Santa LucíaAir Force Base is a military airport located in Santa Lucía, Zumpango, in the State of Mexico, Mexico. It is the plan of the current Mexican government that a new civilian international airport for Mexico City be built on the grounds of the air force base. Construction started on October 17, 2019 with a symbolic ceremony and a short video presentation after all judicial suspensions against the airport were revoked. Two runways and a new terminal are planned during the first phase, due to open by March 21, 2022 as ordered by president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The airport will be operated by the Secretariat of National Defense which will also receive all of the airport's earnings. The new airport is to be christened General Felipe Ángeles International Airport.
Construction
On April 24, 2019, Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that construction of the new airport would commence on April 29, 2019. On June 12, a judge ordered the suspension of construction of the airport until environmental and cultural studies have been completed. The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources announced its approval of construction of a terminal at the new airport site on July 17, 2019. Construction officially started on October 17, 2019. President López Obrador also promised that the master plan and all information regarding the airport will be released in the coming days, saying transparency will be key in the project. The "General Felipe Ángeles" Airport is reported to be 18.1% completed as of July 10, 2020, with 618 days to go until its planned date of completion. 23,425 civilian jobs have been created alongside 926 military laborers. The airport is intended to focus on low-cost and cargo airlines to help relieve Mexico City's International Airport congestion. Mexican architect Francisco Gonzalez Pulido and military general Gustavo Vallejo are in charge of airport design. The master plan is in charge of Groupe ADP and the airspace navigability studies were made by Airbus subsidiary Navblue. The Valley of Mexico will be the first in the country where the performance-based navigation system is used, which will allow the Felipe Ángeles International Airport, the Mexico City International Airport, and the Toluca International Airport to operate simultaneously without the operations of one impeding those of the others. Remains of six mammoths were discovered during the construction of the terminal area, in the former Lake Xaltocan. Most of the newly-discovered mammoths likely died after being trapped by mud in the ancient lake or hunted by other animals. Nothing was found that would require halting work on the airport project. Construction of the airport was considered a priority during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. Despite social distancing and other efforts to avoid infection, at least four employees were infected with the virus and there were 37 suspected cases along with three deaths as of June 9, 2020.
