Tampico International Airport

Tampico International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Tampico); officially Aeropuerto Internacional General Francisco Javier Mina (General Francisco Javier Mina International Airport) (IATA: TAM, ICAO: MMTM) is an international airport situated in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico. It manages air traffic for the metropolitan area of Tampico, including Ciudad Madero and Altamira, handling both national and international flights. The airport also accommodates military facilities and supports logistics, cargo, flight training, and general aviation activities. Operated by Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte, it is named after General Javier Mina, a key figure in Mexico's War of Independence.

Tampico International Airport

Aeropuerto Internacional de Tampico
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorGrupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte
ServesTampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Opened1929
Time zoneCST (UTC-06:00)
Elevation AMSL24 m / 79 ft
Coordinates22°17′47″N 097°51′57″W / 22.29639°N 97.86583°W / 22.29639; -97.86583
Websitewww.oma.aero/en/passengers/tampico/index.php
Map
TAM is located in Tamaulipas
TAM
TAM
Location of the airport in Tamaulipas
TAM is located in Mexico
TAM
TAM
TAM (Mexico)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
09/27 1,200 3,937 Asphalt
13/31 2,550 8,366 Asphalt
18/36 1,300 4,265 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Total passengers563,204
Ranking in Mexico34th Increase 2
Source: Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte.[1]

Formerly known as Campo de Aviación George Lawrence Rihl, [2] the airport was inaugurated in October 1929. It operated the first commercial flight in the history of Mexico, conducted by Compañía Mexicana de Aviación, with its destination set for Mexico City. Tampico Airport is one of the few airports in Mexico equipped with three runways, sharing this distinction with Chihuahua and Mexico City-AIFA. It ranks as the second busiest airport in northeastern Mexico, following Monterrey Airport. The airport handled 495,602 passengers in 2022, and this number increased to 563,204 passengers in 2023.[3]

Facilities edit

 
Passenger terminal airside
 
Check-in area

The airport is located within the Tampico urban area, approximately 8 kilometres (5 mi) north of the city center. Covering a total area of 391 hectares (966 acres) at an elevation of 24 metres (79 ft) above sea level, it features three asphalt-surfaced runways: Runway 19/31, the primary one measuring 2,550 metres (8,366 ft), Runway 09/27 at 1,200 metres (3,937 ft), and Runway 18/36 spanning 1,300 metres (4,265 ft). It was the first in the country to be equipped with an instrument landing system (ILS). The airport's commercial aviation apron provides seven parking positions for narrow-body aircraft, and an adjacent general aviation apron caters to fixed-wing aircraft and heliports for private aviation.

The passenger terminal is a two-story building that facilitates both domestic and international flights. On the ground floor, it houses check-in and arrivals facilities, including customs and immigration, baggage claim, car rental services, taxi stands, and snack bars. The upper floor of the terminal accommodates the security checkpoint and a departure area containing duty-free shops, a VIP lounge, and a departures concourse featuring six gates, two of which are equipped with jet bridges.

 
Fuel truck at Tampico Airport

Adjacent to the terminal, there are other facilities, including civil aviation hangars, cargo companies, and courier services. Additionally, there is a dedicated general aviation terminal that supports a variety of activities, including flight training, executive, and general aviation.

Air Force Station No. 4 (Spanish: Estación Aérea Militar N.º 4) (E.A.M. 4), located on the airport's grounds, is a facility of the Mexican Air Force. Currently, there are no active squadrons assigned to it. The station comprises a 10,000 square metres (107,639 sq ft) apron, a hangar, and other facilities intended for the accommodation of Air Force personnel.[4]

Airlines and destinations edit

 
Monument sculpture commemorating 50 years of Mexicana de Aviación at Tampico Airport

Passenger edit

AirlinesDestinations
Aeroméxico Connect Mexico City
Aerus Matamoros, Veracruz, Villahermosa
United Express Houston–Intercontinental
Viva Aerobus Cancún, Mexico City, Mexico City–AIFA, Monterrey
 
Departures concourse

Destination maps edit

Domestic destinations from Tampico International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination
International destinations from Tampico International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination

Statistics edit

Passengers edit

Tampico Airport Passengers. See Wikidata query.

Busiest routes edit

Busiest domestic routes from Tampico International Airport (2023)[5]
Rank City Passengers Ranking Airline
1   Mexico City, Mexico City 171,583   Aeroméxico Connect, Viva Aerobus
2   Nuevo León, Monterrey 53,726   Viva Aerobus
3   Quintana Roo, Cancún 24,858   Viva Aerobus
4   United States, Houston-Intercontinental 21,822   United Express
5   Campeche, Ciudad del Carmen 3,547   TAR
6   Tamaulipas, Matamoros 377   Aerus
7   Veracruz, Veracruz 317   Aerus
8   Tamaulipas, Reynosa 231   Aerus
9   Veracruz, Poza Rica 47   Aerus
10   San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí 46   TAR

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "OMA's December 2023 Total Passenger Traffic" (PDF; 292 KB). oma.aero. Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte S.A.B. de C.V. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Aeropuerto Internacional de Tampico celebra 51 años de historia". 17 March 2021.
  3. ^ "Passenger's Traffic" (PDF). Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte (in Spanish). January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Bases Aéreas. Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional".
  5. ^ "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.

External links edit