'Faster and cheaper, passengers highlight on first Saltillo-CDMX route via AIFA'

This Friday, October 31, marked the first landing and takeoff of a commercial flight in Saltillo since they were interrupted in 2020.

It was at 5:45 p.m. that 140 passengers from Mexico City landed at the Plan de Guadalupe International Airport.

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Despite being scheduled for 18:15, it was at 18:50 that the same Airbus A320 aircraft - with a capacity for 186 people - began its takeoff, transporting 167 passengers to the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA).

At the time of takeoff, state and municipal authorities were present at the Airport, including the Secretary of Economy Luis Olivares, the Secretary of Tourism and Magical Towns Cristina Amezcua, the Chief of Staff and Strategic Projects of Saltillo César Iván Moreno Aguirre, and the local businessman Héctor Horacio Dávila.

GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR PASSENGERS

Overall, passengers reported having a good experience traveling directly to Saltillo and no longer having to travel via Monterrey.

They argued that trips to Monterrey add up to 2,500 pesos to the total cost of the trip. They also stated that although far from Mexico City, traveling to the AIFA airport did not present any major problems.

“It’s really great that they brought back these flights because they were really needed. It was a long commute to Monterrey and back, and honestly, my experience today was very good. Congratulations on giving us this opportunity to be direct and connected again,” said Marta Padilla Zapata, a stylist by profession, originally from Saltillo and now living in Mexico City.

For Padilla, his experience at AIFA was "wonderful," noting that he lives near it and that the service is "very fast," as he travels to Saltillo three or four times a year.

Jorge Cárdenas, who is also originally from Saltillo and travels frequently to Mexico City for work, highlighted that now the commute from Monterrey is avoided.

“ The trip from Monterrey here, if you take the highway, costs another thousand pesos round trip, or if you take public transportation, the buses are about 600 pesos. I think you save about a thousand or 1,200 pesos for the whole trip,” he said.

He agreed that although far away, AIFA is "super convenient", so he "highly recommends" traveling that way.

Another visitor, who identified herself as Irma, commented that she visited Saltillo for the first time this Friday and although she had some doubts about traveling through the AIFA, she went "quickly" using the Mexibús public transport.

“I had some doubts about the route, but the Mexibús was a breeze. It was great. I definitely recommend it. I had heard some not-so-nice comments, but honestly, it was fantastic,” she emphasized.

Luis Antonio García described AIFA as "excellent" because he said it took him an hour and 15 minutes to get there from Mexico City, where he received "very good service".

He's originally from Saltillo, though he frequently travels to Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta. "Very cheap and super good, honestly, the best experience. I encourage people to fly. I struggle a lot when I arrive in Monterrey and then come back here. A taxi costs 2,000 pesos plus 500 for tolls, so it's 2,500 more each way. But here, my family is already waiting for me," he concluded.