Chetumal International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Chetumal) (IATA: CTM, ICAO: MMCM) is an international airport located in Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico, near the Belize–Mexico border. It serves domestic flights for Chetumal and the southern Quintana Roo region, while also supporting various executive and general aviation activities, and hosting Mexican Navy facilities. Since 2023, the airport has been operated by Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica|Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica (GAFSACOMM), a holding company owned by the Mexican military. In terms of traffic, the airport handled 374,152 passengers in 2022, decreasing to 335,088 passengers in 2023.[1]
Chetumal International Airport Aeropuerto Internacional de Chetumal | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica | ||||||||||
| Serves | Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico | ||||||||||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-05:00) | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 12 m / 39 ft | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 18°30′16.8″N 88°19′36.65″W / 18.504667°N 88.3268472°W | ||||||||||
| Website | grupoolmecamayamexica | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  CTM Location of airport in Quintana Roo  CTM CTM (Mexico) | |||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2023) | |||||||||||
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Source: Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil[1] | |||||||||||
History
editSince its early years, multiple airlines have operated at Chetumal International Airport, with Aerocaribe serving as a major operator that later evolved into MexicanaClick, operating at the airport until its bankruptcy in 2010. Interjet, Aviacsa, and ALMA de Mexico also provided services during the 2000s, each facing bankruptcy in their respective times.
In an effort to fill the void left by MexicanaClick, Aeromexico attempted to take over services. However, the competitive pricing of Interjet rendered Aeromexico's operations to Chetumal financially unsustainable.[2] The airport underwent significant renovations and a runway and passenger terminal expansion in 2011.[3] Despite Aeromexico ending its service to Chetumal in 2013, it resumed in 2020 through Aeromexico Connect.[4][5]
From 1974 to 2023, Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA) managed the airport. However, in 2023, airport management transitioned to Grupo Olmeca Maya Mexica, aligning with the López Obrador administration's controversial strategy to involve the armed forces in significant infrastructure projects. This militarization trend has impacted various initiatives, including the Tren Maya, where the Chetumal Airport Train Station is projected as the terminus for the Cancún-Chetumal line, also serving as Chetumal's primary train station. Additionally, it played a role in the attempted revival of Mexicana de Aviación, which initially announced flights to Chetumal, temporarily canceled the service[6] and finally launched them in December 2023.[7]
Facilities
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The airport is situated at an elevation of 12 metres (39 ft) above mean sea level, covering an area of 230 hectares (570 acres). It features a single asphalt runway, designated as 05/23, measuring 2,208 metres (7,244 ft). The commercial aviation apron spans 13,140 square metres (141,400 sq ft), featuring two parking positions for narrow-body aircraft and additional stands for general aviation. Official operating hours are from 7:00 to 19:00.
The passenger terminal caters to both domestic arrivals and departures in a single-story structure. It includes check-in areas, a security checkpoint, a baggage claim area, and an arrivals hall with car rental services, taxi stands, and several retail stores. Before security, there is a small selection of shops plus a ScotiaBank ATM machine. The departures concourse includes two gates with direct access to the apron, allowing passengers to board their planes by walking to the aircraft. Additionally, there's Cafe 747 selling hot food, a kiosk serving sandwiches and cold drinks plus a small shop with a range of snacks and gifts on offer. Adjacent facilities include parking areas, civil aviation hangars, administration offices, courier and logistic facilities, and facilities for general aviation.
Currently under construction on the airport grounds is a Tren Maya station called Chetumal Airport railway station (Spanish: Estación de Chetumal Aeropuerto), aiming to establish connectivity with Tulum International Airport, Cancun International Airport, and other key tourist destinations in southeastern Mexico.[8]
Chetumal Naval Air Base (Spanish: Base Aeronaval de Chetumal) is a facility of the Mexican Navy located at the eastern end of the airport grounds. The base hosts the following units:
- 1st Patrol Naval Air Squadron – operating Lancair Super ES, MX-7-180A, RC695
- 3rd Air Mobility, Observation and Transport Naval Air Squadron – operating Mi-8
Airlines and destinations
editPassenger
edit| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Aeroméxico | Mexico City |
| Aeroméxico Connect | Mexico City |
| Aerus | Cancún |
| Mexicana de Aviación | Mexico City–AIFA |
| Viva | Mexico City, Mexico City–AIFA |
| Volaris | Mexico City |
Destinations map
edit
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination
Statistics
editPassengers
editGraphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Busiest routes
edit| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mexico City, Mexico City
|
160,375 | 
|
Aeroméxico Connect, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 2 |  State of Mexico, Mexico City-AIFA
|
626 | 
|
Mexicana de Aviación |
Accidents and incidents
editOn January 6, 1972, a Hawker Siddeley HS.748-230 belonging to SAESA (Servicios Aereos Especiales Airlines) crashed shortly after take-off from Chetumal on its way to Mérida, killing 5 crew members and 18 passengers.[10]
See also
edit- List of the busiest airports in Mexico
- List of airports in Mexico
- List of airports by ICAO code: M
- List of busiest airports in North America
- List of the busiest airports in Latin America
- Transportation in Mexico
- Tourism in Mexico
- List of beaches in Mexico
- Riviera Maya
- Tren Maya
- Chetumal Airport railway station
References
edit- ^ a b "Estadística Operacional de Aeropuertos / Statistics by Airport". Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Mexicana Wins Legal Shield to Aid Mexican Bankruptcy". Bloomberg. August 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ Arranca modernizacion del Aeropuerto Internacional de Chetumal "Arranca modernización del Aeropuerto internacional de Chetumal. | MarQtips". Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013 (In Spanish)
- ^ No más vuelos de aeroméxico en Chetumal Archived February 9, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved on March 31, 2013 (In Spanish)
- ^ "Exclusive: Aeroméxico will fly to Chetumal from June" (in Spanish). Transponder 1200. March 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ "Mexicana De Aviación To Rely On Military Aircraft For The Start Of Its Commercial Launch ?".
- ^ "Mexicana begins ticket sales; TAR will operate 6 destinations". El Financiero (in Spanish). 22 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ "Cancun Airport's Link to Maya Train: Construction Set to Start Soon".
- ^ "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ "Accident". Aviation Safety Network. January 1972. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
External links
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Media related to Aeropuerto de Chetumal at Wikimedia Commons- Official Website
- Grupo Olmeca Maya Mexica
- Aeronautical chart and airport information for MMCM at SkyVector
- Current weather for MMCM at NOAA/NWS
- Accident history for CTM at Aviation Safety Network
- Chetumal Airport information at Great Circle Mapper
- Tren Maya's independent website
- Tren Maya's official website (Spanish)
