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Mexico Faces Airport Ride‑Hailing Clash Before World Cup

A federal ban on app pickups at Mexico City’s main airport could create long waits and traffic bottlenecks for arriving fans and visitors.

Overview

  • A survey by The Competitive Intelligence Unit published June 1–2 found 47.9% of air travelers use mobility apps for airport trips and about 70% of those users prefer Uber.
  • The federal Secretaría de Infraestructura, Comunicaciones y Transporte (SICT) maintains that app platforms are not authorized to pick up passengers inside AICM federal terminal zones and requires pickups at off‑federal points.
  • Uber says its service currently continues at Terminals 1 and 2 with no formal operational change announced and has promoted World Cup features such as in‑app airport navigation and a permanent four‑digit safety PIN.
  • Analysts and The CIU warn that enforcing stricter in‑terminal limits could cause queues, longer wait times and traveler confusion because on‑airport authorized taxi groupings total about 1,500 vehicles and report capacity shortages and higher fares at peak hours.
  • The CIU estimates the World Cup will generate roughly $2.57 billion in direct spending for Mexico’s three host cities and about 105,000 temporary jobs, raising the economic stakes for clear and practical airport mobility rules.