Mexico’s civil aviation authority (AFAC) has discontinued its annual entry permit for private aviation, with aircraft operators and aircraft only able to obtain single-use permits.
According to Juan Muniz, lead global regulatory service specialist with trip support provider Universal Weather and Aviation, the single- and multiple-entry permits have been replaced with a single-entry authorization (AIU), which is valid for 180 days. It will be issued to the aircraft on arrival at the destination, but local authorities must still be provided with the flight, aircraft, and crew information ahead of time.
The AIU will allow multiple international flights during that span, and the original must be carried onboard the aircraft. Muniz noted that the required documents must now also include “the layout of passenger accommodations” from the aircraft manual.
This change resulted from modifications to the country’s civil aviation laws and removed the multiple entry permits in an attempt to crack down on illegal charters operating in Mexico.
To process an AIU typically takes 24 hours; however, Universal stated that on normal business days, it could obtain authorization with just a two-hour lead time. The company added that there is no limit on how many authorizations an operator can obtain.