For the second day in a row, torrential rains have paralyzed operations at Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport, stranding thousands of passengers and reigniting concerns about the capital’s flood resilience.
Airport officials suspended all flights for at least four hours early Tuesday after heavy downpours flooded runways. By midday, operations had resumed, but not before an estimated 20,000 travelers were affected by cancellations, delays and diversions, in some cases to airports more than 800 miles away.
Sunday’s storm broke a decades-old record, dumping over 76 millimeters of rain in just 20 minutes. The deluge inundated large swaths of the city, from the historic Zócalo to southern neighborhoods, leaving cars floating on submerged streets and exposing weaknesses in the capital’s drainage systems.
Frustration among passengers has been mounting. Alicia Nicanor, 69, saw her flight to Tijuana canceled twice in two days despite needing urgent medical treatment. The Álvarez family, traveling with children as young as 11 months, spent the night on the terminal floor with little assistance.
“It’s a shame that an airport floods,” said one weary traveler, echoing widespread criticism of Mexico City’s infrastructure.
Airlines including Aeroméxico have urged authorities to address systemic deficiencies to prevent further disruptions. With the rainy season only beginning, experts warn that similar events could become more frequent and more costly without urgent upgrades to drainage and flood-control systems.
