LUFTHANSA Cargo is to switch all Boeing 777 freighter flights from Mexico City International Airport (MEX) in line with a government decree.
The Mexican government announced earlier this year that all freighter flights to MEX would need to be switched to Felipe Angeles International Airport (NLU) as the former faced a capacity shortage, according to London's Air Cargo News.
"From the beginning of July, cargo airlines will operate flights to the modern NLU about 45 km northeast of Mexico City," the carrier said.
"The airport has been in operation since last year and is located on the site of a former military airfield, surrounded by an infrastructure that continues to grow steadily."
Lufthansa Cargo will operate a total of six weekly 777 freighter connections between NLU and its Frankfurt hub. The freighter flights were opened for booking from June 16.
The carrier also operates 10 weekly passenger flights to MEX using 747-8 and Airbus A350 aircraft. Lufthansa Cargo said it will transport cargo between the two airports utilizing a truck shuttle service.
Frank Nozinsky, director, sales & handling, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Central America and Caribbean at Lufthansa Cargo, said: "As part of the necessary relocation of freighter flights to Mexico City's northeastern airport, we have successfully established both the import and export processes on-site to our usual high standards in a very short time, as well as set up a fast and reliable nighttime truck transport service for freight shipments between NLU and MEX."
The announcement that freighter flights should be moved to the new airport was met with criticism from IATA saying that expecting airlines to move cargo operations at short notice "is not feasible given the enormous technical, regulatory and infrastructural requirements associated with this transfer".