Inter-departmental communication problems in the new federal administration led to confusion yesterday after contradicting statements were issued regarding the future of Mexico City’s airport facilities.

Tourism Secretary Miguel Torruco Marqués told a press conference early yesterday that the Santa Lucía Air Force base would become the terminal for international flights while the existing Mexico City airport would be home to domestic flights.

The result would be “a great metropolitan airport project,” Torruco declared.

But later in the day, the Communications and Transportation Secretariat said there had been some confusion and confirmed that the airports at Santa Lucía, Toluca and Mexico City would all handle both international and domestic flights.

The three facilities are to take the place of the new Mexico City airport, whose construction was cancelled by the new government.

Under the Torruco plan, international passengers arriving in Santa Lucía would have to travel 46 kilometers to making a connecting flight in Mexico City. When a reporter with the newspaper Reforma put the proposal to the test, it took 53 minutes to travel in a taxi from Santa Lucía to the Mexico City airport in light traffic.

The trip cost 457 pesos (US $23), including taxi fare and tolls.

Source: Reforma (sp)