New aviation authority rules restrict private flights at congested airports.

The Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) published on Thursday, August 13, 2026, in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), the General Bases for the allocation of landing and takeoff slots and the turn priorities of aircraft at civil public-service aerodromes declared in Level 3 saturation conditions. Signed by the Director General of the AFAC, Emilio Avendaño García, on August 7, 2026, the new rules will enter into force on August 14 and repeal the bases published on October 14, 2025.

The AFAC, a deconcentrated administrative body of the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT), issues the regulation under the Airports Law and the Law on General Means of Communication. The framework applies exclusively to Level 3 aerodromes, those whose demand significantly exceeds their capacity, and directly affects the Mexico City Benito Juárez International Airport (AICM), declared saturated on the airfield since September 29, 2014, in the time band from 7:00 to 22:59 hours. Slot allocation must be impartial, transparent, and non-discriminatory, without exceeding the declared hourly capacity of runways and terminal buildings.

Operations prohibited during saturated hours

For all hours declared saturated, the allocation of slots to the following operations is prohibited:

• Third-party air services and private-use aircraft with XB registration, in accordance with Article 44 of the Civil Aviation Law.
• Non-military State aircraft with XC registration.
• Foreign aircraft on international private flights, international corporate flights, demonstration flights, flights for temporary entry and importation, and air taxi on-demand operations.

Excluded from the prohibition are operations of the holder of the Federal Executive, those indispensable for national security, air ambulance, emergency services, and rotary-wing aircraft. The airport administrator must immediately notify the aerodrome Command so that the sanctions provided in Articles 86, Section III, 86 Bis, and 87 of the Civil Aviation Law are applied.

Effective-use rule: 80% occupancy

The regulation toughens the effective-use rule for airlines: only the slot series —minimum five per winter season and seven in summer— occupied at least 80% of the time in the previous equivalent season retains historic priority. Those who do not comply move to lower priority and their slots return to the reserve pool.

• Holding slots without operating, operating without an assigned slot, or operating at a significantly different time than authorized is considered misuse.
• Unforeseen slots must be returned before the deadline; cancellations of five or more consecutive weeks reduce the eligible period, and cancellations of 20% or less are tolerated.
• AFAC will designate a slot coordinator, independent of the operator, and a coordination and oversight subcommittee will be created that will meet at least twice per season.
• Airlines must equip their aircraft with technological tools to report their operations in real time.

Validity and immediate obligations

Airport administrators of Level 3 aerodromes must modify their operating rules within fifteen business days and submit them for authorization by AFAC. The coordination calendar will be aligned with the worldwide calendar of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), with publication of sixty-minute slots and deadlines for requesting, allocating, and returning slots per season.

The new regulation comes at a time of maximum pressure on the capacity of AICM: by reserving saturated slots for scheduled air transport of passengers and cargo, private and corporate aviation will have to relocate their flights to non-saturated slots or to alternate aerodromes in the national network. For passengers, the bet is to regain punctuality and reduce the misuse of slots at one of the most saturated airports in Latin America.

Source: Official Gazette of the Federation, issue No. 219/2026, Thursday, August 13, 2026, Executive Power section (Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation), pp. 119-149 (official reference: General Bases for the allocation of landing and takeoff slots and aircraft turn priorities at civil aerodromes providing public service declared under Level 3 saturation conditions).