica.com.mx/puebla
Maps
Location of Puebla International Airport
PBC is located in Puebla (state)
PBC
PBC
Location of the airport in Puebla
PBC is located in Mexico
PBC
PBC
PBC (Mexico)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
17/35 3,600 11,811 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Total passengers790,931
Ranking in Mexico27th Decrease 1
Source: Olmeca-Maya-Mexica
Passenger terminal
Airport runway from above
Parking lot and Popocatepetl volcano and Iztaccihuatl mountain in the background
Passenger terminal airside
United Express Embraer ERJ 145 at PBC. Mountain Malinche in the background

Puebla International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Puebla); officially Aeropuerto Internacional Hermanos Serdán (Hermanos Serdán International Airport) (IATA: PBC, ICAO: MMPB) is an international airport located in Huejotzingo, Puebla, Mexico.[1] It handles national and international air traffic for the Metropolitan area of Puebla, the fourth-largest metro area in Mexico. It also supports cargo services and various executive and general aviation activities.

Puebla Airport was named after Aquiles Serdán, Máximo Serdán, and María del Carmen Serdán, known as the Serdán siblings, who were leaders of the anti-reelection movement during the Mexican Revolution. It is operated by Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica, a holding company owned by the Mexican military. The airport is one of the fastest-growing in the country, it served 565,387 passengers in 2021 and 790,931 in 2022.[2]

History

The airport commenced operations in 1985, with its inaugural flight arriving from Guadalajara and operated by Mexicana de Aviación. In 1993, Puebla Air Lines started connecting Puebla to major destinations within Mexico but ceased operations in 1995 due to the Mexican peso crisis. In 1996, the airport, which was previously a national aerodrome, was designated as the "Hermanos Serdán" International Airport.

Operadora Estatal de Aeropuertos (OEA) assumed the airport management and development in 2001, with shared ownership among the Puebla State Government (26%), Operadora Internacional de Aeropuertos (49%), and Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (25%). In 2011, OEA was dissolved by the State Government of Puebla due to budgetary issues, and Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA) took over the airport operations.

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, there were political initiatives aimed at positioning Puebla Airport, along with Toluca, Cuernavaca, and Querétaro airports, as supplementary options for serving the Mexico City Area. Various airlines, including MexicanaLink, Copa Airlines, Aeroméxico, Aero California, and American Eagle introduced flight services at the airport. However, most air travelers to Puebla still tend to use the Mexico City International Airport, which is situated less than 100 km (65 mi) west of the city and very well connected via highways and bus services. Puebla Airport's capacities remain underutilized, even though it has the potential to serve the Puebla Metropolitan Area, which is home to nearly three and a half million inhabitants.[3] Furthermore, the opening of Mexico City-Felipe Angeles Airport has made it more challenging for PBC to attract commercial flights.

In 2007, the Logistic Airport Center was established, offering comprehensive cargo management and commercial processing facilities. The airport experienced significant growth in passenger numbers, operations, and cargo handling during the 2010s. Over the years, the airport has faced temporary closures due to ash spewing from the nearby Popocatepetl volcano.[4]

In 2022, the Mexican government executed the merger of several state-operated airport companies, consolidating infrastructure entities into a larger holding company known as Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica, which is under the ownership of the Department of Defense (SEDENA). This action was part of the broader strategy of the López Obrador administration to engage the armed forces not only in significant infrastructure projects but also in civilian functions. This trend of militarization extended to other endeavors such as the Tren Maya, the Felipe Angeles and Tulum airports, and the revival of Mexicana de Aviación, prompting concerns regarding accountability and transparency.[5][6]

Facilities

The Puebla Airport is located at an elevation of 2,244 metres (7,362 ft) above mean sea level. It features a single runway with a length of 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) and an apron featuring 6 Category D aircraft stands, accommodating both commercial and cargo operations. The airport is also equipped with facilities dedicated to general and executive aviation.

The terminal building includes arrival and departures facilities for both domestic and international flights within a single-story building. Has the capacity to cater to up to 450 passengers per hour. The departures concourse comprises five gates and an airport lounge managed by the Global Lounge Network.[7]

In addition to passenger services, Puebla Airport serves as a hub for logistics and courier companies, overseeing an annual cargo volume of two thousand tons. The cargo handled encompasses various items such as textile products, vehicle motor parts, machinery, postal items, airborne parcel services, and perishable goods like fruits and flowers.[8]

Airlines and destinations

Passengers

AirlinesDestinations
Magni Seasonal: Cancún
United Express Houston–Intercontinental
Viva Aerobus Cancún, Guadalajara, Mérida, Monterrey, Tijuana
Volaris Cancún, Monterrey, Tijuana

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
Aeronaves TSM Laredo
Estafeta San Luis Potosí, Villahermosa

Destinations map

Domestic destinations from Puebla International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination
International destinations from Puebla International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination

Airlines previously flying to Puebla International Airport

Airlines
Aero California, Aeromar, Aeroméxico, Aeroméxico Connect, Aladia, Alma de México, Avolar, American Eagle, Continental Express, Copa Airlines, Líneas Aéreas Azteca, Mexicana, MexicanaLink

Statistics

Passengers

Puebla Airport passengers. See Wikidata query.

Busiest routes

Busiest domestic routes at Puebla International Airport (2020)[9]
Rank City Passengers Ranking Airline
1  Quintana Roo, Cancún 69,499 Steady Magni, VivaAerobús, Volaris
2  Baja California, Tijuana 49,769 Increase 1 Volaris
3  Nuevo León, Monterrey 41,082 Decrease 1 Aeroméxico Connect, VivaAerobús, Volaris
4  Jalisco, Guadalajara 14,845 Steady Aeromar, VivaAerobús
5  Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta 3,580 Steady VivaAerobús
6  Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez 3,267 Steady VivaAerobús

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Puebla International Airport". PueblaCity.com. Retrieved January 14, 2023. Puebla International Airport, officially Hermanos Serdán International Airport (IATA: PBC, ICAO: MMPB). The airport was named for Aquiles Serdán, Máximo Serdán and María del Carmen Serdán, known as the Serdán brothers, leaders of the revolutionary Maderista anti-reelectionism.
  2. ↑ "Operational Statistics of Airports in the ASA Network" (in Spanish). Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares. January 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  3. ↑ Goytia, María José (May 27, 2022). "Puebla International Airport to Modernize Cargo Flights". Mexicobusiness.News. Retrieved January 14, 2023. Luis Espinosa Rueda, President, CANACINTRA Puebla, highlighted the need to end the underutilization of the airport, which instead should be uses [sic] as a source of economic growth for Puebla's industries.
  4. ↑ "Mexico: Authorities temporarily close Puebla International Airport due to volcanic ash fall May 21 2023".
  5. ↑ "The Political Implications of Mexico's New Militarism".
  6. ↑ "The militarisation of Mexico's economy".
  7. ↑ "Global Lounge Network – Our Lounges".
  8. ↑ "Aeropuerto Internacional Hermanos Serdán de Puebla".
  9. ↑ "Traffic Statistics by Airline" (in Spanish). Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes. January 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.